I have anxiety and depression and this makes it really hard for me to go places like school especially and my parents decided to get me a service dog and so we are raising money and the dog is currently in training and then we will fly out there for two weeks and learn about the dog and then will get to take it home!! I'm so excited :D
Brings tears to my eyes. My border collie and I are learning agility and I have learned what an incredible partnership it can be. This work with people who have disabilities shows dogs at their very best. Thanks for the video
What you are doing is so awesome for both the dogs and their new owners. I wish my five year old AM Staff would calm down so that he could learn how to be a therapy animal, he loves everyone he meets, animal & human and especially children.
I am a Service Canine Trainer, here at "Step Back", County of San Diego. Thank you so much for this video, we believe every disabled person or differently abled-regardless of financial data,has the meaningful right to their Service dog for independence, safety and security.. we wish you every success and support.. King Ranch Resort, we have many deer groups on ranch also-Julian, CA- Be Well, D.A.Fitch-Access Trainer
I went threw Soldier best friend I served 3 tours to Iraq I joined the Us Army from 2000-2009 I went to Iraq 2003 , Iraq 2004-2005, Iraq 2006-2007 I suffer from PTSD I saved dukes life and he saved my life I passed the CGC Test I am fixing to take the PAT Test in January 17 my service saved my life.
My dog is already three years old but as a puppy I exposed them to a lot of stuff and basic training just because I wanted him to be a good dog around any situation lol I already naturally look to him for alerting sounds as I am hearing impaired but owner training him to be a genuine Service dog. I have a ton of background working with dogs so I'm confident in my method but definitely still going to seek an experts opinion - want to make that service dog community look good 👍 I have decent hearing with hearing aids but they go out and don't always pick up certain sounds. He's super smart and I love the excitement he gets when things click for him.
Like they said.. any dog can be a service dog. Some people even have chihuahuas and rat terriers as service dogs, some people have Staffordshire Terriers or even Great Danes. The breed of a service dog really depends on the person's needs and the breeds they are comfortable with.
that part about feeling like a burden is so true, I have nasty panic attacks caused by some meds I used to be on, plus depression which don't help, & to top it all off epilepsy. I had gotten a olde English bulldog from the pound I 1st started training & he does great for what I need but he gets to excited in public & wants to bark at everyone. I hope the schnauzer I'm getting will be better last one I had didn't bark as much 😏 LOVE WHAT YOU DO!!
Excellent video! I'll tell you some great hints, tricks, and strategies to help you turn your puppy into the best behaved, most happy, jogging, jumping, slipper-fetching best pal you always wanted
This is a wonderful video. I never thought about the elevator thing and I am glad you brought it up. I guess cause I haven't had the privilege of having my service dog full time. I have an emotional support dog but you can only take them so far. She is retired now and I am thinking about having her visit places as a therapy dog because she is very loving to everyone. She would probably go home with anyone lol. Once I realized she was getting too old and a bit senile I realized I needed to get another dog. Since I have a baby I knew I'd have to start from puppy. It took me months to find a dog that was able to be a service dog that had the drive and temperament needed to be properly trained. I have PTSD so after being attacked recently I knew that if I had a big dog that people would be less likely to be confrontational with me. I don't really do anything special to provoke people I guess I'm just a jerk magnet. People can be pretty horrible for no good reason I am sure many of you know. Being confronted by people who would beg for money constantly who looked shady, not just a homeless person more like a meth addict or junkie of some sort and being attacked regularly I found myself unable to go out so much because I was afraid. Anyways, I knew that I would have to get a very large dog that was a breed great for service and could be intimidating. Luckily I finally found someone selling german shepherds at a reasonable price. They had typical looking ones and full black ones. I was thinking about a black one but I knew I would take whatever if any that were suitable to be a service dog. Somehow I found an entire litter that was good to be service dogs and not just my dog but others went on to become service dogs. Then the next step... Which one will like me?? LOL So I didn't end up with the black one I actually got the biggest and first born. I didn't care what sex or how the dog looked other than being large. He is the smartest dog I've ever had and has great temperament. He is hyper at home but when we go out he knows its time to be calm. Anyways I got him when he was 8 weeks old and he learned his first week all basic commands and by 4 