Graduation Day

When SSD Vicki walked on stage to be reunited with her partner Connor, her tail immediately started wagging. Soon her whole body was wiggling with joy as Connor hugged her.

Vicki is one of the 26 dogs that graduated last week in our annual celebration, graduation, and volunteer recognition ceremony. This is one of our favorite nights! It’s a night full of tail wags and happy tears.

The evening began by sending the dogs back to their beginnings. When each service dog team arrived, the dogs were handed off to their puppy raisers. As you can imagine, there were a lot of happy dogs and raisers! The dogs spent the first part of the ceremony with their raisers, completely out of sight from their partners.

Then the ceremony commenced, and we announced each team. Each puppy raiser brought their dog on stage to be reunited with their partner. Even though some teams had only been together for two months, it was easy to see that a strong bond had already formed between them.

When the puppies are born, we often talk about how they’re on a journey to becoming service dogs, with many people working with the dogs along the way. While the partner, dog, and puppy raiser are still on stage, we show each dog’s journey in a slide show, created by our puppy coordinator, Becky.

Each dog starts out in their whelping home with their whelping family, who cares for them the first eight weeks. During this time, puppy huggers slip in and out of the dogs’ lives, helping them get used to being handled by many different people. At 8-9 weeks, the puppies join their puppy raisers, who spend the next 16 months teaching them as much as possible about good house manners, basic obedience, and other cues our trainers assign.

Once the dogs enter advanced training, we have a group of volunteers who work with the dogs in public so they continue to hone their skills and behaviors in a variety of environments.

And of course, throughout this journey, puppy sitters come into the dogs’ lives not only to give the raisers a break but to let the dogs experience a new home and routine.  

Every person and every experience shapes the dog into what they will become. All of it leads up to the moment when the dogs join their human partner and they become a working service dog team.

We celebrated those teams and all of our volunteers who help to make those teams possible.

Congratulations to the teams who graduated! Thank you to all of our volunteers!

Team Training and the People Behind the Scenes

Since Monday, five people have been learning how to work with their new service dogs. We’re in the midst of Team Training, a time when individuals receive their service dogs, learn all the cues and behaviors, and learn how to work in public as a team. This is a challenging, but amazing, two and a half weeks. You can see more photos from the week on our Facebook Page.

A lot of hard work and love goes into the training of each service dog, including over 20,000 volunteer hours. There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes to make Team Training possible. Our new director Pam Foreman’s presentation from this year’s graduation gives a glimpse of the people who make Team Training and all of SSD possible. You’ll also learn a little more about Pam and the future of SSD.

May 2014 Graduation

presentation by Pam Foreman

It feels good to be here in this room with all of you tonight celebrating the work you have done and the good result of that work. 

I was told this would be a beautiful night, a wonderful celebration, and a moving tribute to many fabulous people and some pretty terrific dogs, and that certainly proved to be true.

When I was growing up and deciding what I wanted to do, I knew one thing.  I wanted to work with people.  I wanted to be part of something that allowed people, all of us, the opportunity to live our lives to the fullest, to live a good and rich life full of purpose and meaning and value.  In order to do that, I discovered, we need something called interdependence more than something called independence.  That’s what we have here.  That’s what we have in this room.  That’s what we have in this program.

I grew up in Keystone Human Services and consider myself fortunate that I did.  I started as an intern in my last year of college and stayed 33 years….and counting.  The mission and vision resonated with me then, and it resonates with me now.  I worked in the intellectual disabilities programs and had the great privilege to see many lives changed, including mine, over the course of those years.  I’ve witnessed the beauty and richness of life as people challenged themselves to be more and have more and do more and give more. It has been an honor.

Before I came to SSD, I was a bit infatuated with the program and excited about what it stood for.  I believed what it offered people to have the opportunities to be more fully engaged in their neighborhoods and communities, to live a life more like their family and friends, to engage in valued roles, and generally have a good life.  Since I started at SSD, that has been confirmed, and the infatuation and excitement only grew as I got to know Nancy, the staff, the dogs, and some of you sitting in the audience.

In a very short time I have come to deeply value my relationship with Nancy and what she has offered me, in sharing her knowledge and her faith in me to carry on.  It has humbled me and touched me and grown me.  My words truly fail in describing the gift of that. None of us would be celebrating what we are tonight if it were not for her….and her son wanting a dog all those years ago.   She established the foundation and reputation that will carry us forward.  And she promised me she’s only a phone call away.

