Issues I may run into with a tripod SD?

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Maddox

Captain Three- Legs

Barked: Mon Oct 22, '12 9:41pm PST


	Maddox is a healthy, lively, 1 1/2 year old SDIT. He has the temperament, and wants to work and please. The only issue I can foresee other than him being a pit mix (though most people think he looks more lab), is that he has three legs. He is on a high glucosamine supplement, a good quality dog food (TOTW) and is being kept slightly underweight at my vet's advisement so he doesn't overly stress his leg. She has cleared him to run, do stairs, take long walks, train... be a dog. Since I need him for psychiatric purposes and none of the tasks I'm training him for require him to either move quickly or have weight put upon him, either in a pack, or by my body. I plan on getting him shoes so he gets more traction. Otherwise, he is healthy, happy, well behaved, and a willing SDIT. I guess my question is, would you take a three legged dog seriously in a SD role?

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Baja

You're like two- sides of the- same coin

Barked: Tue Oct 23, '12 2:34pm PST


	In all honesty I don't think I could take a 3 legged SD seriously and I am a service dog user. Some people make comments already that 4 legged dogs should not be used by people who are mentally ill at all and people will likely give you far more issues since you are having a 3 legged dog hop everywhere with you. If I had to guess most people are going to think well if you are disabled then how is a dog with issues going to be able to help you. Not only that but most people will likely think it is cruel to make a dog hop around all day with you.

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Voltaire SD

Did somebody say- deer??

Barked: Tue Oct 23, '12 3:00pm PST


	My dog has 4 legs and still every time I put boots on him (and sometimes on just his fronts or his backs) (Usually take them off indoors but not the backs because they are a bitch to put back on) Everytime I put boots on him I get someone asking "what's wrong with his feet" and everything to that degree. Even 4 legged healthy working dogs get those nut jobs that "omg that poor dog, making him work like that" etc. You'd be fighting a very uphill battle IMVHO. There's nothing saying you can't if you wanted to but my dog is a PSD too and I don't need the stress, anxiety and confrontation (which I already get a little because he isn't a Labrador or Golden) so theres no way in hell I need more.

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Crazy Sadie- Lady

Im a SD and- proud of it so- there!!!!

Barked: Tue Oct 23, '12 5:14pm PST


	I can take a three legged dog seriously if he is just doing PSD work I would worrie about other work like mobility work or stuff that put more weight to him. I think that he would have a better mental bind than a 4 legged dog since he is handie caped himself.

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Maddox

Captain Three- Legs

Barked: Tue Oct 23, '12 6:23pm PST


	Sadie, I think it would be silly to use him in a mobility role, just as a blind dog probably shouldn't be a guide dog, and a deaf dog a hearing dog.

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Voltaire SD

Did somebody say- deer??

Barked: Thu Oct 25, '12 4:48pm PST


	Sadie; don't try to put human emotions on dogs. There is absolutely no such thing as "he would in a better mental bind since he himself is handicapped" That is preposterous. Maddox: I'm sure this dog can lead a totally normal live as a normal dog but I would advise against using him as a SD. For his sake. IMVHO Service Dogs have to be in outstanding physical and mental condition, not just "healthy". Even service dogs with 4 legs are pushed physically in daily activities that we may not think are much. Most of the indoor flooring in public places aren't suitable for dogs. They put in a lot of miles and a lot of wear and tear on their joints, it's not like hiking, or like running on grass. He's already going to have joint problems in his later years (inevitable) I wouldn't speed that up by taking him everywhere and on top of that task reliability. Your partner has to be prepared (read as equipped) to go anywhere and everywhere with you. It takes more than the spirit of an able bodied dog, it takes 4 legs and being in top physical condition. Your dog will be retired in a few years at best. Why not set yourself up for success with a more long term prospect? I also think, like I said before, you would get a LOT of access problems. SDs are already challenged more times a day than it should ever happen. You may get access problems with a 4 legged dog too but they will be far less than a tripod. Chances are you aren't going to want to take the daily ridicule, stupid questions and gatekeepers not letting you in because it seems absurd in their small minds. There is certainly nothing stopping you, or saying your tripod can't be one, but theres a lot more to take into consideration when thinking of a SD candidate. That's just my 2 cents.

