Greyt Hearts Service Dogs Inc.
 
540-809-7213
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Tir Na N'Ogh -Service Dog, Therapy Dog & AKC CGC
1996-2009
Greyt Hearts Service Dogs Inc.
The purpose of this group is to train and place trained Service Dogs with individuals needing Physical and/or Psychiatric assistance. This program is geared to but not limited to Military personnel with PTSD.
The dogs provided will primarily be retired racing Greyhounds. These dogs are perfectly suited for a life of Service due to the extensive training they have received since birth, their vast exposure at Greyhound racing facilities and the fact that they have a unusually long working life span as opposed to other breeds. Greyhounds are not prone to hip dysplasia, have a very low maintenance coat and do not have a “doggie” odor. Other Sight Hound breeds will be used as they are available, including but not limited to Borzois, Lurchers and Rhodesian Ridgebacks.
This makes them quite user friendly and easy for a new dog handler/owner to adapt to.
Greyhounds have a calm, quiet nature and bond deeply and quickly to an owner.
Sight hounds such as Greyhounds have an active, healthy work life up into their teens.
Kennels in FL and various groups throughout the US have a constant supply of healthy, strong, loving dogs, looking for Forever Homes. 
What better home could there be than a person who needs the assistance and love that these dogs will provide.
The fact that the Greyhounds come off the Track and have extensive social and leash training shortens the training time needed to finish them as a Trained Service Dog. This reduces the cost of training and upkeep per animal to less than half the cost of a traditionally produced Service Dog. Patricia A Goettler, brings over 50 years’ experience in Animal Behavior and Training to GHSD Inc..
She is an AKC CGC Evaluator, AKC Temperament Tester as well as an Alliance of Therapy Dogs  Tester/Observer. Ms. Goettler started and ran the Dog Training department of the Fredericksburg PetsMart in 1996 through 2003. During this time she not only taught Dog Training; but trained other Dog Trainers. She also trained a number of Service Dog / Handler Teams. Since then she has continued training dogs and individuals; certifying Dog/Handler Teams as Hearing Dogs, Physical Assistance Dogs and Psychiatric Assistance Dogs.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder:

Symptoms                       Assistive Behaviors                            Assistance Classification
Reclusiveness                Initiate activity outside the home               Physical task
Night terrors            Wake up handlerPhysical task and         Work-Cognitive behavioral
                                          turn on lights                                         Physical task
Startle response          Stand between handler and others                Physical task
                                    Alert to presence of others                          Physical task
Memory loss                 Remind to take medication                          Physical task
                                       Find keys or telephone                               Physical task
Dissociative fugue        Guide handler home or to a safe place          Physical task
Hypervigilance                Search house for intruders                         Physical task
Dissociative flashback        Tactile stimulation                                  Physical task
                                           Grounding                                Work-Cognitive behavioral, mind/body, 
                                                                                                    or leveraging natural senses
Sensory overload          Tactile or deep pressure stimulation             Physical task
Social withdrawal        Initiate interpersonal interaction           Work-Cognitive behavioral therapy                                                                                        or leveraging natural senses
Emotional escalation          Alert to emotional escalation           Work-Cognitive behavioral or mind/body
HallucinationHallucination      discernmentWork                             Leveraging natural senses
Suicidal ideation                 Stay with and focus on handler        Work-Cognitive behavioral
                                           Deep pressure stimulation                     Physical task

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder:

Symptoms                                   Assistive Behaviors                  Assistance Classification
Distractibility                     Tactile or deep pressure stimulation         Physical task
Intrusive thoughts/images
Anxiety
Repetitive/compulsive behavior       Interrupt repetitive behaviors    Work-Cognitive behavioral
Memory loss                           Remind to take medication                    Physical task
                                               Find keys or telephone                          Physical task

Ddraig, a Retired Racer passes his AKC CGC Test less than 30 days into Training...
The CGC Test is the first step in the training process-
The dog must exhibit Obedience skills as well as good Social Behavior. They are tested in an area that has distractions and a lot of activity. This gets our hounds ready to take their training into  the Public arena.

         Ddraig (KBs Warhead)  2004-2012