The staff.  I have been energized by this impressive group of people and how they’ve welcomed me and what they’ve already taught me.  They are very good at what they do and it gives me great comfort knowing they are there.  Everyone has communicated to me their love for this program and their desire to take it as far as it can go.  They clearly understand, and acknowledge that it can go nowhere without all of you.

  

That brings me to the dedication of the volunteers.  Nowhere have I seen what I’ve seen here.  It is truly unprecedented and I sincerely stand in awe.  You are out there giving and giving and giving.  And you’re so good at what you do and an incredible representation of SSD.  I can’t wait to meet all of you and to learn from you.

The dogs.  They’re beautiful and fun and hardworking and it sure makes life a little better going to work knowing they’re around.

And clients, the person side of the team.  Resilient and strong and diligent—listening and learning and making it work.  You are why we do what we do and we’re honored to be a little part of your life story.  

The future definitely looks very good.  The number of litters, and dogs, is growing and the collaboration through Assistance Dogs International and the North America Breeding Cooperative is strong. We have impressive staff, proficient volunteers, amazing clients, wonderful hardworking dogs, and a new property that will allow us to grow and to showcase this remarkable program.

Interestingly, all those years ago when I was growing up, whenever I took those vocational aptitude tests in school, they always suggested I go into animal husbandry and agriculture.  Every time. True story.  So somehow it does seem full circle, and right, that I get to be exactly where I am right now.  I know it’s a good match for me. I hope it proves to be a good match for SSD.

Thank you all for being so gracious to me. Thank you for your dedication and perseverance, for being the heart and soul of what we’re all about.

I look forward to navigating this next phase of life, and SSD, with all of you.

What Makes Susquehanna Service Dogs Special

Post by Nancy Fierer, Susquehanna Service Dogs’ founder and director

Susquehanna Service Dogs has a wonderful history—from that first mid-January meeting in 1993 in my living room and the placement of our first service dog in the summer of 1994 to the transition to a positive clicker training program to our first Assistance Dogs International accreditation in 2003 and much more. With hard work, wonderful staff, amazing volunteers, and luck, we have come this far—through 20 years—placing 226 service dog teams.

SSD was mentored by Canine Working Companions near Utica, NY. The director, Pat MacNamara, helped me learn what to do. They showed me how to teach Zach, SSD’s very first demo therapy interview dog, how to open a door. I was so excited, I started as soon as I arrived in the Adirondacks. Within ten minutes, Zach did it—the easiest, fastest dog I ever taught. I though, how hard can this be? It was never that easy again.

I also met my first service dog team at Canine Working Companions, and I knew we could do this. CWC has since closed, but we would not be here without their years of mentorship. Now SSD continues to mentor other Assistance Dogs International member programs.

So SSD was off and running. We became part of Tri County Easter Seal Society and after many turns, part of Keystone Human Services Children and Family Services. We found our first partner. He was a middle school student with osteogenisis imperfect and with the help of a few volunteers, we trained SSD Hope, a sweet black lab, to become his service dog, go to school with him, allow him to travel alone, grow up more independently, and graduate from high school. They were a wonderful first team. And luck, such an important part of life, was on the side of SSD. Amazingly, we had no problems, no disasters, nothing that we couldn’t easily solve. We were so lucky.

We grew and placed many service dogs, started a breeding program, hired staff, and raised money. Over all these years, the SSD family has experienced sadness and loss, triumphs and joy, and wonderful friends to the rescue, just at the right moments. We kept growing and changing.

We have had many success stories, from the boy who went to the zoo with his service dog and told the interested zoo animals that his dog was “off the menu,” to the service dog who would not leave his partner’s side even though they were at the dog park.

And then there are reports from established teams. SSD placed a service dog with an 11-year-old girl with significant psychiatric illness and autism. Her family had tried many other services and support with little success. Nothing helped until SSD Sadie came into their lives. At time, the girl was a D/F student with few friends and many meltdowns.

Each of our service dog teams trains a new task to help the bonding process and learn how to train, and together this family taught the dog to give full body pressure, which provides a significant calming effect. Immediately, the girl’s meltdowns decreased in duration and slowly decreased in frequency. And her grades improved dramatically!

