Bob’s BlogEnjoy our DogWish News & Updates,and visit us online at www.DogWish.org | I would like to thank the many people and families that have teamed up with Dog Wish during the past several years,for the many things we have learned together. It is one thing to train a dog to perform in obedience,tracking,search and rescue,melt down and seizure detection and alert work. It is a completely different thing to work with a person who is neurologically disabled with Autism,and the parents of that individual,meet their needs,on their level,where they live every 15 minutes around the clock,and be successful. It takes more than abundant gifts,education,intelligence,and good intentions to do this job. First of all,it doesn’t matter how well you trained the dog,or how well it performs,if it doesn’t bond and work with the recipient in a dynamic way. There are definite,demanding,serious needs here,and lives on the line. You are dealing with the heart and soul of the lives of those who have put their trust,their hopes,and everything they have in your hands,and are hoping beyond reason that you will have the answers they need. Unless you know how to work individually addressing each recipient where they are,and teaching their family and care takers how to use your dog to help and resolve their issues,your work is fruitless. There is a big distinction between a therapy and a Service dog,and a dog that doesn’t know how to supply at least three functions necessary for their handler to operate because of their work,isn’t a Service dog at all. I’ll pick three;eloping,meltdowns and seizures,and social responsiveness. If you can function better in these areas because of your Service dog,it is well worth your time,money,and energy. Autism can consume you like fire on the altar of life. Autism can become the fear that drives you,the emptiness that robs you,the darkness that taunts you. It’s easy to say that children with Autism are just different,but the people I deal with are spending their whole lives in a courageous effort to counter its’ affects on their loved ones. They have given everything they have trying to help in any way. Sometimes reality is hard to face when you need so much. The reality I bring is that the dog isn’t a miracle worker. The dog isn’t perfect,or perfectly trained. What my clients come to realize and learn is that through the training I teach,the principles we enforce,and the methods I use for training,great things can happen. Dog Wish Service dogs are NOT miracle workers,but through proper training,and consistent application,sometimes miracles do happen. Often,it isn’t the end result that counts,but the journey along the way where healing,bonding,love,and connectedness occur,that is important. I am a lot like a computer technician. I put everything into the dog that they will need to do the job on the level you want. Then,we take the dog,together,and help them become the dog you need for the person you love. Creating a strong bonding relationship is the most important part of the training process,and,sometimes,the hardest part of the process. Sometimes it happens instantly,or right away,and sometimes it takes time and work to make the two a team. A lot of that will be determined by the mental/emotional state of the affected person. However,I do understand the process,and can create it almost all the time. Using a tether,which is attached to the dog and the child,we make them a single team. The parent learns to handle the dog,to transfer the training put into the dog from Dog Wish,and to use it to help the affected person. We then take the team out and put the dog through “training”,along with the attached person,and the person learns by being with and watching the dog perform. For the past several years we have worked with several families,teaching them to safely tether their child,or children,to our trained service dog. Though this is a sensitive issue,with proper training it has saved several lives. Once the child accepts this conditioning,the family can use it to control their physical behaviors in public. For many families this allows them the freedom and peace of mind to have a more normal family life and be able to go out in public without fearing their child eloping. As a result of this work,in a short period of time we have noticed the following changes “across the board”,with almost all our recipients: - The child will first bond and develop a relationship with their service dog. Then through that relationship the child will become more active and involved in inter-family,and then peer relationships. The Autism Society of America California Chapter survey of 2009 states that 57% of children with autism grow up without having a single friend. These children are shunned,ignored,ridiculed,and are awkward reaching out socially. A service dog can help a child form social connections.
There is a specific pattern I watch for to see the child – K9 bond is forming. First the child accepts the K9,develops an interest and friendship with the dog. Then they claim ownership of the dog. This is when we start seeing social interaction happen. The fact that the affected child is willing to care for the dog responsibly,work with and handle the dog correctly,show ownership over the dog,learn through the dog discipline,responsiveness,behavioral control,etc.,are exemplary. Now,as the child handles the dog they are drawn into positive social interactions with people,including their peers. It changes their lives. - One of the first affects the dog has upon the handler is to balance their emotional behaviors,such as meltdowns. After the child and dog bond,the dogs will connect with their child handler,and will alert if they are experiencing emotional or physical problems. We’ve experienced our dogs letting the parents know the child is feeling sick when the child was unable to tell the parents. We’ve even had cases where the service dog knew their handler was going into a seizure and have gone through windows,doors,etc.,to get to them to protect them.
Our dogs are trained to respond to minute changes in the child including specific smells being given off by the child. The children’s melt downs in the presence of their service dog are much less sever;much shorter in duration and much more manageable. For some families,they are now for the first time able to go shopping or dining without their child having a meltdown or eloping. - The child usually uses the relationship with their service dog to either conquer or deal with their fears in a more confident and beneficial way. They feel empowered by the dog to engage socially and to go beyond their “normal” expectations,to experience things that before the dog they would never have done. Our service dogs are mentally conditioned to ignore and be neutral to other distractions,(people and animals) and focus completely and only on their handler. In fact,every dog we place has learned to give their handler 90% of their focus at all times. This is imperative for a service dog.
- Our service dogs can respond to non-verbal communication from their handlers. Many children with autism,or other disabilities,are unable to communicate in a way which is easily understood. We’ve had child handlers who have never spoken until they received their service dog. The child hears their parents giving the dog commands and they vocalized the same command when they wanted their dog to respond.
- Besides becoming more focused,the K9 is trained help keep the child from leaving on their own and to find them on command. This last two years we have had several dogs that alerted when their handler tried to “sneak out” by him or herself. The dog would bark at them until they stopped. This is also true of handlers trying to elope through doors or gates,or climb over a fence. Their dog would “tell” on them.
A lot of this happens as the team grows together,through the training they experience. The more you work with the “team”,the better the results you will achieve. It is the combined experiences of working as a team that produces the interconnectedness that makes everything else happen. Through the Dog Wish Service Dog you can reach inside your loved one’s mind,and help them to reach back to you. This is an intense,emotional,and powerful took for re-programming both your mind and theirs. The results,based on your performance,and the performance of your wonderful dog,can be amazing. 
