Dreams realized!
Written by Kathy Donaldson about her
Mental Health Service Dog, Rocky (AKA Rock Star)
I am delighted that I have teamed up with my service dog
Rocky. I bought my Shih Tzu Rocky on an impulse when he was just shy of
three months old. Most dogs are not fit to be service dogs – in fact more
than 85% of the dogs will be turned away.
Rocky happens to be an exceptional dog because he is not aggressive or
fearful in response to things and he is very attentive, intelligent and eager
to please. I feel very
blessed to have found Rocky on an impulse and to have him so perfectly suited
to be a service dog.
As a person who has struggled with symptoms from chronic
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Major Depression for most of my life
- I can not express the joy at having found a holistic approach to reducing my
symptoms.
I worked with Rocky in other training classes for about
six months before I found Heeling Allies so I had some experience with a couple
of different styles of trainers.
One trainer absolutely showed me how critical it is for a trainer to
have certain skills when dealing with people with mental health issues. I am a person who struggles with
anxiety and the ability to focus and follow instruction while working with a
dog. It is important to me to have
a trainer who is calm and confident – and who can help keep me calm and
focused. It is not always easy for
a person to team up with a trained service dog with the various symptoms that
can present with mental health issues.
At Heeling Allies I have been treated with kindness and understanding
that enables me to perform better instead of triggering me to perform in a
reactive state. Darcie Boltz at
Heeling Allies is wonderful with me and my service dog and we both excel under
her direction.
Prior to having Rocky I did not go outside alone even to
get the mail. I would drive to the
mailbox, to work, to the store, home and a few other choice locations that I
felt comfortable to go to – but mostly I was shut in to my home unless somebody
went with me. I did not even know
my neighbors. Rocky has given me
the purpose to take him outside even in the dark. He gives me relief from feelings of isolation, and
distraction from worries and anxieties.
He makes me laugh! There
are a number of benefits of having a human-canine relationship just by having
them present. But in addition to
the regular benefits – after placing Rocky in training through Heeling Allies –
he
gained great skills in public access. In addition he has been trained to alert
me to a change in my mental state, assist during a panic/anxiety attack and
decrease my anxiety by licking and nudging me. He is averting my attention during obsessive-compulsive
behaviors by barking and nudging me.
He is waking me up during nightmares and sleep apnea episodes and
staying close to allow for tactile stimulation and grounding. He stands behind me providing a sense
of security when I am at an ATM or other situations where I feel better having
an alert at my back. He also stays
close to me, focuses on me and assists for me to cope with emotional
overload. He is very young
and will be gaining even more skills as time goes on.
Darcie has been a great support to me as I adjust to the
lifestyle of having a service dog. It is not an easy adjustment and I do
not think I could do it without her support. Many people are judgmental
about service dogs and can be very insensitive and mean. Shih Tzu’s are not your ‘normal looking’
service dog and mental health disabilities are not normally visible to the eye
so we are big targets for the insensitive people. I have been grateful to have her support as I work through
my sensitivity and gain knowledge about if and how to address people in certain
cases.
In addition Darcie has met with us to give us refresher
courses and has been available by phone and email to answer my questions.
I would recommend Heeling Allies to others and will come back to them in the
future if I need another service dog.
Sincerely,
Kathy Donaldson