This team has been together for many years, have successfully passed each Assistance Dogs International (ADI) public access test, and SSD task tests. The girl is now 16 years old. She has maintained good grades, mostly A’s, since the partnership began. Her meltdowns have gone away. She still uses Sadie for deep pressure, but to relieve stress rather than meltdowns. She also uses the dog during tests. Sadie alerts to her foot tapping, a sign of rising anxiety. The girl can then collect herself and continue. This made the entire testing experience successful.

And then there is the social part. From the beginning, it was “cool” that she had a dog in school. It immediately helped her classmates understand her better and then made her very approachable because she had a sweet black lab. SSD Sadie goes everywhere with her. Before Sadie, the girl was secluded, withdrawn, and did not participate in class or initiate conversation. With Sadie, people talked to her and she responded. Over time, she did this more and more and has blossomed into an outgoing teenager with friends.

Together, service dog teams do many small things that give each partner more independence, let each partner lead more of a typical day, month, year. This past year, we placed eighteen service dog teams, one courthouse dog, and two school facility dogs.

What else makes SSD so special? First, our volunteers and what they do for SSD. We are all part of creating these working service dog teams in tiny ways—training puppies and dogs, raising funds, spreading the word, and doing a million other tiny pieces. In our latest ADI accreditation, our evaluator told us that she has never seen such a dedicated group of volunteers.

Second, we are on the cutting edge of our field. Third, we have dedicated, motivated, and personable staff. They are smart, flexible, highly trained, and give their lives to SSD.

Many things are changing for SSD, but these things remain constant. Please think about the future and how you all help shape it. We could not do this without your help. Together we have touched each other’s lives and many others we never even knew, and we’re slowly changing the world one click at a time.

Joan and Jagger: Weather Aficionados

Guest post by Joan T. and her service dog, SSD Jagger

I wanted to take a little getaway to see how I would fare camping. I’m a KOA member and there is a campground near Bellefonte. This would be Jagger’s and my third camping trip together, and our first one this year.

Having Jagger with me on this camping trip helped me get up in the morning. The stiffness is pretty bad for me. We both walked a good deal. Without him there to balance and “catch” me a few times, it could have been disastrous.

I’m interested in all types of earth science, from the skies at night to the weather, especially when camping in a tent. I’m a registered weather spotter for the National Weather Service, as well as a storm chaser in PA. I knew AccuWeather was located in State College and decided to contact a Facebook acquaintance to see if I could get a tour. I did let them know I have a service dog. They asked me if I needed any special accommodations, for me or for the dog, and I replied, “Nope, he walks right along with me.” And he did—when he wasn’t taking a rest on the weather-themed floor.

We saw where the weather forecasts are produced and televised, the huge computer banks, and the main floor where it all happens. It was a busy place, but I did see some heads turn as we walked by—and some conversations stopped momentarily! Jagger was only too happy to give “doggie therapy” on a couple of occasions. I don’t know what Jagger thought of the tour, but I enjoyed it. I think he liked the K9 park at the campground a lot better.

Changing Lives—Building a Relationship

Guest post by Robin R. about her service dog, SSD Lynsey

We changed each other’s lives, really.

This is the story of a Labrador retriever whose owner had died and who had “kind of” been left on her own. No one wanted her. She was overweight, alone, sad, and ill. I was underweight, alone, sad, and also ill. Because of a stroke of fate, for which we would both always be grateful, we ended up together.

At first, there was trouble. I was being dragged all over the place by the leash. Lynsey has picked up bad habits from neglect, and there were lots and lots of hair and spitcicles. But one day, after many hours of hard work, she started to pay attention, and I found love, safety, and companionship. A true relationship began to develop.

One day, I inexplicably found myself looking at the room upside down. I realized I was on the floor, wondering why a smelly walrus with prickly whiskers was licking my face! The realization finally dawned that I had passed out and the walrus was my dog who was trying to wake me up! Lynsey went and got the telephone and sat patiently as I waited for the world to right itself again.

It was the beginning of a team. I had become quite reclusive, but with Lynsey by my side, I began to go to the grocery store, the mall, movies, and even an occasional restaurant again. Lynsey even go the chance, to her great joy, to find out that she was a water dog—and a retrieving one at that—when she saw her first lake at age five. We had a reason to get up in the morning and a reason to love again. Our lives were changed profoundly.