This past fall Dog Wish trained Hearing Assistance Service Dogs for 3 clients with hearing loss. Two of them are totally deaf,and one can hear at 20% of human capability with strong hearing aids. It is a fascinating journey into their world,full of disconnection. As much as we would like to think we understand what is going on inside the mind and body of a person who is deaf there is so much that we cannot connect with. To these people,their ability to understand and communicate with others is rare and precious. In a fast paced world,it is very hard to find someone who will stop and focus long enough to even begin to understand them. They know that and live in anxiety because they feel so trapped inside of a body that doesn’t function on a level where they can even reach out for help. To these people,having a Dog Wish Service Dog isn’t a good thing,or a special thing;it has been the most dynamic change in their lives! Because our dogs are energy and scent oriented,they are more sensitive to the communicative efforts of their handlers. Because Dog Wish trains dogs to communicate on a non-verbal and brainwave sensitive basis,our ability to train one for someone who can’t hear is very special. Their Dog Wish Service Dog has become their connection to the world outside of them. The dogs speak volumes! As you read the words of Ricky and Connie,as they expressed themselves to me and to you,listen to what is actually being said,and think about what it would be like to never hear a spoken word,and yet having to imitate what you think others around you might be communicating like. MCKENZIE McKensie Jensen is a young girl who is very lucky to be growing up in a family with two parents who are connected with her,work intimately with her,and are positive,responsible,and are doing a great job. Her father helps people with counseling and therapeutic positivity at work,and is actually a candidate for the Dog Wish Service Dog program,as soon as we can get the funding to hire him. 
Even so,suffering with being deaf,and disabled with Autism,has made her life very difficult. When McKensie came to us her world was very small,and very fragile. She was very timid,and her emotional balance was critical. Even though they bonded immediately,it took months of intensive effort to teach her how to focus during training and use her Dog Wish Service Dog. With three children,her mother Jessica was constantly fighting for mental and emotional control,and having one so disabled was at times overwhelming. “I have battled anxiety since a child and deep depression since my teenage years. Life with McKenzie has only exacerbated these feelings. It’s not that I feel sorry for my self;it’s more that I feel helpless,like so many things are out of my control. Typically situations like that cause me to freeze,to go into a type of denial where I just ignore things.” Having Lacy in the home brought many good things to the Jenson family. “Life With Lacy (LWL) has helped me feel like I’m more in control of my situation. She brings with her a sense of calm,a sense of love,and a sense of peace.” Lacy knows how to calm McKenzie down when she can’t control herself. Lacy feeds McKenzie balance,confidence,and control. She makes things easier,better,and happier. When asked how things are now,after Lacy,Jessica stated,“Things aren’t magically perfect,but they are perfectly better.” Lacy not only reacts to door bells,and phones for McKenzie,she acts as a shield for her,watching,caring,playing,and responding to McKenzie in a way no one else could. Through Lacy,McKensie now feels safe and confident to go outside,walk around the block,play with other children,to go on outings without feeling insecure. She has relaxed,and become much more balanced emotionally,has fewer meltdowns,is more emotionally in control. Jessica has found that working Lacy has helped her with her anxiety problems,and feels much more in control of her own life. When McKenzie has emotional outbursts they have found that Lacy can help her calm down much faster and better. “Lacy is trained for passive protection,which,unless you acted aggressively,or reached out suddenly for McKenzie,you would never know. However,we have had 5 situations so far when Lacy had to stand up and tell people to “back off”,and in each instance they did,and Lacy returned to her loving self immediately.” The Jensen’s have had Lacy for 6 months now,and Lacy is a normal part of their home. This week they were able to come and meet my newer clients who now learning to handle their Hearing Assistance Service Dog,Helen,with me. RICKY DAVIS AND CONNIE LOPER 
Ricky Davis is a professional glass blower,a real artist,who has a brilliant mind and is a deep thinker. Connie Loper is a Certified Deaf Interpreter working in many different settings including the California Superior court,and quite an impressive person. Her ability to understand Ricky and me through interpreting (voice to sign and vice versa) makes our communication quite accessible. As a culturally deaf persons from a deaf family, Ricky and Connie moved to the Inland Empire area,and live in a decent old world charm home in what seems to be a normal neighborhood. Their own kind have stolen their car,and broken into their garage that triggered anxiety and panic in their lives. There are a lot of things Ricky would like to do,but without support or protection he felt suffocated by some of his challenges. Our first meeting was quite intense because I confronted Ricky with what I saw was his real dilemma about himself. I had to help him face the truth about his own feelings,but “Helen” pulled him through with her love,and ability to reach out to him. “On Dec 17th we got our very own magnificent 2 year old German Shepherd Dog named ‘Helen’. It was AMAZING! I felt like Bob Taylor could understand vicariously when he realized that I was trapped inside like a “cocoon”. While guiding me to set me free from the ~Web~ of trappings,Bob picked the right German Shepherd Dog that fits me perfectly. “ “However ‘Helen’did change my Life after I got her. Her alert,loving but protective attitude decreased my worries. After having been burglarized,I was dealing with anxiety and hypertension. With Helen,I feel much more Safe &Powerful ~Worry and Stress free. “From the first day ‘Helen’met me, she knew me already and noticed my disabilities as I walk with a cane and have braces on my calves caused by multi-focal neuropathy on top of my deafness. I was very impressed with ‘Helen’s’immediate obedience especially when I first got her. What a transformation! Instantly Helen became my dog,came to me,listened to me,and chose me. That very moment,I felt something inside me which really actually was the Holy Spirit’s touch from Bobs intertwining energies…it was unexplainable. God indeed has given Bob many gifts,and he used them to help and HEAL me too! ”‘Helen” did save me several times when I accidently fell down by quickly going through between my legs in slow motion in order to keep me in balance. I had to say,“Wow,Helen! Thank you,Helen…very quick &clever!” This is something Helen picked up all by herself. She constantly watches Ricky to make sure he is good,physically,and mentally. She helps Ricky if she sees he is -off balance- by providing stability,and being there if he starts to fall,and cushioning his falls. She has no fear,and is right there,step-by-step to help him. Helen also watches out for Ricky,to make sure he is safe. She is trained to provide passive protection,according to the “letter of the law”,and has never responded in a dangerous manner,but only in defense,as she sees it is needed. Of course,she watches for communication from Ricky,and obeys his commands. “One thing is very special that I must depend on Helen’s big EARS which I’m Deaf. I get extra help from Helen’s many senses such as eye movement,picking up people’s vibes,and alerting me…Helen knows what my feelings inside are,and I practice speaking very low in whisper in which Helen obeys the most.”  Things are looking up for Ricky and Connie!!
