| how would a service dog affect a new relationship?
Posted: 12/15/2006 12:13:52 PM | | so....alotta you folks have known me fer a while now...i just got fishbait certified as a seizure alert/response dog...how do you think its gonna be for me when i am asked out on a date...and i show up with my dog...and what problems might arise from this?....on one hand, i will feel alot more secure having him there in case of a siezure, but hows a guy liable to feel about it? | |
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| how would a service dog affect a new relationship?
Posted: 12/15/2006 12:22:06 PM | Hi Missie, Glad to see you back in the world of the dating (not that it's a picnic, but welcome anyways!)
First off, any guy who's not amiable to you having a service dog with you isn't worthy of dating! And you know it too...lol, deep down, you know this!!
But, just to make sure that both of you are comfortable with the dog along, y'all better be talking about Fishbait long time before you get to meet a new guy. After all Fishbait has been a big part of your life for a long time and aside from the service dog aspect of it, it's really important that any guy be able to accept him 24/7 not just going on dates with you.
BTW, I'm not a guy but sometimes I think like one... and besides the question can be gender reversed just as easily, as in how would I feel if a new guy date showed up with his service dog - I'd rather know that he had one in advance but other than that, I'd be fine with it. | |
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| how would a service dog affect a new relationship?
Posted: 12/15/2006 12:30:11 PM | hey ainsel...good to see you too girlfriend... and yer right...its something i would have ta tell a feller about in advance...but then i reckon i would have to tell him about tha siezures too in advance...just in case he wanted to take me somewhere that had flashing lights or loud noises....hmmmm....yer right, datin aint no picnic.... | |
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| how would a service dog affect a new relationship?
Posted: 12/15/2006 12:33:53 PM | The only problems I could imagine would come from your dog having a fondness for men's legs. If I showed up for a date and the gal brought a dog I would pet the dog, unless it growled at me. Then I would pet the gal. I suppose things could get out of hand if the guy kept watching the dog to see if you were OK, and the dog saw a squirrel and the guy calls 911. So make sure you wear panties or keep your legs crossed. Sorry, just having fun.
I would be totally understanding and accepting of your dog coming along on a date. | |
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| how would a service dog affect a new relationship?
Posted: 12/15/2006 12:36:08 PM | I can't see many circumstances in which this should be a problem for someone. So you're good to go!
If people have a problem with it due to allergies or something, that's understandable. Otherwise, I'm sure people will be cool with it. | |
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| how would a service dog affect a new relationship?
Posted: 12/15/2006 12:38:53 PM | | Are you kidding? Guys LOVE dogs. The only thing I'd be concerned about is that he might pay more attention to the dog than he does to you. Seriously though, this would not be an issue unless the guy is alergic to dogs. | |
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| how would a service dog affect a new relationship?
Posted: 12/15/2006 12:41:04 PM | | actually service dogs can show no aggressive tendencies...even to protect me....because if medical personel had to be called in, tha dog might prevent them from helping me......but its just tha idea of how someone who wasnt used to it would react to tha situation.....also, my date would have to realize he couldnt be pettin fishbait or distract him from watchin me...he has to be able to "read" me to know my siezure signals... | |
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| how would a service dog affect a new relationship?
Posted: 12/15/2006 12:41:09 PM | I'd have no problems with the situation at all.. One would hope the dog is friendly to new people.
I'd want to know everything I could in order to be supportive... get an idea what signal the dog would give in the event of a seizure, whatever. | |
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| how would a service dog affect a new relationship?
Posted: 12/15/2006 12:45:14 PM | | good point altered ego, in my case fishbait will take my hand in his mouth and move in front of me to block me from falling...once i am in a siezure i am what they call a "headbanger"...i bang my head repeatedly...so fishbait will then place his feet on my chest and "hold" me down so i cant hurt myself....that could be awkward in a kissing moment...hmmmm..... | |
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| how would a service dog affect a new relationship?