months could pick things up and give them to me. Now I am trying to teach him the names of things. He just turned 6 months old and so its become time to try him out in public areas like pets stores etc. He is HUGE about 75lbs and his head goes to my waist which is what I wanted so when he has a tactical vest on I don't have to be bending over. Anyways I go into the pet store and I can take my other dog who isn't scary looking into the store off leash and no one says a thing. My dogs are trained to be able to be off leash so they can perform certain tasks. I was going into the pet store anyways to get him a new harness because he finally reached the extra large size and now can begin being taken out more often which is great which makes me feel safer. So because he is so tall and I have been teaching him to be leash trained and off leash trained to stand right next to me I just gently held his collar and went to find a good harness and something to make a handle from which I finally did. It wasn't long till I was being harassed to put him on a leash even though he was on one basically because i was holding his collar and I was about to drop 50 bucks on new gear anyways. I explained all of this and that he was a service dog because technically he already performs all of the tasks he is needed for PTSD and can pass a good samaritan test ez. I told them the law states that if the dog is trained to perform a specific task that required the dog to be off leash and the dog was well behaved and wasn't being a problem then it is legal for me to have him. Then the guy actually says to me he has no vest LOL I said Sir I am not required to have him a vest So after some back and forth I told him that of all places being a manager of a pet store that allowed dogs in it they should know the laws about service dogs. He said its store policy. I said well your store policy is illegal. I told him you are discriminating against a disabled person! Now leave me alone! He then went away and I had to sit on the floor because no one would help me fit him for his harness I am struggling to figure out these things and then someone was doing a good citizen test and kept constantly walking past me while I am fighting to put weird harnesses on my dog. After the 4th time walking by they were standing behind me and I heard her saying "Well your dog passed the other dog test" I said how about you test that on a dog barking and struggling to see the dog instead of my service dog who is trained to ignore your dog. Anywho, teaching a dog not to drag ppl up or down the steps has always been a big deal to me since I was 18. I have always trained them to do that just in case for some odd reason a child or elderly person is walking my dog up stairs on a leash they don't get hurt. It should be standard training imo just like sit, lay down, stay etc. Now my newest challenge. To train my dog to guard but be completely controlled which I haven't done a lot of because I never allowed any of my dogs to behave aggressively towards anything. So here I am looking for any extra good stuff to teach him. I love what you're doing and I know quite a bit about dog training and I still learned something!! The elevator seems scary. I am glad my dog wont be on a regular leash but still never know. Also I always teach my dogs their commands while using hand signals just in case I have to be quiet or in a loud crowd etc. Does anyone else do this? Its sort of a habit for me I do it naturally while training them LOL I really want to train him for everything pretty much and he is big enough now to reach things to learn new things. He is even so gentle with my toddler which can be found on my facebook.... He is also protective over the baby as he has growled at my bf for picking up the baby or if he is changing her and if she makes a strange sound. He has never attacked anyone but he is reaching puberty now and its time to get his testosterone under control since he is so naturally protective. I am gonna look for more videos but if anyone has any links or ideas I welcome them.
try the following-kikopup, zak george, kristen costejo, simpawtico, veterinary secrects, happy tails, pam's dog academy, growing up guide pup, and many others under service dog. This are good dog/animal trainers that use positive progressive training methods. Good luck, do you get support counseling for yourself to help you? Blessings.
Thanks excellent video. Beautifully done. The best guides that I have noticed was at Brainy paws (searched google) Without a doubt the most incredible dog training tips that I have ever used.
I have a service dog and she is amazing she goes in to stores and she is a seizure alert dog she has alerted to 2 seizures already and she is only 7 months old
How is your dog today and how did you get your 7 month old to behave in the store? We have been getting attacked by kids making it impossible to train, especially since she is working on ptsd and alerting and search for response when I go down.
Ana Larson You can get some really good vests that have Velcro stitching for multiple patches, And you get patches that say “Do Not Pet, Service Dog on Duty” etc. Those are really helpful for making sure people will not approach and pet the dog unannounced.