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS PLEASE CONTACT bob@dogwish.org,or call 760-662-3767 OUR PROGRAM Our Dog Wish Service Dogs are not your normal “cookie-cutter” typed Service dog,but are custom selected and trained according to the need and desire of each individual recipient. Very few people have any idea of the sensitive,complicated,and detailed work that it takes to produce each and every Dog Wish Service Dog we place. Recently in putting together a program for a local family with a four-year-old boy,I asked them,as I do with all clients,to give me a list of every problem they were dealing with on a daily basis,that they wanted help with. Here’s the list: PROBLEMS WITH LANDEN: - Diagnosed with Autism: His Neurologist diagnosed high functioning Autism. Genetic testing showed #8 chromosome doubled itself.
An MRI-SHOWED too much white brain matter,not grey showing improper brain development-his brain does not fill the brain cavity In his skull. - Diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy (affects all four limbs-right side more).
- On medication for Severe Seizures,(different types).
- Wanders off
- Intentionally runs from us,even when dangerous
- Sleep Apnea
- Occasional Seizures
- Head bangs in bed to sleep
- Has uncontrollable melt downs
- Doesn’t like crowds
- Has Asthma
- Has reflux
- Doesn’t eat regular food,on liquid diet
- Hyperactive
- Not completely potty trained
- Weakness in both ankles
- Weakness in both wrists
- Runs everywhere,never walks
- Gets angry very easy
- Tantrums,emotionally unbalanced
- Gets into everything
- Developmental delays
- Major sensory issues;sights,smells,sounds,energies
- Anxiety
- Bites nails
- Picks at self,(lips,fingers,etc.)
- Poor impulse control
- No boundaries
- Can’t self regulate
- Poor social skills
- Doesn’t like to be restrained
- Climbs on everything
- Throws things
- Hits people
- Bites
- A.D.H.D.
- O.C.D.
Landon’s History,(written by Cory and Lisa Curtis) Landon came to live with us at 4 ½ months,through the foster care system. He was our 11th foster child. He was just left in a crib for the first 4 months of his life,was droopy,couldn’t hold his own head up,or even smile. He was so sick that our first trip was right to the Dr.,who referred us to a Pulmonary Specialist,who diagnosed him with asthma,allergies,and put him on meds for his reflux. He threw up constantly,held his hands in a fist,and just sat in his swing drooling. At 1 year he was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy,and an MRI revealed major delays. We were told he would most likely never walk,so he began physical therapy. He was now on pediasure instead of formula,after a Cookie Swallow Test showed that he had a pocket in his esophagus that would fill up,and then dump. He throws up all the time. We made a family decision,which everyone supported,to adapt Landon. On November 4th 2010 Landon’s adoption was final. The County had a giant event where over 60 children were adopted in one day. We invited our whole family and close friends,and it was a joyous day. At that time Landon was attending 7 therapies a week:2 for Physical therapy;1 for Occupational therapy,2 for Feeding Therapy,1 for Early start program,and 1 mommy and me class. Landon has had three surgeries already. Another MRI in the spring of 2011 showed his brain matter did not fill his skull,which was causing him to have seizures. Also,a new throat scan showed severe damage to his esophagus. Landon started to crawl at 1 year old,and to walk at about 2 years old. At two he spoke his first word,“dada”. Landon started to trouble breaking while asleep,and a Sleep Study showed he had Obstructive Sleep Apnea,and the next revealed Sleep Apnea,which could increase as he gets older;it is a watch and wait thing,every night.. Right now we wake him if he stops breathing,or if his breathing sounds funny. On November 15th,2010 Landon began attending a Medically Fragile preschool,where he preschool in the morning,and therapies in the afternoon. In August of 2011 Landon started displaying behavioral problems in school,hitting,spitting,kicking,and being non-responsive to the teachers. So,back to the Neurologist,who diagnosed him with Autism. At his school one day I saw a business card for a support group on the internet for mothers of children with Autism. While on face book I learned about Dog Wish. Bob Taylor at Dog Wish has many answers for us,and his training is a real blessing. His intelligent sensitivity and responsiveness to our family have helped us to relax,and his knowledgeable instruction is good for us all. Landon’s Story (written by Cory and Lisa Curtis) Hi,my name is Landon Scott Curtis,the newest son of Cory &Lisa Curtis. I have been a member of this family since I was 4 months old. My adaption became official November 4th,2010. At the age of 4,having been declared medically fragile,with 3 surgeries and more doctors’ visits to my 5 regularly seen Doctors,than I care to remember. Putting all that behind me,the latest one has discovered that I have Autism,Cerebral Palsy,Epilepsy,Sleep Apnea,asthma,allergies,eating disorders,utero drug and alcohol exposure,gastro esophageal reflux,developmental delays,and am a genetic anomaly;whatever that is. Some days it is hard on me and my family,but we all stick together and love each other,and we know that God is with us in these struggles. My mommy and daddy are working with Bob Taylor of Dog Wish.Org to get me a Service Dog to help with the numbers of challenges I face each day. Bob trains top quality Service Dogs at cost effective prices for families with children like me. The puppy that has been picked just for me is named Fluffy. She already likes me,and we have fun training together. It’s hard work,but will be worth it. I can’t wait until she gets to be with me all the time,and sleep in my room next to me. And my God will supply all your needs according to HIS riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19) And now it’s my turn. I’m fluffy,a 10 month old,all German lines,German Shepherd. My dad was the very first Certified Service Dog trained by Bob Taylor for A boy with Autism,licensed by the State of California. I have been chosen to become Landon’s Service Dog. He is an AWESOME kid,and I love him. I met Landon and my new family on December 20th,2011. My number one priority is to be a companion,and to protect my Landon,wherever he may go. With just the pressure of my paw on my boy,I will be able tohelp calm him down when he is going to have a meltdown. Landon’s doctor says he believes his “meltdowns” are a type of seizure,and not just a temper tantrum,but a complete overload of his mental systems. They can be triggered at any time,but especially in time of stress. Therefore,I have been trained to smell and feel these problems with Landon and I will be able to help change all that. Bob Taylor,my trainer,has trained me to be pre-seizure alert,and help prevent these