Posted: 12/15/2006 12:49:44 PM | .
Never had a problem with service dogs (guide dogs, in this case) but sometimes I’m the problem. . . .
That’s because, even though I know better, I still tend to want to play with the dogs, even when they are working. Yeah, I really do know better, too. I just naturally like animals and so often forget.
Anyway, what would be the problem taking Fishbait fishing? As long as he didn’t eat too many fish, that would be fine. LOL
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| how would a service dog affect a new relationship?
Posted: 12/15/2006 1:12:41 PM | I would probably ask the same question you did, OP, if I was in your shoes, however if anyone has a problem with a person needing a service dog, you don't need them in your life. Yes, I would get it all out before the first meet. I'm a dog lover too, so if the roles were reversed and I was meeting someone with a service dog, I would probably want to pet him or her and talk baby talk to it.LOL. | |
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| how would a service dog affect a new relationship?
Posted: 12/15/2006 1:17:03 PM | Well, hopefully it won't be a surprise and anyone you are meeting will know you are bringing a dog.
Any guy that has a problem with your dog, needs to take some allergy pills, or stay single. | |
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ya472
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Joined: 4/29/2006
Msg: 13 | |
| how would a service dog affect a new relationship?
Posted: 12/15/2006 1:42:39 PM |
?....on one hand, i will feel alot more secure having him there in case of a siezure, but hows a guy liable to feel about it?
I have never had a seizure. But it would be nice to know the dog would look after me.
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| how would a service dog affect a new relationship?
Posted: 12/15/2006 2:08:24 PM | ya472...it is a nice secure feeling having fishbait close by and knowing he knows what to do...recently i had to go to court and because my dog wasnt certified...i couldnt take him along...because it was a stressful situation, i went into a siezure...and scince i didnt have anyone around who knew what to expect, i wound up banging my head hard into a marble wall...something that could have been avoided by having bait there with me....and he will be there in tha future when i go back...
i was a victim of domestic violence...(to all my friends that i kept this from...i am sorry, just dealing with it on my own...please understand...i just needed to stand on my own for a bit... ) ....and i was choked to unconciousness during a siezure..........the domestic violence shelter was not able to take me in at the time because i would not go without my dog....however, fishbait will be going with me anytime, anywhere, from now on.....and it does give me an added feeling of security.............. | |
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| how would a service dog affect a new relationship?
Posted: 12/15/2006 2:55:24 PM | | di darlin, if someone that knows you and your situation, can't deal with fishbait, apparantly they don't care about you so much either..even if he wasn't certified, they should accept him as part of you anyway just cuz he's your baby... | |
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| how would a service dog affect a new relationship?
Posted: 12/15/2006 3:40:20 PM | too true sctrrdr...he is part of a package deal, thats fer shur and anyone in my life will have to realize that...course like db said earlier...a feller could get ta playin with my dawg an distract him from his job....i quess its gonna be a learnin experience fer me to learn how ta communicate with others insteada my dawg, and fer my dawg ta learn ta work with distractions.....but if everybody involved kept a positive attitude, it could make fer some fun dates.... | |
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| how would a service dog affect a new relationship?
Posted: 12/15/2006 4:48:25 PM | | Service dogs are amazing....glad to hear that you have Fishbait. I would not think that a service dog would be an issue on a date unless allergies are an issue. Important to let people know who he is, what he does and your medical condition so they are prepared in case something happens. | |
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| how would a service dog affect a new relationship?
Posted: 12/15/2006 4:54:08 PM | | I think it's important that you screen out the guys who are callous enough to have an issue with a medical condition first and then the dog won't matter. My husband had seizures and faced much predjudice about it. From what I've heard that's not something that's changed much over the years. | |
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| how would a service dog affect a new relationship?