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Baja

You're like two- sides of the- same coin

Barked: Thu Oct 25, '12 5:20pm PST


	I completely agree with everything that Voltaire said. When owner training a service dog you have to remember that even with proper breeding and a great trainer on your side only about 50% of dogs have what it takes to become a service dog, possibly less im not sure of the exact number. I personally would never use a 3 legged dog as a service dog because I feel that it would be cruel to have the dog work all day long knowing that doing so would cause arthritis and joint issues to occur earlier in the dogs life. Perhaps you should allow him to life a long and happy life just being a dog as opposed to a service dog for his health and safety.

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Crazy Sadie- Lady

Im a SD and- proud of it so- there!!!!

Barked: Fri Oct 26, '12 5:40pm PST


	I knew that I was going to get this sorta flack with all of you that are out there too. Yeah you all may have an idea that a handie cape dog itself could not be a SD for a person with their own handy cape but I really do disagree. What I ment was that a dog can have (and yes I feel animals do feel just the same as humans feel) I really don't if any of you agree or not with me. I am posting my appopinion and this is a place to do so. I think if a person is a amputea and gets a dog that is also a amputea that the dog would be a great asset to the person. A dog that is going to be a PTS dog can be a amputea also. He is not going to be doing a whole lot of physical work that is going to hurt him. I think that a lot of people wash out thier dogs for some really stupid reason to tell you the Gods honest truth. Some dogs can be really great PTS SDs and no one gives them a chance nor do they work with them hard enough to work out easy kinks. I stuck with Sadie cause I have seen many dogs stick with their own owner through thick a thin. Loyalty is two sided weather that the dog is diabled himself or not or what we might think is damaged goods could be something really a good thing for someone who is physically hurt the same way. An smpuetea person is going to have a lot of issues after loosing a lim so I think that some of you really have not stopped and thought about the benifits of these other dogs. I guess what I am saying I really think that people are afraid to do a lil more exstra work with a working dog. I don't think there is much comitment form some of you people for some of these dogs who could be really good working dogs. Weather I feel or do not feel that a dog or other animals have human or human like feelings is really my feeling if you really wanting to know how I feel. But then this is a forum that asks for peoples feeling on subjects of: HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS? and I did speak my peace I don't see any problem to someone using a "TRI" pod dog for a service dog. Nough said !!!!!

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Baja

You're like two- sides of the- same coin

Barked: Fri Oct 26, '12 7:08pm PST


	Sadie the point that is being made is not that the dog couldnt be a service dog but that it is not in the best interest of the dog due to the health issues that the dog WILL have as well as the fact that the public will likely think that owner is being cruel to the dog for making it hop around all day. You have to consider that the dog is 1 1/2 years old. It will take 2 years to train the dog. That means the dog will be 3 1/2 by the time the dog is at full service dog status. I would guess joint issues will set in around 6-8 years old due to the added wear and tear of only having 3 legs. Assuming this dog was used as a service dog it will likely cause those joint problems 1 year earlier if not more. That means the dog could only work for about 1 1/2-3 1/2 years. Which is about the time to start training a successor dog. My numbers may be off a bit but thats the point that I am trying to make, not that the dog couldnt be a service dog.

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Juno

Super Star Puppy- Cadet

Barked: Sun Oct 28, '12 11:59am PST


	There once was an awesome team with a tripod border collie or aussie. I forget either way. I also forget what tasks her dog was trained for but she made it work well. It can be done. If your team acts like a service dog team and you handle like a service dog team, then you will be respected as a service dog team.

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