problems for Landon. This will be beneficial for my Landon. Several of my brothers and sisters have helped their children to have 50% less meltdowns,simply by being there and speaking to them. Some of the things I will help Landon overcome are:eloping or running away from his family in public places. I can alert him and his family if he stops breathing during the night due to his sleep apnea. I will keep him safe from things he might get into,protect him from strangers,calm his down in times of stress,help him focus at home and school,and make him feel safe and secure. With me there,Landon will be able to live a more normal and balanced life,as a four year old. We will go to school together,travel together,and experience life together. My favorite though will be to play with my boy in our backyard;fetch I hope. I am excited for the day when my boy gets to bring me to my new home. “For he will deliver the needy when he cries for help;the afflicted also,and him who has no helper. Blessed be the Lord God,the GOD of Israel,who lone works wonders.” (Psalms 72:12 &18) FROM BOB TAYLOR Landon isn’t the only child Dog Wish is or has trained a dog for with these problems,we do it all the time. So much so that the Curtis’s have found others on the Internet with our Dog Wish Service Dogs that they have contacted and are becoming friends with. How can a dog be trained to handle all these day and night disabling problems? We’ve built a career doing just that! We are committed to helping the Curtis’s raise Landon,improve and enhance his life,and make a difference for these very brave,rare,courageous people. HERE IS OUR RESPONSE TO EVERYONE WITH A NEED: THE DOG WISH PROMISE I have come to bring goodness: Through The Life Force We Harness, In Each Dog We Produce, In Every Dog Wish Service Dog, We Create! Through The Power We Endue, And The Abilities We Build, By The Transformation We Channel, And The Connection We Make Possible, We Simply Bring Change: From Chaos To Order, From Hopelessness To Hope, From Despair To Joyfulness, From Doubt To Faith, From Disability To Ability, From Sickness To Health, From Ignorance To Knowledge, From Death to Life. Bob Taylor 12-26-2011 If you would like to donate money for Landon Curtis,to Dog Wish,or are interested in contacting us about a Service Dog for yourself of your loved one,please feel free to contact Dog Wish at 760-662-3767,or email us at bob@dogwish.org. A short additional comment: For more info check out an interview on video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tk2zCNInOzA We have become concerned with pricing due to many comments we have read on the internet,so we did a composite study throughout America this last year and interviewed some 200 Service Dog Organizations and businesses,asking what they charged,their procedures and protocols,and found some amazing results. The normal Service Dog org,or business,charged an average of $20,000.00 per dog,with the highest companies charging up to $65,000.00 a dog to place. Our prices of $5,000.00 to $20,000.00 are way under the average cost. In comparison with other companies we also offer much more than other providers,and our follow through is flat out better than any company we could find.  In this excerpt from my new book on How to train a Psychiatric Service Dog I briefly explain what your feelings are,how they develop,and how you can control them. Of course I go into more detail on this important subject throughout the book,illustrated with stories and actual experiences you can create and use to produce and control a positive,healthy state of mental focus,but this is a beginning.
I have strong feelings,and want to start this book out with what I “feel” is very important. Feelings are very important things. If you want you can ignore them,just let them grow and build inside of you,and continue on the way you are going. Then,one day,those feelings will have grown until you can’t continue without dealing with them. How do you feel? What do you feel? Where do you feel it? What? If you have a feeling,it is important to describe it. Author Gary Zukov in his many books about connecting with your self has given us a tool we can use. He teaches you to stop,go inside yourself,and feel where the stress is affecting your body. He teaches you to document when the feeling came,what it is related to,how intense it is,and what it produces inside of you. By learning to do this you can deal with your body,and take control of your feelings in a more comprehensive way. As I start each trainer off in training the first thing they need to learn is to become more sensitive to what they feel,and then to be more sensitive to the feelings that the dogs they are training either project out to them,or physically show them. Learning to read emotions in others is a primary key to positive training. Why is your dog acting,or reacting,the way they are? What are they feeling,and why? What do you need to do to change that feeling? How should you construct their training to help them overcome negative feelings,and replace them with the feelings you desire for them to feel? Tune into feelings,become more sensitive,and reap the rewards! SECOND,as you tune into the feelings you have,instead of ignoring them,realize and accept them for what they are. They are simply the result of the messages your brain is sending throughout your body chemically and electronically,that your body is responding to. Your emotions are simply the after effect of the communication between your brain and your body. Because your Hypothalamus,(sounds like a dinosaur doesn’t it),your brain’s computer,is only constructing from memory,doing what it is use to,it re-constructs emotions over and over. If you can understand that the emotions you are feeling are based on this mental scenario,and are nothing more than the result of your brain’s being normal,then you can also decide to change it. Talk to your brain. Tell it you don’t like about what it is producing. Tell it instead you want it to produce a happy,enjoyable emotion. Show it what you want;envision what you want,and re-program your brain. Every time your brain puts out an emotionally disturbing message reject it,change it,and tell your brain what to do instead. Be consistent and your brain will follow suit. So what does this have to do with dog training? It has everything to do with dog training! We need to realize that as we are conditioning our dogs to respond to us,they need to do so in a positive state of mind. What do they associate with your verbal,physical,and mental communication? Many dogs have been traumatized by harsh and forced miscommunication,and respond in a fearful and negative way as we attempt to work with them. If you can understand that,then start over,re lay the foundations for their responses to you based on positive experiences you imprint into them in a non-stressed,positive way,through your positive energy. Help your dog to see each