In one of life’s moments that seem to make no sense at all, Lynsey because very ill suddenly and passed away within only one week. I have been told that the bed she now sleep on is a cloud turned inside out by God, and that she turned round and round in until it was just right. She’s in a place with many friends to play with in forever green fields. I can live with that. However, I will never forget one of the greatest gifts I have ever received.

Rest in peace, beautiful girl. You changed my life forever.  

Team Training at the Colonial Park Mall

Today was the ninth day of Team Training. Three more days of training and then our new service dog teams take the public access test!

We went to the Colonial Park Mall so the teams could practice out in public. Each team worked on loose leash walking, basic obedience, greetings (having someone pet the and using the elevator (getting on and off the elevator so both the service dog and partner are safe), as well as any specially trained skills.

Everyone did a great job! We can definitely see the partners and dogs bonding!

Watch a video of the teams at the mall.

Team Training

Today is Day 5 of Team Training and each of the new service dog teams have made amazing progress! We can see the bonds forming and getting stronger each day.

There are seven teams in Team Training - SSD Aladdin, Aurora, Bella, Cinderella, Kiara, Snow White and Sonora.

This morning, we set up stations throughout the room. At each station, the teams worked on a different behavior.

SSD Aladdin finds and retrieves the phone.

SSD Kiara practices lap. She rests her front legs in her handler's lap.



SSD Cinderella stays and then comes nicely when her partner calls her.

The Beginning of a Journey

Congratulations to all the new service dog teams!

On Friday, we held our annual Celebration and Graduation. This is the time when we recognize all of the new service dog teams. In a wonderful ceremony, each dog's puppy raisers officially presented the service dog to their partner.

As we honor each service dog team, we play a slide show of photos of each dog from the time when they were a puppy through their placement as a working service dog. From the time they are puppies, each dog is on a journey that will take them through many different experiences - puppy class; puppy outings to places like the casino, Chocolate World and the mall; advanced training; and finally, placement with their partner.

Joining their partner as a working service dog team is not the end of the journey. It is just the beginning. We created a video of the Susquehanna Service Dogs' journey. Although the video ends with Team Training, where partners learn to work with their new service dog, it is really just the beginning of a wonderful journey and a new life.

Watch the video of the Susquehanna Service Dogs' journey.

Congratulations to all of our new service dog teams! And thank you to all of our volunteers. Without you, we wouldn't be able to do what we do.

Service Dogs: Specially Trained Partners

In early September, we held our Meet the Dogs sessions where several people who had been on our waiting list got to meet the dog that would become their partner. Since then, we have been specially training each of those dogs for each person, so that when the service dog teams graduate, the dogs are able to assist their partners with their unique needs.

We’re dedicated to making sure that we are meeting the needs of each person who receives a service dog from us. When we’re matching people with a dog, we learn as much as we can about that person’s unique needs so we can specially train the dog. For example, one person may need to use the dog for balance as he moves. Because everyone gets around differently, we will fit a dog with a harness and have the person try using the dog as balance at our Meet the Dogs sessions. This gives the person the opportunity to find out how the dog will be able to assist him with balance. Also, because there are several different types of harnesses a balance dog can wear, this short demo allows the person and dog to find the type of harness that works best for them. From a training standpoint, it gives us the opportunity to observe how the person is walking or moving with the dog. In advanced training, we will then try to duplicate some of those movements so the dog is specially trained to do balance work with their partner.

Similarly, we sometimes need to change the name of a dog in order to meet a person’s needs. Each litter that we breed and raise is assigned a theme, and each puppy is named according to that theme. For example, our most recent litter is called the Crayon litter, and each puppy is named after a crayon color. However, when a person is matched with a dog, we may need to change the dog’s name for that person. For instance, we have placed several hearing dogs with people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Sometimes, because of their disability, the dog’s name may be difficult for the person to pronounce. We will then change the dog’s name for that person. Changing a dog’s name is not as difficult as it may seem. It is simply a matter of training the dog to respond to a different name. And something as simple as a name can mean all the difference to that dog’s human partner.

If you would like to read more about how we match people with dogs, please read our Meet the Dogs post.

Since 1994, 171 service dog teams have graduated from our program, and we currently have 26 puppies being raised by our wonderful, dedicated volunteers. As a fully accredited service dog organization, we are dedicated to high standards of quality and making sure that our service dogs are able to assist their partners with their unique needs. We love our work, and we’re looking forward to the day when the dogs that are currently in advanced training graduate with their new partners as working service dog teams.