I have anxiety and depression and I hope to have my pup trained to be qualified to become a service dog I've been having trouble finding a place that will do it but I have him some basic training plus some other tricks until I can find a place
I really enjoyed this video! My name is Nicole Delieto,and I am owner training my 22 month old golden retriever Freja as an autism spectrum disorder/Asperger’s syndrome, assistance dog. I was wondering, what advice can you give owner trainers that do not have access to training schools or the funds to obtain a trainer to help assist in the service dog training. I have been training Freja since she was 16 weeks old. She has been public access trained for a year. I understand that it takes close to three years to owner train a service dog. I could really use the advice and help to better strengthen Freja’s abilities as an autism service dog. I believe in my dog and think she will be a great service dog. Also, how can you assist handlers that have the disabilities to better train their service dogs when they get triggered. I feel like sometimes when I have a sensory overload/overstimulation in my environment. It is hard harder for me to properly use the right tones to queue Freja. I feel very blessed to be able to have my service dog. I grew up, not having a service dog or knowing that I could have a service dog.😊 I had to function all on my own.
thersaholycow I need mine done. started with her, then I had a brain tumor surgery and ended up with a bleed. so she was started and raised by me and only me from 6 weeks. can someone help me to find out who can train her. please it's urgent
I'm getting a service dog from ECAD next May, I'm so excited! He/she will be a mobility service dog which means he/she will be able to brace and help me up if I were to fall
Wow, right now I have my hands full with the video course recommende by Daryl Arktrom’s website, my dog has never been so obedient. Anyway, I bookmarked this vid for later on…
I have diabetes, arthrities, back issues and am on SSD - I have a grt pyr/st bernard I'd like to train to be my service dog but there is no place close to me :( :( How can I go about doing this - is this something I can do on my own ?
Seems all the info there I have to be within 3 hours of a center and there are non close to me in Ohio and from what I read (and I could have misread) these are dogs that "they" supply, not my own ? but thank you for the info
There are several factors in training a dog. One place I found that successfully combines these is the Bevs Booster Guide (check it out on google) without a doubt the no.1 resource that I have ever seen.Check out all the unbelievable info .
You got to watch the video on per christian olafsrud channal, the dog is so cute 😇 the video is called Athena the playfull servicedog 🙊 Plz like🖒 and leave a comment 💌
😂😂 If you live in the US only service dog's and Miniature horses are recognized Some states allow cats to do service work as well ( and yes I know a handler who has a seizure alert cat so. ) But lions? no no no too dangerous
That is ignorance. I have had a service dog for 8yrs and am currently training his replacement as he is retiring. And they get plenty of play and down time. Why do you think these highly speacalized animals act so good? It is becuase they have a great balance of play and work. An unhappy dog will not task sufficiently to provide help to the handler and will over all act out. Please educate yourself on service dogs and their tasks and routines. I highly recommend continue watching informative videos and read some articles and the ADA.
You're crazy. First of all, SDs get PLENTY of play time and exercise. Second of all, dogs LOVE training and task work. It stimulates their brains and makes them feel useful. Keeping their minds and bodies alert and active is actually super rewarding for them. Their "work" is more like "play" to them!
Stefany LC l can see why you feel that way :) I did to! The good news is I learned that I was actually wrong, and that isn’t true! And that when the Service Dogs are off work they are normal house pets. That was relieving to learn for me :)
Stefany LC I was surprised about the amount of time they get off of work as well, I used to think they never got to be a dog. But boy was I wrong! (Sometimes they are more spoiled that other house pets ;) )
![YoungBoy Never Broke Again - Catch Me [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/KxwEXXFQMTY/mqdefault.jpg)
I have anxiety and depression and this makes it really hard for me to go places like school especially and my parents decided to get me a service dog and so we are raising money and the dog is currently in training and then we will fly out there for two weeks and learn about the dog and then will get to take it home!! I'm so excited :D
We are excited too! Keep us updated how it is going.
where are you going and how is it all going?
How's it going so far Kaitlyn?
I would love an update!
Brings tears to my eyes. My border collie and I are learning agility and I have learned what an incredible partnership it can be. This work with people who have disabilities shows dogs at their very best. Thanks for the video
God bless you guys.. A lot people needs an angel like these cute dogs.
What you are doing is so awesome for both the dogs and their new owners. I wish my five year old AM Staff would calm down so that he could learn how to be a therapy animal, he loves everyone he meets, animal & human and especially children.
Thank you for articulating this so beautifully. Keep up the good work and the wonderful videos.
I am a Service Canine Trainer, here at "Step Back", County of San Diego. Thank you so much for this video, we believe every disabled person or differently abled-regardless of financial data,has the meaningful right to their Service dog for independence, safety and security.. we wish you every success and support..