move you make as a way for them to gain,benefit,and win in training. Set up your training experiences so that your dog will look forward to,and get excited about each potential experience you share. When you give a command your dog should anticipate the rewards they will receive through their team-oriented performance. See your dog performing in a positive way each time you suggest a command to them. Make each potentially positive experience rich and rewarding for your dog. Connection is more important than conditioning. Your relationship with your dog should be guarded with love and sensitive concern. Produce the positive emotional state of mind you desire as you train and share with your dog. Relax,and enjoy your training. IF YOU WOULD LIKE HELP WITH YOUR DOG,OR DESIRE TO ENQUIRE ABOUT A SERVICE DOG CALL ME AT 760-662-3767 OR EMAIL ME AT ;bob@dogwish.org. SINCE I have seriously connected in Face Book the strongest statement I heard is the cry of hundreds,thousands of people,who need help,and can’t afford it. One is two people around the globe right now are suffering from anxiety,Pan Attacks,P.T.S.D.,and neurological discomfort,disassociation,disorder,and disease. This book is my personal attempt to reach out and help you. In this book,and through the application of my methods and concepts of dog psychology and training you can learn how to understand and overcome the problems and disabilities you face yourself on a comprehensive level that can change your life. The road to success is never easy. There are always problems,obstacles,and some times perilous adventures. Failure can be a doorway to success;pain can elevate you to ecstasy,and learning to overcome adversity can empower you to overcome yourself. My hope is that this book will inspire you to create the abilities in your life that will make it possible for you to go to the places you have always wanted,be the person you have always wanted to be,and share the journey with the greatest person in the whole world,your dog. As you do you will come to realize,as I have,that without your dog,none of it would be possible,or worth the effort. By training your dog the way I teach,you will actually be making the effort to become the enabled and empowered,enhanced person you need to be,to make the difference in your life,and the lives of everyone you will ever know. Do it. The closer you get to your dog,the more you will touch the heart of God. Bob Taylor.  I have invested several years of my life,and countless hours learning about and trying to help those with disabilities in the world around me,for a good reason. One in five people in our world today are fighting with disabilities that cause them great problems in their lives. They are the ones that need and deserve help! Training a dog that will bring them the ability to enhance their lives with hope and goodness is a joy and a blessing. To bring happiness,goodness,and ability to function,and help them fight back has become the major thrust of my life.
In a further effort to help them,at a cost they can afford,I have written several books where I share hundred of easy,step-by-step methods to show the reader how to turn their “pet” into a correctly behaving,functional Service Dog. f you go to: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B006662QQS ,you will find a list of all my books that you can purchase for under $10.00. TRAINING WORKING DOG PUPPIES This book shows you how to take your pup and make it a working dog. It shows you how to teach it the basics that will enable it to become a real “K9”. It has real life stories of the dogs I have raised who now are the foundation breeding stock for my kennel,dogs I have raised and loved who became great! It gives you insight into how to train a proper protection dog that you won’t find anywhere else. It shows you how to take your pup from scratch and make it the dog you’ve always wanted. HOW TO TRAIN THE WORLD’S BEST DOG If you are looking for a book that will show you how to train your dog,this is it! In this book I show you how to make your dog perform like a pro,to produce the behavior in your dog you want now. This book opens the reader’s mind and shows you how to become the perfect handler and trainer. The philosophies and methods in this book are those I have used to produce 1,000s of great working dogs. GOLIATH I have always been fascinated with large,powerful,great working dogs. Since a child I was attracted to,and loved impressive animals. I grew up wanting to be Tarzan,to work with and train the greatest of animals. In this book my love for massive dogs comes live. It’s a book about several Rottweiler’s that I trained in the 1990s. For years I trained 100s of these wonderful dogs,and owe a great deal to them. The stories of Goliath,a huge dog,Zack,a condemned Court Certified “Dangerous” dog,and “the King” a loving pet whose owner wanted him to do it all,will warm and fill your heart,and make you laugh and cry. All the stories are true to detail,and full of real life adventure. HOW I TRAINED TEDDY,THE PERFECT PUPPY In this book I show you how to take a spoiled,4 month old puppy,and train them for obedience. I chose Teddy because his owners never really thought he needed training,and made several wrong decisions that you can learn from. The story is true to detail,even when they fired and had to re-hire me to do the job for and with them. It shows you step-by-step how you make your puppy a good dog. It is family oriented,and full of detail on exactly how you should proceed with your dog to make them the pet you have always wanted. SERVICE DOGS FOR KIDS WITH AUTISM Having spent 15 years in research and actually training hundreds of these dogs I have learned so much about the entire process,about the dogs,and the kids. I put a lot of that into this book,and published it so you would be able to gain and re-produce my work for yourself. There are true life stories of my dogs and how they made the difference,and a complete step-by-step program of training that will enable you to produce your own Service Dog who might make the difference for you. For the past 15 years of MY life I have lived and breathed this work. It has been a blessing to me,and I hope will be to you. Bob Taylor 760-662-3767  As a National Champion and World Champion Competitor,years ago I learned how to train Police K9s to detect substances,and actual criminals,using the Science of Police K-9 Detection. I trained dogs to find and follow specific scent trails,differentiate the specific scent I desired from all other scents,and track that scent for great distances to its’ origin. In National competition I placed with the highest scores among all other competitors for 7 years. Using my knowledge of scent discrimination I have been able to produce dogs that could detect and react to specific smells,alerting their handlers to dangers they were unaware of,and are capable of following scent trails to search those smells out.
