Service dog

[C_elizabethryan]

We were curious if anyone has ever used a Newfoundland as a service dog?! We just bought our first Newfie and are currently looking at female Newfoundland to train as a service dog. My daughter was diagnosed with Lyme disease last December when she was 3. She has times where she gets severe joint pain and headaches. And she is very clumsy. Someone reached out to me about a female and they train Newfies for service/assistant dogs. Has anyone else used a service dog or know of someone who has and if they suffer from Lyme.

 

[Brandie&Maggie]

I know there are several people who use Newfie's as service dogs.

I'm not sure if Leska is still around here, but she uses one as an Autism service dog. You just have to be careful if you live in a really warm area that they can stay cool enough outdoors.

There are tons of newfie therapy dogs as well.

Good luck with your search!!

 

[wrknnwf]

A brief, gentle word of caution...please be certain that the dog comes from a reputable breeder who health tests their stock, shows their dogs, and who will be your mentor. There are lots of threads on this forum that discuss what to look for in a breeder.

The reason I say this is that Newfs are prone to a number of diseases and physical ailments themselves. If you want a dog that will physically help support your daughter, that dog must be in excellent condition herself. Be sure when buying a pup that the breeder does not send the dog home before it's 10 week cardio exam which should be performed by a board certified cardiologist, not the corner vet.

Also, for any dog you are looking at, get her AKC registration # and do a search for that number on the OFA website. That website has a lot of good information on orthopedic and other health issues, and they maintain a database of dogs that have been tested for breed specific ailments such as cardiac, hips, elbows, cystenuria, and others.

Since you want this dog as a service dog, I think you should set your criteria high. It costs a lot to train service dogs, so you sure don't want to spend a boat load only to have the dog keel over from a heart problem or find out his joints won't allow him to do the job.

Also, get references from the trainer and make doubly sure they have a lot of knowledge about Newfoundlands. This is a breed that does not respond well to certain types of training. And a Newf that has "shut down" won't be of any use as a service dog.

We are here to help if you have questions.

 

[C_elizabethryan]

Thank you both so much for your response. I hope to become just as knowledgeable about the Newfoundland breed as you both. Thank you so much!!!!!! ��

 

[BLCOLE]

I am deaf and use a vocal male Newf as a service dog. Dog naturally barks at smoke detectors and other important things I can't hear without my hearing aids. I can hear the dog bark without the hearing aids though!

I was fortunate; I didn't have to have the dog trained. He's a natural!

 

[NinaA]

I have always thought that you could not make just any dog into a service dog, although I think Newfs a more prone to work as a service animal than most breeds.

 

[R Taft]

I have worked with Dog Assistance in Australia... It is not so much the breed, but the character of the dog. Some dogs are great at being a service dog, some not as good. You have to take note that leska bought her newfies from a very reputable Breeder who has a lot of knowledge of training and knows her puppies all very important.

It is why often for particular service dogs lines of dogs are used as they are sort of of a "type".... But many still fail for some type of assistance dogs. In the guide dogs in Australia which is mainly Labradors and Golden retrievers, those that fail for guide dogs often go on to be assistance dogs and sometimes even a lower level of just companion dog. There is a rough ratio of 1 out of 4, which is high, if you just try to get your own dog... If you want a service dog that is more of a companion dog, it is much easier and a Breeder should be able to pick a great puppy for you as they often know their own dogs and know the puppies.... Sometimes some rescue dogs that go through good foster programs can be picked by the foster Families as they are often very experienced people with dogs... that is where some of our assistance dogs used to come from. Adults that were just perfect...
So be very careful and ask help from knowledgeable Breeders or rescue services that are reputable.... It can be done, but not always successful.

I Australia Service or assistance dogs have to be registered and checked and are more likely to be trained by Dog Assistance Trainers... have to be checked , before they can be licensed to go places... not as easy here, but I think overall better.

We have a lot of different reasons for service dogs... I am currently working with returned soldiers and some of their dogs.....The dogs are currently on L plates... they have to be able to pass quite a few behaviour and obedience tests, before they get their badges. And sometimes that means they have to go to the trainers, sometimes the owners under instruction... In Australia rarely the owner alone.

 

[CMDRTED]

I know two people not on NN that have Newfies as Service Dogs. Most training places like goldens (Yuck) or labs to train.

 

[NinaA]

I know that someone tried to adopt our Kentucky Porch Dog (Daisy) to make her into a service dog and the Humane Society rejected their application, because they needed to send her away for some period of time for training, and the HS felt she couldn't deal with that. She was already very well trained by someone and we thought that was strange until we got her home. She was very much in need of full time affection and attention. I don't think she could have stood training or (as they said at the HS) any more time in a kennel situation. She has been a wonderful gift to us. Not a Newf, unfortunately, but she certainly fit the bill for us, and we needed to have a dog in our lives. Also, she convinced us that a rescue or rehomed Newf will be next on our list. As Ronnie says, I think it's a "type" or a personality that works best, and they many times are from breeders of the "type".