King Ranch Resort, we have many deer groups on ranch also-Julian, CA-
Be Well, D.A.Fitch-Access Trainer
service dogs create a safe -space for persons otherwise invisible to a degree, df & my service dog "CHAMP"
I'm interested in your help in in San Diego
I went threw Soldier best friend I served 3 tours to Iraq I joined the Us Army from 2000-2009 I went to
Iraq 2003 , Iraq 2004-2005, Iraq 2006-2007 I suffer from PTSD I saved dukes life and he saved my life I passed the CGC Test I am fixing to take the PAT Test in January 17 my service saved my life.
I commend your deadication
My dog is already three years old but as a puppy I exposed them to a lot of stuff and basic training just because I wanted him to be a good dog around any situation lol I already naturally look to him for alerting sounds as I am hearing impaired but owner training him to be a genuine Service dog. I have a ton of background working with dogs so I'm confident in my method but definitely still going to seek an experts opinion - want to make that service dog community look good 👍 I have decent hearing with hearing aids but they go out and don't always pick up certain sounds. He's super smart and I love the excitement he gets when things click for him.
Any dog can be a service dog . Not just labs and Golden retrievers and German Shepards . My uncle has a Rottweiler boxer mix as a service dog
A Bulldog could be a service dog???
Like they said.. any dog can be a service dog. Some people even have chihuahuas and rat terriers as service dogs, some people have Staffordshire Terriers or even Great Danes. The breed of a service dog really depends on the person's needs and the breeds they are comfortable with.
yes depends on the needs.
how can i get one
@Robert Henderson
It depends on the dog. Not all dogs can be service dogs.
Any dog can be an ESA though.
that part about feeling like a burden is so true, I have nasty panic attacks caused by some meds I used to be on, plus depression which don't help, & to top it all off epilepsy. I had gotten a olde English bulldog from the pound I 1st started training & he does great for what I need but he gets to excited in public & wants to bark at everyone. I hope the schnauzer I'm getting will be better last one I had didn't bark as much 😏 LOVE WHAT YOU DO!!
Excellent video!
I'll tell you some great hints, tricks, and strategies to help you turn your puppy into the best behaved, most happy, jogging, jumping, slipper-fetching best pal you always wanted
You can go to the blog page beneath to see:
help1.info/secrets-about-dog-training
This is a wonderful video. I never thought about the elevator thing and I am glad you brought it up. I guess cause I haven't had the privilege of having my service dog full time. I have an emotional support dog but you can only take them so far. She is retired now and I am thinking about having her visit places as a therapy dog because she is very loving to everyone. She would probably go home with anyone lol. Once I realized she was getting too old and a bit senile I realized I needed to get another dog. Since I have a baby I knew I'd have to start from puppy. It took me months to find a dog that was able to be a service dog that had the drive and temperament needed to be properly trained. I have PTSD so after being attacked recently I knew that if I had a big dog that people would be less likely to be confrontational with me. I don't really do anything special to provoke people I guess I'm just a jerk magnet. People can be pretty horrible for no good reason I am sure many of you know. Being confronted by people who would beg for money constantly who looked shady, not just a homeless person more like a meth addict or junkie of some sort and being attacked regularly I found myself unable to go out so much because I was afraid. Anyways, I knew that I would have to get a very large dog that was a breed great for service and could be intimidating. Luckily I finally found someone selling german shepherds at a reasonable price. They had typical looking ones and full black ones. I was thinking about a black one but I knew I would take whatever if any that were suitable to be a service dog. Somehow I found an entire litter that was good to be service dogs and not just my dog but others went on to become service dogs. Then the next step... Which one will like me?? LOL So I didn't end up with the black one I actually got the biggest and first born. I didn't care what sex or how the dog looked other than being large. He is the smartest dog I've ever had and has great temperament. He is hyper at home but when we go out he knows its time to be calm. Anyways I got him when he was 8 weeks old and he learned his first week all basic commands and by 4 months could pick things up and give them to me. Now I am trying to teach him the names of things. He just turned 6 months old and so its become time to try him out in public areas like pets stores etc. He is HUGE about 75lbs and his head goes to my waist which is what I wanted so when he has