Some years ago I was retained to train dogs to smell cows in ovulation. It appears the diary industry was only approximately 15% successful at doing this,which has drastically driven the price of milk up to customers. The method they use to do this is to put on gloves that go to their shoulders,and reach their entire arm on the cow to feel their enlarged vulvas. If the vulva is enflamed they tag them for insemination. If only 15% of the cows being used for milk a pregnant and producing milk,85% doing aren’t doing their job. Since they have to be fed and cared for,8,500 “milk duds” cows can be costly. I trained the dogs,and then found a dairy I could use to test them. We called a vet out to check our progress,because the fist day we found a number of cows that were not tagged,but indicated by my dogs,and many that were tagged as fertile,who were not. Come to find out,my dogs were right,and the workers were wrong. When I sent the dogs back to Kansas,to a large dairy,where they started a “range war”. The workers,enraged that my dogs were superior to them,literally threatened to kill the owner and the dogs. They had to stop using the dogs to avoid a catastrophe. However,it was never questioned that the dogs were good for the job. Their sense of smell,and ability to Detect cows that were in heat,and were putting out a fertile smell was almost 100% accurate. Several years ago I also discovered another phenomenon through training hundreds of dogs to focus on their handlers and ignore the presence of other animals or distractions. As I trained my dogs to ignore anything other than the handler it became apparent that I could teach them to focus on one thing. They would ignore anything else. I began to use this beneficial feature to teach my dogs to tune in to the smells and energies being created by people. I also found that in learning to focus this way,my dogs could detect the presence and energy of a criminal before they had the opportunity to commit their crime. The dogs learned to detect the intentions that a person had by focusing on their energy,and respond accordingly,on a very high level. I used these dogs in public businesses and private homes to alert to the presence of criminals and saved the owners thousands of dollars in theft,battery,rape,and home invasion. In the early 2000s I used that knowledge to train dogs for Search and Rescue,to find children with developmental disabilities that had “eloped”,(escaped from their homes or families),quickly and effectively. I combined this training with a new type of detection,based on my knowledge of Police K9 training,and taught my dogs to become sensitive to the electro-magnetic energies produced by the brain that it would project out,and corresponding chemicals that their bodies would produce. Combining these sciences,I was able to produce dogs for Search &Rescue,that would detect the presence of lost people by their smell AND their energies. A leading Neuro Scientist who was working with FEMA handling Disaster Dogs for the nation contacted me when FEMA cut Disaster Dogs out of their budget. Using my dogs and training,Doctor David Kelso,PHD.,of the American Red Cross was able to use my dogs to find: - People stranded miles from town in 6 to 8 foot of snow,lost and freezing. My dogs saved them before they were damaged. None of the other trained Police search dogs were able to even find their tracks.
- One person from a mental facility lost in a large hospital complex. The Police had searched for 8 hours before calling Dr. Kelso,and couldn’t find the man. Dr. Kelso’s dog found him within minutes of arriving at the hospital.
- Four Children kidnapped from different parts of America,in a house,,just by walking down the street,a block away. The children were in a city Dr. Kelso had just arrived in to see his father. He was just taking the dogs’ for a walk when this happened. The dogs alerted to the energies and chemical smells of these kidnapped children in a private residence.
Dog Wish trains K9s specifically to detect and alert to abnormal energy and body reaction activity before an actual seizure experience. This gives the recipient time to seek medical attention,and potentially resolve the situation before it occurs. It is excellent for times when the handler is sleeping and unaware of their potential dangers. - Our clients actually claim that the amount and severity of their problems have greatly diminished and in some cases resolved,since receiving and handling our K9s.
- They have been able to cut down or stop using many of their medications.
- They have become much more function able,and many have been able to resume their lives and independence.
Having been involved in the study of canine behavior for some thirty years now with both domestic and wild dogs,locally,nationally,and internationally,I have been able to comprehend and inductively compile an understanding of how the canine brain receives,processes,and responds. All these things give our training with our dogs a much more comprehensive to focus and respond to my clients with a sensitive accuracy that is paramount and critical for the work I do. The dogs’ comprehensive ability to detect,understand,and alert to chemical smells,and abnormal fields of energy is far superior to ours. It is one of the attributes I have used to create to superior Service Dog for my clients. I use it to train my dogs in the fields of: - Search and Rescue
- Toxic Detection,Alert,and Avoidance
- Pre-Seizure Detection and Alert
- Diabetic Hypo-Blood level Detection and Alert
- Detect oncoming melt down disorders in the mind of an affected person
- Detect abnormal and potentially dangerous energies coming from a person with neurological disabilities
- Detect incorrect thought patterns and intentions
- Detect harmful chemical imbalance
The ability to Detect these things is the foundation for being a good Service Dog,and the most important part of the process. Being able to smell what is going on in the mind and body of a handler makes these dogs invaluable. However,a “Master” tracking dog specialist must do this. The ability to take the dogs raw natural abilities,and to then teach them how to focus them specifically on the body on the handler,(or those around them),is imperative. Simple tracking training is by far not enough to make a dog capable of the critical work they must be trained to do. Also,the ability to detect abnormal energies,projected out from the handler,or others around them,is imperative. As a dog can be trained to go to a pile of gloves for an AKC trial,and pick only that glove belonging to its’ owner,so a dog can be trained to smell,and feel the accompanying energies that person is producing and projecting out around them. The body and the brain will work together to present a picture to the dog that they can comprehensively Detect,understand,and respond to in a highly accurate fashion. This ability also gives the dogs an ability to respond with passive protectiveness for their handler,on a level above that used by most Law Enforcement Departments and Agencies,world-wide. This past year I was retained to train a complete group of K9s being used to protect an elite private community whose demands were paramount. The dogs were all trained to do executive high tech Police work without ever touching a suspect. They could patrol,search,Detect,find,stop,guard,and transport a suspect without ever making a mark on them. They also,on command,could stop anyone,no matter what,intelligently and safely. Using my special techniques,my dogs provide superior performance,and unmatched quality in their work. This is what the word Dog Wish has come to mean for hundreds of happy clients. Bob Taylor,760-662-3767. SERVICE DOGS AND MELT DOWNS We were on the field,a Service dog recipient came into the facility upset and