Training My Service Dog for Nicole

I decided to change my goals from getting a fully trained service dog to adopting a local pup from a shelter. I have rescued her, and I hope that she will learn to rescue me in return.

After conducting some research, I found a lovely trainer in my area who will work with me to train my dog, Elu. Interestingly, the trainer is the lead trainer for PAALS, which is the same organization I had applied to for a service dog, but they didn't train for the specific needs I have.

I am still hopeful to train Elu towards the following goals:

- Providing deep pressure therapy for anxiety/panic attacks by laying on my chest and body.

- Alerting me to many medical issues such as blood pressure rising or falling, heart rate issues, blood sugar issues, fainting episodes, and/or seizures.

- Assisting with crowd control during anxiety, panic, or a seizure by circling around me.

- Supporting my head during a seizure by laying under it, so I don't continue to hit my head on the floor.

- Alerting others for help or going to find my husband for help.

- Finding an empty, safe seat if I need to sit down during any of these episodes.

Service dogs are allowed by ADA to go anywhere with you that the public is allowed to go. However, getting a service dog from a reputable organization can cost anywhere from $20,000 to $40,000, which is quite expensive and unaffordable for me.

It's hard to explain, but it seems like my body keeps finding new medical issues to deal with. I struggle with seizures, psoriatic arthritis, extreme fatigue, high and low blood sugars, high and low blood pressures, many medications, muscle spasms, cramps, body pain, dizziness, vertigo, fainting, heart PVCs and PACs, instability walking, falling, inability to control body temperature at times, tunneling or blackening of vision, anxiety and panic attacks, heat intolerance, brain fog, and spotty memory, especially after seizures.