a tactical vest on I don't have to be bending over. Anyways I go into the pet store and I can take my other dog who isn't scary looking into the store off leash and no one says a thing. My dogs are trained to be able to be off leash so they can perform certain tasks. I was going into the pet store anyways to get him a new harness because he finally reached the extra large size and now can begin being taken out more often which is great which makes me feel safer. So because he is so tall and I have been teaching him to be leash trained and off leash trained to stand right next to me I just gently held his collar and went to find a good harness and something to make a handle from which I finally did. It wasn't long till I was being harassed to put him on a leash even though he was on one basically because i was holding his collar and I was about to drop 50 bucks on new gear anyways. I explained all of this and that he was a service dog because technically he already performs all of the tasks he is needed for PTSD and can pass a good samaritan test ez. I told them the law states that if the dog is trained to perform a specific task that required the dog to be off leash and the dog was well behaved and wasn't being a problem then it is legal for me to have him. Then the guy actually says to me he has no vest LOL I said Sir I am not required to have him a vest
So after some back and forth I told him that of all places being a manager of a pet store that allowed dogs in it they should know the laws about service dogs. He said its store policy. I said well your store policy is illegal. I told him you are discriminating against a disabled person! Now leave me alone! He then went away and I had to sit on the floor because no one would help me fit him for his harness I am struggling to figure out these things and then someone was doing a good citizen test and kept constantly walking past me while I am fighting to put weird harnesses on my dog. After the 4th time walking by they were standing behind me and I heard her saying "Well your dog passed the other dog test" I said how about you test that on a dog barking and struggling to see the dog instead of my service dog who is trained to ignore your dog.
Anywho, teaching a dog not to drag ppl up or down the steps has always been a big deal to me since I was 18. I have always trained them to do that just in case for some odd reason a child or elderly person is walking my dog up stairs on a leash they don't get hurt. It should be standard training imo just like sit, lay down, stay etc. Now my newest challenge. To train my dog to guard but be completely controlled which I haven't done a lot of because I never allowed any of my dogs to behave aggressively towards anything. So here I am looking for any extra good stuff to teach him. I love what you're doing and I know quite a bit about dog training and I still learned something!! The elevator seems scary. I am glad my dog wont be on a regular leash but still never know. Also I always teach my dogs their commands while using hand signals just in case I have to be quiet or in a loud crowd etc. Does anyone else do this? Its sort of a habit for me I do it naturally while training them LOL
I really want to train him for everything pretty much and he is big enough now to reach things to learn new things. He is even so gentle with my toddler which can be found on my facebook.... He is also protective over the baby as he has growled at my bf for picking up the baby or if he is changing her and if she makes a strange sound. He has never attacked anyone but he is reaching puberty now and its time to get his testosterone under control since he is so naturally protective. I am gonna look for more videos but if anyone has any links or ideas I welcome them.
try the following-kikopup, zak george, kristen costejo, simpawtico, veterinary secrects, happy tails, pam's dog academy, growing up guide pup, and many others under service dog. This are good dog/animal trainers that use positive progressive training methods. Good luck, do you get support counseling for yourself to help you? Blessings.
Thanks excellent video. Beautifully done. The best guides that I have noticed was at Brainy paws (searched google) Without a doubt the most incredible dog training tips that I have ever used.
This is wonderful.
I have a service dog and she is amazing she goes in to stores and she is a seizure alert dog she has alerted to 2 seizures already and she is only 7 months old
How is your dog today and how did you get your 7 month old to behave in the store? We have been getting attacked by kids making it impossible to train, especially since she is working on ptsd and alerting and search for response when I go down.
Giovanna Reber wow that is amazing
Ana Larson You can get some really good vests that have Velcro stitching for multiple patches, And you get patches that say “Do Not Pet, Service Dog on Duty” etc. Those are really helpful for making sure people will not approach and pet the dog unannounced.
