Hi, I'm Aelin, and I need help to get a puppy to handler train as a service dog.
Thanks to all of your support I have made the deposit amount to reserve the puppy who will be my prospective service dog! All that is left to do is raise the remainder of the cost for the puppy (due at pickup), the cost of service dog gear to help them perform their tasks, and patches to help identify them as a Service Dog in training/Service dog.
What kinds of things could a service dog do for me?
I have POTS (Postural Orthostatic Hypoplasia), a type of Dysautonomia (a disorder affecting the Autonomous Nervous System, which means I have episodes of syncope and near-syncope, and many other whole system effects.
I have episodes where I lose consciousness or lay in the pre losing consciousness phase feeling unable to lift my head or arms, move my body, my speech slurs, I drool, I want to vomit but cannot. My face turns pale, and lips turn blue due to lack of blood flow to my head. A service dog trained in dysautonomia tasks will alert me to the fact that I'm going to go down before I know. They will use their body to keep my head from hitting the ground. They can be trained to lick my hands to keep me from losing consciousness. They will stay with me if I am in a store, a park, or anywhere else to keep me safe. They can carry information that lets people know not to call 911 unless I am injured. They can get electrolytes, salt tabs, or medication that will help me mitigate the attack while I am incapable of getting it due to being essentially paralyzed.
POTS also causes me to have chronic venous insufficiency, swelling and pain in my feet due to blood flow issues. This is occasionally bad enough that taking steps on the ground feels tender and excruciating. Service dogs can be task trained to retrieve items so that I do not have to walk when it hurts.
POTS causes me to become dizzy and have blurred vision. A service dog could stabilize me and guide me.
I am also autistic and have severe PTSD with anxiety and agoraphobia. Service dogs can be taught to apply deep pressure, which is a calming technique that works wonders for autistic people and many with psychiatric illness. Think of weighted blankets, but one that can go out with you and help mitigate a meltdown due to sensory overload or a panic attack due to crowds.
Speaking of crowds, I cannot bear to be in even a semi crowded grocery store due to feeling that people are pressing in on me. Service dogs can be task trained to create a wall of space between you and others using their bodies, lessening your anxiety and panic enough that you can shop for your own groceries.
These are not all of my diagnoses (by far) and not even close to all of the tasks a service dog could perform that would be life changing for me and also my family. I am a mother of three that cannot drive or go anywhere on my own, due to dependence on my spouse as my caregiver. This could possibly help end my isolation and allow me some independence as a service dog and handler team. Thank you for your consideration, any little bit helps.
