The Poodle as service dog for the disabled

I’ve written several posts about service dogs—most of them have been Labradors or Golden Retrievers because they seem to have the necessary temperament.

I had an email from Carol from Berthoud, Colorado telling her experiences with Ian, a standard Poodle that has served her as a service dog. Carol has a progressive debilitating disease that has rendered her disabled.

She wrote:

"I adopted Ian from a Poodle rescue when he was a year and a half old. He had grown up in a motel room with six other dogs and knew nothing about the outside world. I lived in the country at the time and he had to get used to tall grass, wind, and all the experiences he had never had. He learned quickly and wanted to please me.

He was sweet and loving but also protective. Twice he gave forth with growls that told questionable people to stay away. He sat by my side during that time and didn't move.

As time went on I had trouble walking and bending to pick things up. With the help of a friend who trained and showed her Golden Retrievers I learned how to teach Ian to pick up things for me from a table or the floor. He loved helping me.

I used the kind of harness used for guide dogs so that he could help me with balance. I lived in Michigan at the time and had a flight of stairs to climb.

Ian has been a wonderful companion who also does very well in restaurants and public places. Since he doesn’t shed, there is no concern with hair flying everywhere.”

Carol had trained dogs in the past but she did need the help of a professional trainer to teach the dog skills needed by the disabled, such as picking up items.

Carol does acknowledge that the personality of the dog should be accessed because standard Poodles are an energetic breed needing a lot of exercise. Sometimes the routine duties of a service dog do not challenge them physically or mentally. Some Poodles are so social they would rather work the room, somewhat like a politician or the homecoming queen.

Thanks, Carol, for sharing your experiences with a Poodle service dog.

Comments

[Lydia]

Good for Ian and Carol. So many people think poodles are just fluffy wimpy dogs.

[schnoodlepooh]

That is a heart warming story. I think that poodles are much more versatile dogs than many people give them credit for.

[Twyla]

Well you know I'm prejudice but I think a poodle can do anything any dog can do.

[Laura]

That's a great story. It also proves that the breed shouldn't label all dogs.

[Faith]

Sounds like a wonderful dog to me. :)

[jackiesue]

ow cool is that..? i always thought poodles were just useless dogs for old ladies...being a pit bull lover..but that is really a great story

[Janey Loree]

Sounds like Ian had a purpose in life! How many dogs are put to sleep that could have saved someone's life? We are harboring a stray dog that we call "Low Rider". He is a labrador/bassett. A local Thrift Store helps find homes for these stray dogs. We already have five, two of which are rescues. We live in the local drop zone.

Jan, where is your voting link for BLOG VILLAGE?

[Dirty Butter]

I would think that the full sized poodle would be more inclined to this type of work than his toy cousins. This is an interesting story. They are certainly a smart breed, and it would be great if they could be used this way.

[Nickie]

This doesn't really surprise me. I've seen several people with poodle service dogs. I have even seen standard poodle guide dogs for people with certain dog alergies.

[Isabella]

Stanards are incrediably intelligent and eager to please. I am surprised more Standards aren't assistant dogs. My Isabella has learned her assistant tasks very quickly. She enjoys training and does her tasks with joy. Perhaps the grooming requirements of a poodle are a drawback to some people. The only problem I have had with Bella is that she is shy with anything and anyone unfamiliar. We have been working on it since she was a puppy but it continues to be a problem.
Peace-
Linda (Isabella's Human)

[Kim Hanson]

I am training Roxi, a 1-yr. Standard Poodle to be a service dog for a woman who was in an accident and is a quadrapalegic. I've been a volunteer trainer at an assistance dog organization for the past two years, and Roxi is the first poodle in the program. There is no doubt that she is smarter and catches on faster than any of the golden retrievers and labs. She's so smart I have to be careful not to bore her. At 1 she has a solid stay, sit, come, down, can go to her "Place" from a distance and lie down and stay, can open and close cupboards and drawers, pick up and bring to me just about anything, knows the commands Up and Off and many more. We're working on Trash, which means she must throw something in a receptacle; Pick, which means she is to pick something up such as a paper or credit card with just her front teeth; and Hold which means she is supposed to hold something in her mouth, without mouthing it, until I tell her to release it. She is truly amazing!

[Q]

Wonderful story. I think all dogs with the right love, and attention can be trained to do almost anything.

[rox wisely]

This story is an overwhelming one. We can never generalize dog breeds. People say that poodles are overly enthusiastic and hard to tame. But we cannot deny the fact that dogs in general are sweet, caring, and loyal. So even though Ian was a poodle who was supposed to be naturally hard to teach about calm routines, he is still a dog who is capable of loving his owner who cares for him a lot as well, and so Ian was able to adjust for the sake for his beloved owner.