My husband has some difficulty with freezing and stability, but he is not at the point that he requires a cane or walker. He enjoys running and walking long distances, but I worry that he could get “stuck” while on his run. Have any of you found companion or service dogs useful?
@Celeio @A MyParkinsonsTeam Member
I was a foster/raiser for Guiding Eyes for the Blind [GEB] in my formed pre-PD life. GEB had a program where they not only trained dogs to guide but also trained some to guide and also help people with mobility issues. You have to have a very special, solid, and healthy dog for that kind of work. I do not know of any trainers working with Parkies and dogs. It costs for a guide dog any where from $30 to $60 grand. I am sure a service dog for Parkies would be a minimum of $10 to $30 grand. And finding a reputable trainer... good luck. There are many wanna-bees out there. It is "Big" business now to train dogs for PTSD, Autism.... There are NO regulatory agencies to monitor or set standards for training or what quality the dogs are. The guide schools like Morristown, Guiding Dogs of America, Fidelco, Leader dogs for the Blind, have been around for many years. They learn from each other. They usually breed their own dogs.
My wife is concerned that this might happen to me. So I wear a smart watch which is easier than a cell phone and also wear a Road ID bracelet with my name and contact details plus that I have Parkinson's and am a heart attack survivor. Whilst not the same as a companion dog, it does give her some comfort and she always checks I am wearing it before I go walking.
Get a cane,it helps my balance
I have a 7 month lab-adoodle that I'm working with a guide dog trainier for my own use in the future I'm working at it and wonder how it will help I noticed that Pres Bush, recently died, and had a service dog that would bring him things. I'm looking for people who have service dogs for PD.
Please make sure he wears some kind of ID bracelet with his Parkinson’s DX on there too.