Today Ellie had attended a birthday party with one of her newest classmates in school. Omar has become another very best friend to her because he too is like her in some ways. While Ellie eats with a feeding tube, Omar moves around in a wheel chair.
The kids had a blast during the party and the kids energy level was very high. Omar was so excited to have 10-12 of his new classmates show up to his party. For him this was so exciting because he has only been here in MD for just over a month.
At the party the kids were delighted to have Lucky the Magical Clown painting faces and twisting balloons. Her face painting was amazing and the balloon twisting was also very good. What I was most impressed by her was her patience with the very energetic kids, and how they responded to her. While she was twisting the balloons she involved the children with as much as she could. Today's party did not have any magic tricks as there simply was not time for balloon twisting, face painting, and magic. For more about Lucky the Magical Clown see her website at http://www.luckythemagicalclown.com/
The hardest part for Ellie tonight was the fact that she is back to nothing but her formula, ice, and water again (ice and water in very small amounts). She was wishing she could have food with her friends. Yet she had a blast with a good number of her classmates showing up for Omar's party today.
For me the weirdest part was realizing I am now in the group of parents of older children, and no longer fit in the group of parents of young children. Ellie was one of the oldest children there today, and is our youngest. Somehow this transition has happened without my realizing it happened. Still trying to figure out exactly when that happened as I do not recall that happening LOL...
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Family Pets or Working Dogs
Last night I had the opportunity to teach kids at church about the differences between family pets or working dogs. The girls I was teaching were all amazing smart and knew more than they realized.
While we are in the process of training Ava our German Shepherd, to be a service dog, we have discovered that most do not understand the differences between family dogs and working dogs.
When most are asked what a working dog is the first responses are police dogs, fire dogs, farm dogs, and search and rescue dogs. The other working dogs that are not often thought about are right away are therapy, service, emotional support psychiatric, military, cadaver, drug detection, boarder patrol, guard/security, animal herding, show competition, sledding, hunting, dog sports, and dog comfort, service and obedience training.
Just like with jobs humans do, there are many different jobs that dogs can do. Also just like some people have a need to remain busy and active, some dogs breeds also have a higher need to keep busier and work harder.
We first talked about hygiene and the importance of brushing hair. For a dog brushing the hair serves several important purposes. The kids brought up some of the most important reasons. Dogs hair like theirs needs to be brushed to keep the tangles, fleas, ticks, and other unwanted critters out. Also brushing reduces the shedding and hair around the house.
Walking and playing with the animal is very important because like kids their pets need exercise. We talked about not giving to many treats. They made funny faces at the thought of just sitting and being quiet, then being given candy, cookies, cakes, or other treats every time they were asked to be quiet. Then funnier faces at the thought of not just one or two treats a day but five, six, or even eight treats they had to eat everyday and not be allowed to exercise.
Then about this point we discussed the differences between pets and working dogs. We talked about places where family pets are allowed. Petco, PetSmart, and the Vet are designed for all animals. Then we talked about places that would be weird if everyone just brought their pets. The kids giggled at the thought of everyone bring their pets to church until we talked about different pets like spiders, snakes, scorpions, and the noise of everyone having a cat or dog, or what would happen if a pet had an accident on the carpet. Suddenly the thought of pets in church was not so funny.
So what are some of the working jobs dogs can do?
Family pets can do a wonderful job working around the home and the farm. These family pet/working dogs are the dogs that protect the family property, are protective of the family members, especially children, or parents while running or walking.
Animals with more training and specific skills that need consistent training, and working with are performance, animal herding, show competition, sledding, hunting, and dog sport animals.
Police, fire, and search and rescue, military, cadaver, drug detection, boarder patrol, and customs dogs are all trained to work with specific emergency, law enforcement or military forces to help with a variety of tasks as needed for patrols, rescues, or missions.
What is the difference between therapy, emotional support, service and psychiatric?
Therapy dogs are trained specifically for providing comfort, affection, and support to individuals in schools, nursing homes, hospitals, ER's, hospice centers, and libraries. Service dogs perform functions and tasks the individual with the disability cannot individually perform. Therapy dogs are not service dogs and are only permitted in schools, nursing homes, hospitals, ER's, hospice centers, and libraries as set up with therapy dog handler. Business owners are required to permit therapy dogs into businesses.
Emotional support animals are family pets providing an additional level of therapeutic benefit to the owner. This animal offers emotional support through companionship and affection. These animals do not require additional training, other than to be among other humans without being a danger or a nuisance when in public. Emotional support animals are not recognized as a service animal and business is not required to admit to the animal into the business.
According to the Department of Justice, beginning March 15th 2011, only dogs are recognized as service animals, a service animal is a dog that is trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability, and the service animal must be permitted to accompany the individual with the disability.