I have anxiety and depression and I hope to have my pup trained to be qualified to become a service dog I've been having trouble finding a place that will do it but I have him some basic training plus some other tricks until I can find a place
I TEACH OBEDIENCE AND TRICKS BUT THIS IS AWESOME JUST AWESOME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I really enjoyed this video! My name is Nicole Delieto,and I am owner training my 22 month old golden retriever Freja as an autism spectrum disorder/Asperger’s syndrome, assistance dog. I was wondering, what advice can you give owner trainers that do not have access to training schools or the funds to obtain a trainer to help assist in the service dog training. I have been training Freja since she was 16 weeks old. She has been public access trained for a year. I understand that it takes close to three years to owner train a service dog. I could really use the advice and help to better strengthen Freja’s abilities as an autism service dog. I believe in my dog and think she will be a great service dog. Also, how can you assist handlers that have the disabilities to better train their service dogs when they get triggered. I feel like sometimes when I have a sensory overload/overstimulation in my environment. It is hard harder for me to properly use the right tones to queue Freja. I feel very blessed to be able to have my service dog. I grew up, not having a service dog or knowing that I could have a service dog.😊 I had to function all on my own.
I'm a quadriplegic with a manual wheelchair.... I need a service dog.
Where are you located? thersaholycow
Grayson, KY
thersaholycow I need mine done. started with her, then I had a brain tumor surgery and ended up with a bleed. so she was started and raised by me and only me from 6 weeks. can someone help me to find out who can train her. please it's urgent
thersaholycow ask someone..even your doctor could point in right direction
praying for you
Dropped a like ..GJ!!!
I'm getting a service dog from ECAD next May, I'm so excited! He/she will be a mobility service dog which means he/she will be able to brace and help me up if I were to fall
watching this and im haunted by the story of that couple that tortured and killed their service dog ...ugh it sickens me so😞😞😞😞😞😣
I am looking for a see and eye dog and I am blind
Sarah Kalai Kalani Ahina Ahina I highly recommend “Guiding Eyes For The Blind” :) they are probably the best guide dog organization out there
Wow, right now I have my hands full with the video course recommende by Daryl Arktrom’s website, my dog has never been so obedient. Anyway, I bookmarked this vid for later on…
I broke my knee, trying to train my dog to help me down the stairs😂 she's so sweet
how big is your dog? a dog under 55 pounds shouldnt be doing heavy mobility.
I have diabetes, arthrities, back issues and am on SSD - I have a grt pyr/st bernard I'd like to train to be my service dog but there is no place close to me :( :( How can I go about doing this - is this something I can do on my own ?
Sher - TwoFamilyHomestead check out D4D dogs4diabetics
Seems all the info there I have to be within 3 hours of a center and there are non close to me in Ohio and from what I read (and I could have misread) these are dogs that "they" supply, not my own ? but thank you for the info
There are several factors in training a dog. One place I found that successfully combines these is the Bevs Booster Guide (check it out on google) without a doubt the no.1 resource that I have ever seen.Check out all the unbelievable info .
You got to watch the video on per christian olafsrud channal, the dog is so cute 😇 the video is called Athena the playfull servicedog 🙊
Plz like🖒 and leave a comment 💌
can a fox terrier be a service dog
jackie shafran yeah
jackie shafran mostly any dog can be 😇
You have to consider physical and mental capabilities of the dog, not the breed.
Can a lion be a service lion
😂😂 If you live in the US only service dog's and Miniature horses are recognized Some states allow cats to do service work as well ( and yes I know a handler who has a seizure alert cat so. ) But lions? no no no too dangerous
sk meddy, no
www.gofundme.com/4s3pliw
I am sad that service dogs can't really play that much or be theirselves...
Stefany LC Lmao you clearly have no idea about SDs if you think they don't get to play
That is ignorance. I have had a service dog for 8yrs and am currently training his replacement as he is retiring. And they get plenty of play and down time. Why do you think these highly speacalized animals act so good? It is becuase they have a great balance of play and work. An unhappy dog will not task sufficiently to provide help to the handler and will over all act out. Please educate yourself on service dogs and their tasks and routines. I highly recommend continue watching informative videos and read some articles and the ADA.
You're crazy. First of all, SDs get PLENTY of play time and exercise.
Second of all, dogs LOVE training and task work. It stimulates their brains and makes them feel useful. Keeping their minds and bodies alert and active is actually super rewarding for them. Their "work" is more like "play" to them!
Stefany LC l can see why you feel that way :) I did to! The good news is I learned that I was actually wrong, and that isn’t true! And that when the Service Dogs are off work they are normal house pets. That was relieving to learn for me :)
Stefany LC I was surprised about the amount of time they get off of work as well, I used to think they never got to be a dog. But boy was I wrong! (Sometimes they are more spoiled that other house pets ;) )