bothered. He wanted to play and was thirsty. Both of his parents were there,and mom had decided to work with him. His mother,a wonderful and caring angel of a woman,was trying to get him to “work” his new dog,and he was aggravated because he had left his water bottle in the car,and didn’t want to drink from his mother’s bottle. It was a very warm day and we were all hot. He didn’t really want to work his dog,and wanted to go and play. Usually when he is like that I step back and offer him an alternative. The best one is “OK,if you are willing to work with your dog for a minute,just a minute,we’ll play ball with you,or let you play in the sand,or whatever you want.” By not forcing him he would usually defuse and go with the program,sometimes working with his dog for several minutes,up to 30,but not today. The family had come in from a tough morning,and his mom was tired of alternatives and reconciliations. He blew up about three minutes on the field,starting screaming at her,and then became violent. I’ve had many children take off their clothes and lay face down in the dirt,take off running,one literally knocked me down and locked himself in the car,but this time the gloves were off,and he meant business. It was like he was out of his mind,furious,raging,scary. He started to hit his mother and I became very concerned. I have seen this before many times with other children and it is a pattern that is often repeated in children on all levels of the spectrum. I started to grab his arm to stop him,and he turned on me in frustration. His mother threw herself on him,knocking him to the ground to hold him down. All of a sudden his dog came up,lay down next to him,as he struggled,biting,spitting,out of control. The dog gently moved closer,and gently licked his cheek. I was shocked,standing there in bewilderment,but the dog gently climbed on top of him,licking and loving him. All of a sudden he stopped,lay there with his dog and his mom,looked at his Service dog,and started to smile. They lay there for about five minutes,smiling,laughing,and then they got up and played ball with him. We went back,got his bottle of water,went out and did some dog training,and they went home. Thank God for his Service dog! There is no way I could have done that. This happened about a year ago,and has happened many times before,and since that particular occurrence. Professionals call this a Neuro-Physiological Interference,or (NPI),signifying a period of time when the normal pattern of Neurological,cognizant,rational processes are interrupted,normally sensory overload and stimulus,where the brain shuts down momentarily,and then continues. This story is just an example,which I have experienced many times,with many children. Having dwelt with children of all ages,and on all levels of the Autism Spectrum,I have run into a hundred different variations of meltdown experiences,and have yet to find one I enjoyed. However,I have never ceased to be amazed at how a dog can understand and go where we just can’t. I have worked for over 30 years now with dangerous dogs,whose behavior is psychotic. I have learned how to give them their space,not to push to close too soon,and to see my dogs respond the same way,gently inviting the affected person to calm down,let them come closer,let them show a little love and affection,let them goof off and play with you,is amazing and soo impressive to me. Nobody had to tell them what or how or why or even ask,they just know and do it,because they want to. Once they learn how,for the dog,its just repetition. There are a number of reasons for why our children have meltdowns,but what we have found over the past several years is a way to train our dogs to counter effect what is going on in the mind of each one. There are obviously several levels of severity,which a meltdown can reach,and I am NOT trying to alarm anyone. Simply put,a meltdown is not a tantrum. A tantrum is an event planned out by the person,it has a strategy,and an expected result. It is a calculated,rational event,we all experience. A meltdown is an involuntary event that the brain produces,based on sensory overload. It could be similar to a complex partial seizure,where the person involved is NOT in control of their rational faculties. In the article,Mutterings of a Mindless Mommy,on www.mindlessmommy.com,Melissa,the writer says her neurologist told her that the meltdown episodes her son was having were all complex partial seizures. “During a complex partial seizure,a person cannot interact normally with other people,is not in control of his or her movements,speech or actions;doesn’t know what he or she is doing;and cannot remember afterwards what happened during the seizure.” If you want,just go to www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/seizure_simplepartial,and read their excellent description. Also if you want to look and see:http://www.healthcentral.com/autism/c/1443/142656/puberty-subclinical/. I am not an expert on Seizures,and if this concerns you,you should check with the right physician. The seriousness of this occurrence maybe overlooked because caretakers,doctors,and therapists dealing with the person who is suffering from the meltdowns,fear it for many good reasons. What’s important here is that,having worked for years,Dog Wish has trained many dogs that,because of that training,went on to help their handlers in significant ways. Remember,a meltdown is where the Reactor Core of a Nuclear Reactor heats,and melts,(basically explodes from the inside out),expressing dangerous radiation that is life threatening,and can affect life around it for several years as it dissipates. A meltdown in a person with Developmental Disabilities is similar. Because of sensory overload due to problems with the “Perkingie Axiom”,an extension of the central nervous system that extends into every cell of the cerebrum,and acts as the brain’s regulator,balancing sensory input,the brain of the person having this experience explodes,shorts out,shuts down,and they become violent and emotionally uncontrollable until the brain has time to regain composure. There is much more to this phenomenon,but I’m sure you are starting to get the point. The first thing we do in training is to teach our dogs,on command,to stop,focus,receive our instruction,follow our lead of commands,and perform. Teaching a dog to just stop,to relax and just let go,to just be,is one of the most important things we do. In doing so we actually teach the dog to shut down their drives voluntarily and be content with just being. We do this everyday with our dogs,and they learn to be quiet,controlled,and happy,on command. In so doing we change their natural level of hypertensity,and modify their energy output ratio. We modify the dog’s metabolic ratio and teach them to remain balanced. The dogs learn to relax and become calm,inside. Off command these same dogs retrieve balls,play with exuberance,and respond like normal dogs do,but with more confidence and power. However,when interacting with a child with special needs,this specific part of our training has become invaluable. The quiet,soft,relaxed focus we train into every dog makes a world of difference. The fact that the dog remains in this calm mode unless released to run and play,and enjoys being quiet and close,has helped hundreds of happy clients. In dealing with a number of types of problems dealing with neurological balance this single feature of our training has amazing results. For people with hypertensive problems such as anxiety,depression,bi-polar issues,PTSD,Autism,Asperger’s Syndrome,Alzheimer’s Syndrome,and plain simple frustration and stress,this feature of our training is invaluable. Parents often tell me how they can defuse many emotional situations that lead to a meltdown by simply having their child pet,play