Service dogs are specifically trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Psychiatric service dogs are trained to perform tasks to mitigate psychiatric disabilities of the disabled individual. Service, Psychiatric, and Neurological service dogs are all covered and protected under ADA laws and protections.
* Businesses are required to recognize these service animals and admit these animals into all places of business.
* Limited questions may be asked concerning the purpose of the dog and individuals disabilities.
1 is the animals a service animal due to a disability
2 what task does the dog perform
* allergies or fears of dogs are not valid reasons to deny access
* inability to control the animal, or lack of house training are the only valid reasons to tell a disabled individual to remove the service dog
* service dogs must be allowed in public areas where food is prepared or sold
* people with service animals cannot be isolated due to the animal
* additional fees may not be charged (unless the animal causes damage)
* staff are not required to care for the animal (only the disabled individual may care for his or her service dog)
* http://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm
While we are in the process of training Ava our German Shepherd, to be a service dog, we have discovered that most do not understand the differences between family dogs and working dogs.
When most are asked what a working dog is the first responses are police dogs, fire dogs, farm dogs, and search and rescue dogs. The other working dogs that are not often thought about are right away are therapy, service, emotional support psychiatric, military, cadaver, drug detection, boarder patrol, guard/security, animal herding, show competition, sledding, hunting, dog sports, and dog comfort, service and obedience training.
Just like with jobs humans do, there are many different jobs that dogs can do. Also just like some people have a need to remain busy and active, some dogs breeds also have a higher need to keep busier and work harder.
We first talked about hygiene and the importance of brushing hair. For a dog brushing the hair serves several important purposes. The kids brought up some of the most important reasons. Dogs hair like theirs needs to be brushed to keep the tangles, fleas, ticks, and other unwanted critters out. Also brushing reduces the shedding and hair around the house.
Walking and playing with the animal is very important because like kids their pets need exercise. We talked about not giving to many treats. They made funny faces at the thought of just sitting and being quiet, then being given candy, cookies, cakes, or other treats every time they were asked to be quiet. Then funnier faces at the thought of not just one or two treats a day but five, six, or even eight treats they had to eat everyday and not be allowed to exercise.
Then about this point we discussed the differences between pets and working dogs. We talked about places where family pets are allowed. Petco, PetSmart, and the Vet are designed for all animals. Then we talked about places that would be weird if everyone just brought their pets. The kids giggled at the thought of everyone bring their pets to church until we talked about different pets like spiders, snakes, scorpions, and the noise of everyone having a cat or dog, or what would happen if a pet had an accident on the carpet. Suddenly the thought of pets in church was not so funny.
So what are some of the working jobs dogs can do?
Family pets can do a wonderful job working around the home and the farm. These family pet/working dogs are the dogs that protect the family property, are protective of the family members, especially children, or parents while running or walking.
Animals with more training and specific skills that need consistent training, and working with are performance, animal herding, show competition, sledding, hunting, and dog sport animals.
Police, fire, and search and rescue, military, cadaver, drug detection, boarder patrol, and customs dogs are all trained to work with specific emergency, law enforcement or military forces to help with a variety of tasks as needed for patrols, rescues, or missions.
What is the difference between therapy, emotional support, service and psychiatric?
Therapy dogs are trained specifically for providing comfort, affection, and support to individuals in schools, nursing homes, hospitals, ER's, hospice centers, and libraries. Service dogs perform functions and tasks the individual with the disability cannot individually perform. Therapy dogs are not service dogs and are only permitted in schools, nursing homes, hospitals, ER's, hospice centers, and libraries as set up with therapy dog handler. Business owners are required to permit therapy dogs into businesses.
Emotional support animals are family pets providing an additional level of therapeutic benefit to the owner. This animal offers emotional support through companionship and affection. These animals do not require additional training, other than to be among other humans without being a danger or a nuisance when in public. Emotional support animals are not recognized as a service animal and business is not required to admit to the animal into the business.
According to the Department of Justice, beginning March 15th 2011, only dogs are recognized as service animals, a service animal is a dog that is trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability, and the service animal must be permitted to accompany the individual with the disability.
Service dogs are specifically trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Psychiatric service dogs are trained to perform tasks to mitigate psychiatric disabilities of the disabled individual. Service, Psychiatric, and Neurological service dogs are all covered and protected under ADA laws and protections.
* Businesses are required to recognize these service animals and admit these animals into all places of business.
* Limited questions may be asked concerning the purpose of the dog and individuals disabilities.
1 is the animals a service animal due to a disability
2 what task does the dog perform
* allergies or fears of dogs are not valid reasons to deny access
* inability to control the animal, or lack of house training are the only valid reasons to tell a disabled individual to remove the service dog
* service dogs must be allowed in public areas where food is prepared or sold
* people with service animals cannot be isolated due to the animal
* additional fees may not be charged (unless the animal causes damage)
* staff are not required to care for the animal (only the disabled individual may care for his or her service dog)
* http://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm
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