He’s My Service Dog, Not a Magical Unicorn
Life with a psychiatric Service Dog.
I love all dogs. In fact, I love them so much that I became a registered AKC Good Canine Citizen evaluator and trainer. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the field, I know enough to guide other folks on how to train their dogs to have good manners. In order to be a reputable emotional support animal or service animal, the American Kennel Club’s Good Canine Citizen test is a suitable measurement of a dog’s potential to be a working animal.
I’ve had two service dogs in my life, Jake and Gunnar. Jake was a shelter rescue, having been passed around three families before he found ours. He was a redbone coonhound, a breed that is normally known and used for their hunting prowess. If you’ve ever read the book “Where the Red Fern Grows” in your youth, then you’re already familiar with this breed.
I love hounds because they’re so smart, they’re stubborn. I love a challenge when it comes to training. However, once you understand hounds, you come to know them as fiercely loyal, intelligent, and loving. Once they are trained, they become fine service dogs. Jake, despite already being three years old when my family adopted him, picked up cues rapidly, as he was eager to please. At the time, I was not yet a trainer, but I was working with a friend who was a professional…