with,and walk their trained Service Dog. To them it makes all the difference. Through our training I have encountered similar experiences with many people who have to live life with troubling emotional problems that they fight with daily,and our training makes a huge difference in them all. I have been doing this procedure in my dog training for years,to make our dogs more responsive,less nervous and hyper,and more controlled. By altering their metabolic process,teaching them to slow down,they affect their handlers by helping them to do the same,not to go to the highs and lows,to have fewer and less intense melt downs and seizures,to function better,feel better,and have a better quality of life. Dog Wish Service Dogs will transform your LIFE! If you wish to speak with me any time,just call 760-662-3767. One of my most exciting challenges in dog training has come from working with individuals who are coping with Asperger’s Syndrome. I have been privileged to work with many over the years,and the difference that our Dog Wish Service Dogs have made in their lives is phenomenal. Many people with Asperger’s suffer from social isolation,and deal with acute loneliness. They deserve to be accepted for who they are,and suffer from rejection and ridicule. I find that my Dog Wish recipients who have been diagnosed with Asperger’s make superior dog owners. They seem to have an appreciation for their dogs that is quite exciting to experience. They seem to see the quality of the dogs,and appreciate the specialness of owning an animal that is especially trained for them,to understand and respond to their special needs, that can feel and react to them,where they are. I have been very impressed with those I am privileged to have had the opportunity to work with. It seems that this special group of people who have experienced such an intense reaction to their special needs from others around them,who have problems dealing with who they are,and why they are,have a built in understanding of sensitivity towards their dogs,that makes them special to me. Because of their ardent desire to be accepted,unfortunately,they open themselves to extreme stress,abuse,and trauma,which they internalize and live with. Some of the worst cases of abuse I have found were associated with those on this level of the autistic spectrum. It is very difficult for them because the differences they deal with are not as great as others,and yet they are there. My own son has Asperger’s Syndrome,and years ago when he was a boy I became the local Boy Scout,Scout Master,for some years. My son couldn’t bounce a ball,work a “yoyo”,or ride a bike. I had to intervene to stop the ridicule and social attacks. We had to do the same thing in school sports. I spent years as assistant coach for Football and Wrestling,(my son went all the way to state),helping him to handle the social ostracism and cruel behaviors of others. After high school he went into the Navy for five years,and now works in Law Enforcement with a private University in Baltimore,Maryland. He loves his job,and is the best worker you could EVER want. He is my heart,and I am his greatest fan. My most recent case that I am working with is that of a 19-year-old young man who is extremely talented in many ways,and yet is dealing with his autism. He likes competition because he wants to show others he is capable of excelling in the areas where they have excelled as well,and gain recognition for doing so. As a youth,and throughout adolescence he was ignored,rejected,physically threatened and beaten by several of his peers,and retreated into a shell. Yet,through his competitions he has learned that,though others might not accept him as an individual,they can’t help but recognize him for his very talented accomplishments. However,he felt a strong sense of loneliness and alienation from others,and was also angry about the way people had treated him. As he met his dog,the two bonded right away,and developed a dynamic personal relationship. It is exciting to see him work,play with,and love his dog. They are very close,and work super together. Having the dog has also changed the way people approach,accept,and treat him. It has created a whole new experience for him,and given him opportunities for personal growth and development that are wonderful. Many people,observing the dynamic relationship between the two,actually seem to appreciate him now for the love and concern he shows his dog,and it is opening social doors for him every day. It is also the same pattern I’ve seen with many others struggling with this disability. It brings me great joy and personal happiness to see these people transform their lives through their relationship with their DogWish Service Dogs. Instead of loneliness they feel connected and loved. Instead of rejection,they now experience understanding and openness from others. Through the relationship with their dog they have found a bridge that provides a real gap for them with others. Getting a Dog Wish Service Dog made all the difference for them,and it can for you too! If you would like more information call Bob Taylor at 760-662-3767,or email me at bob@dogwish.org A Service Dog is not just an obedience trained therapy dog who sooths you with their natural affections,but a K9 that is trained to enter into an environment,evaluate what needs to be done,and do it. Producing a Service Dog is an incredible feat of artistic,educational,and genetically engineered excellence. Dog Wish Service Dogs are not to do tricks,but whole,real behaviors. I don’t train them how to,but instead make them mentally and psychologically into the kind of dog they need to be. There’s a big difference. They generally concentrate on things like: - Help their handlers stay emotionally balanced
- Smelling abnormal body smells
- Detecting abnormal energies
- Detect and avoid toxic smells and environments
- Detect and stop the handler from experiencing meltdowns
- Detect and alert to a potential seizure
- Calm the handler in social situations
- Help the handler conquer their fears and insecurities
- Help the handler to learn to communicate better
- Help the handler to be more safe from bullies and criminals
- Detecting when their handler shows them they are thinking of doing something they know is wrong
- Passively protect the handler in social circumstances
- Alert to physical pain and discomfort the handler may be having
- Help the handler to become more involved in inner family relationships
- Help the handler learn to accept and respond to proper discipline
- Alerting if the child tries to elope
- Knowing how to search them out immediately if their handler elopes
- helping the handler learn to accept and respond to discipline properly
- learning how to communicate better
- learn how to take ownership and responsibility
- learn how to handle restrictions
- learn to come from their world and into ours better
- Working on a tether to keep the handler safe
- learning to be patient in restaurants and stores
- Knowing and not leaving boundaries
- Staying 90% focused on their handler at all times
- listening as their handler sleeps,to alert if they have a problem
There are many more things a Dog Wish Service Dog can do,but these 20 are enough by themselves to make a Dog Wish Service Dog an Indispensable part of the life of anyone with Autism,Seizures,or other related Neurological Disabilities! Simply put,our dogs save the vey lives of their handlers. We have gone to great lengths to document our training with documented testimonials from several real life clients who have experienced the proof in their own homes,and with their own loved ones. If you are experiencing these type of problems with your family,we’re here to help. Call Dog Wish at 760-662-3767 | |
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