Luna, Spain's first Alzheimer's service dog :)

[snowbunny]

But, no, not my Luna

She was paired with a lady last month; this lady is Spain's youngest Alzheimer's sufferer at only 43 and was diagnosed three years ago. Luna is trained to take her home if needs be, to comfort her if she has a panic attack, and to remind her to take medication.

Luna, el primer perro de asistencia para una enferma de Alzheimer

 

[kateincornwall]

I thought for one moment , but no, it cant be !
Just love these assistance dogs , they melt my heart with what they do , bless them all xxx

 

[Boogie]

How marvellous.

I used to take Tatze to Mum’s dementia home. They all loved her and loved asking questions and talking about her. There is nothing quite like a dog for keeping you ‘in the present moment’ which is the only place people with dementia can be.

Well done Luna and all who trained her

 

[MellowYellow]

I'm sure I've told you the story before about Bones and the lady in the care home with dementia, who hadn't spoken a word for months... I took Bones to see her and the other old people, she petted him and fussed and cooed over him, then turned to the nurse in the room and said 'he's very solidly built...' (or words to that effect, in German). Many tears all round...

Good job Luna!

 

[Joy]

How lovely. One of my sister's dogs (a Lab x) was so brilliant with our mum during her last months of life. Mum had dementia as well as physical problems. She hated to be strapped to a chair or her wheel chair but if not would try to stand and then fall. If my sister needed to leave mum unattended she would tell her dog to 'Look after Grandma' and dear Alfie would sit very close and lean into mum so she wouldn't get up. Mum loved dogs and adored Alfie so she liked being able to stroke him and it meant she could be safely left for short periods.

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

Very cool! Very glad to hear what this Luna has achieved and also that the article takes the time to explain what different types of assistance dogs there are and what they are trained to do. When I had Brogan in Spain, I was always making that explanation - people are very familiar with guide dogs because of the Once (national lottery which supports guide dogs for the blind) but most had no idea dogs could be trained for other support roles.

Also thanks for giving me a chance to read a bit of Spanish - a welcome break from my German studies.

 

[snowbunny]

people are very familiar with guide dogs because of the Once (national lottery which supports guide dogs for the blind)

I had no idea the Once was for Guide Dogs!!

 

[M.F.]

How lovely. One of my sister's dogs (a Lab x) was so brilliant with our mum during her last months of life. Mum had dementia as well as physical problems. She hated to be strapped to a chair or her wheel chair but if not would try to stand and then fall. If my sister needed to leave mum unattended she would tell her dog to 'Look after Grandma' and dear Alfie would sit very close and lean into mum so she wouldn't get up. Mum loved dogs and adored Alfie so she liked being able to stroke him and it meant she could be safely left for short periods.

Wow!!

 

[snowbunny]

I thought for one moment , but no, it cant be !

Haha, no, it definitely couldn't be

However, I have to say that I think Squidge would make a great assistance dog with the right training. She just loves to be given jobs to do. I've trained her to pick up coins from the floor and give them to me, and I know she'd be brilliant at many of the jobs that I've seen assistance dogs trained to do on some of the TV shows (specifically thinking of that Nando show a couple of years back). Just ... maybe not putting someone's life in her paws

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

However, I have to say that I think Squidge would make a great assistance dog with the right training.

Remember that Assistance Dog is not the same level as Guide Dog. @Boogie and I were just talking about this yesterday: it's mainly because as an Assistance Dog is with a sighted person who can interact with the environment in a way a non-sighted person can't.

Check out the ADI public access test. I bet Luna could pass it already, or nearly.

I'm really impressed by her being able to pick up a coin. This was the last task I taught Brogan before his certification test and once he learned it, I thought, "Great, my dog is a genius now - we're ready!"

 

[Boogie]

Yes, a sighted person can see what’s coming and prepare themselves and the dog for it. A Guide Dog has to be able to ignore distractions they can see but their owner can’t. Food on the ground, idiots trying to pet them, other dogs, cats, birds - you name it.

Mind you - a dementia patient won’t be able to do that sort of thinking ahead either, so their dog would need the same level of self control, I’d expect.
.

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

I had no idea the Once was for Guide Dogs!!

ONCE = Organización Nacional de Ciegos Españoles
Mainly I know because I visited the ONCE museum in Madrid: La colección - Museo Tiflológico de la ONCE

It's filled with miniatures of famous buildings that people can touch so they can 'see' them for themselves. They also tell you what Once does including how they train guide dogs.

 

[M.F.]

I saw such a lovely photo of a Lab on fb with words to the effect: “Not a trained assistance dog, but always ready to be of assistance.” Or maybe not those exact words—my memory has been outsourced to my computer! I was reminded of it when I helped a friend a few days ago—her son was released from a psychiatric hospital and I took her to pick him up. I must confess, I was very nervous at the prospect of giving a car ride to a young man hospitalized for violent outbreaks (drug induced). I took Snowie along because he loves an outing. On the way home I glanced behind me to see Snowie with his head on this young man’s lap and the young man had his arm resting on Snowie’s side and a lovely smile on his face. I felt very touched and tearful to see Snowie giving such affection without judgement. Just the right kind of assistance this guy needed after two months in a high-security hospital.

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

On the way home I glanced behind me to see Snowie with his head on this young man’s lap and the young man had his arm resting on Snowie’s side and a lovely smile on his face. I felt very touched and tearful to see Snowie giving such affection without judgement. Just the right kind of assistance this guy needed after two months in a high-security hospital.

 

[kateincornwall]

I will never forget the dog who came to see me in ICU , the first one ever allowed in an ICU .He was lovely , a Labradoodle called Hovis . I was desperately ill at the time , feeling that I hadn't any fight left but he reminded me that as well as my human family , there was a little dog at home who also needed me , he really did make a difference xx

 

[snowbunny]

ONCE = Organización Nacional de Ciegos Españoles

Well, there you go, you really do learn something new every day

 

[Shaz82]

That's amazing, they are all so clever.

My mum had a Rottweiler visit her when she was in the Hospice and she loved it, it made her day.
Maisy sometimes spends time with a little boy when she goes to day care, he is very withdrawn and has problems communicating, but the dogs bring him out, it is so lovely to see.

 

[Charlie]

What a beautiful story. We encounter lots of patients with dementia during our weekly PAT visits. Last year there was a lovely man that didn't speak at all and was on the ward for months. Every week Hattie sat next to him without even a glance, a word or touch from him. We tried every single week, I talked to him, touched his hand, Hattie licked his hand looked up at him so lovingly then one week he looked at me and stroked Hattie, he had a lovely smile on his face. The Nurse was so thrilled she wrote it down on his records to tell his family. It made my day and I will never forget him. xx

 

[Lab_adore]

Awww lovely Hattie what a beautiful story