Posted: 12/15/2006 7:05:17 PM | yes, service dogs are amazing...ppl who have seen fishbait at work when i am having seizures all say he is truly awesome ....and there is alotta prejudice about seizures...even my victims advocate with tha sherriffs dept cannot provide me with transportation to court because of liability issues....and i cant drive when i have been having siezures...it makes a difficult path just that little bit harder....but who knows, maybe fishbait and i are part of a bigger picture and will find a way to make things easier for other ppl who have seizures...
thanks for tha compliment bronze gourmet....but yanno, i dont see fishbait as a problem with outdoor entertainment ...he loves goin fishin an campin.... | |
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| how would a service dog affect a new relationship?
Posted: 12/15/2006 9:43:21 PM | well, I will give my opinion if it helps.
me personally would be upfront and tel you it wouldnt work, I have 2 pitbulls that I rescued, they are dog aggressive, I would never put myself or someone else in a possition to choose, as I am sure they wouldnt as neither would I.
That being said, if I had a dog friendly dog, or no dog, I would love it, I think service dogs are amazing animals, not all dogs have what it takes to make the grade, as with any job for dogs, whether its rings, shutzhund, police training, seeing eye dogs S&R etc. but I am amazed at the dogs cut out for it. even the ones who are not, you cant beat companionship from them. If somone had a disability where a dog would be able to help out, I would recommend it.
so in short...no, it wouldnt have any effect if a dog came on a date, but I am a dog person and the way I see it, if you cant accept my "kids" there is no point as you wont be worth my time. | |
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| how would a service dog affect a new relationship?
Posted: 12/15/2006 10:19:47 PM | | I have never heard of this type of service dog. There are dogs for the blind, for those hard of hearing, and for the physically impaired. I have never heard of a "seizure dog". Would you mind explaining, OP, what the dog is trained to do in the case of a seizure? | |
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| how would a service dog affect a new relationship?
Posted: 12/15/2006 10:51:12 PM | hmmm...well for tha siezure alert part, fishbait knows when i am going to have a siezure even before i do..i dont always get a funny taste in my mouth, or have my nose itch or my ears ring...or even feel tha "heavy sense of doom" that i used to get with my seizures, so he is my warning indicator....how he does this i dont quite understand, if its his sense of smell or doggy esp or what....only about 2 in 100 dogs who have owners with epilepsy pick up this trait so its kinda rare and not real well understood....
he will take my hand in his mouth and then position his body to block my fall...and when i fall on him, he doesnt yelp and move outta my way...oh, no, this dog takes tha brunt of my fall and supports me to tha ground regardless of tha pain to him....once i am down he will stay with me for tha duration of tha seizure, placing his feet and head on my chest to keep me from banging my head...and these skills he learned on his own...what i trained him for was to be sociable, to heel, to come when prompted by hand signals or voice command, down, and to sit and stay even when i leave him....he also had to be trained to not let traffic or other ppl distract him from his job...and not to approach ppl wanting to be petted...also he can never show aggressive tendencies to ppl especially in defense of me...to do so might prevent medical personel from approaching me to assist me....
there are web sites available to look up seizure alert/response dogs....www.adionline.org provides quidelines for service dogs and includes the requirements that must be met for Assistance Dogs International.............. | |
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| how would a service dog affect a new relationship?
Posted: 12/16/2006 12:04:54 AM | LadyDi, you never cease to amaze me!! OT: package deal, "love me, love my dog" or in this case "Date me, date my dog"!!
Fishbait sounds like he was heaven-sent and born to be not only a companion animal but a service animal. I'm glad you were able to go through the certification process and that you will now be able to take him wherever you go.
I'm thinking ol' Fishbait will be a terrific judge of character, as well - if Fishbait doesn't take to them, maybe you shouldn't either! And who wouldn't love that face?!? (ok, yours or Fishbait's - either one)
Keep on casting the line, you're bound to find a keeper!
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mary27
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Joined: 5/11/2006
Msg: 25 | |
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