Journey to a Service Dog

Help me to raise funds to get my own specialized service dog. I am dedicated to training a partner (with the help of Coastal Service Dogs), who can assist me with my daily tasks and provide the independence I deserve.

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My Story. My Illnesses.

My Story

A woman with dark wavy hair, wearing a white floral dress with red flowers, sitting next to a bouquet of orange, red, and white flowers, indoors near a large window with greenery outside.

Living with a combination of complex chronic conditions, presents unpredictable challenges every single day. I often have to give up valuable time with my family to save my body from having to pay for it later. These illnesses drastically impact my physical safety, mental well-being and autonomy.

My Illnesses:

With dealing with cPTSD, Bipolar 1, anxiety and panic attacks, many challenges present at inconsiderable times with little warning.

Phsychiatric Illnesses

This causes sudden dangerous spikes in my heart rate and severe dizziness, making simple tasks like standing and bending over a fainting risk. There are many more daily symptoms that can arise with this illness also.

Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome

A genetic connective tissue disorder that causes frequent joint instability, chronic pain and high risk of injuries. Like POTS, there are many more daily symptoms that can arise as well.

Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome

A complex neurological condition defined by experiencing headaches on 15 or more days/month for more than 3 months, with at least 8 of those days meeting the criteria for a full migraine attack.

Chronic Migraines

Journey to my Dog…

Phase 1: Puppy Matching or Finding

Coastal Service Dogs works closely with trusted breeders who raise litters specifically with service work in mind. From the beginning they watch the puppy as they grow, learning their individual personality, demeanor, energy level, confidence and temperament. This allows them to find the puppy whose characteristics are the best match for my lifestyle, needs and future as a service dog. Once puppy is around 8-10 weeks old, he/she will come home to me and have a week to settle in, bond with our family and adjust to their new surroundings. Training will then begin the following week, start the journey toward becoming highly trained service dog and an important part of my everyday life.

Phase 2: The Training

Throughout the training program, my puppy and I will meet virtually with our trainer once a week for personalized guidance, progress updates and support. We will also have 24/7 access to online training courses, along with the ability to contact our trainer whenever questions or concerns come up. Each week, our trainer will assign homework and specific skills to practice, so we can continue building on what we’ve learned. The program is projected to take about 7-8 months, with the goal of having most of the training completed by puppy’s 1st birthday. Before being considered ready for service work, puppy will complete four evaluations:

Canine Good Citizen (CGC)
Canine Good Citizen Advanced (CGCA)
Canine Good Urban (CGCU)
Public Access Test (PAT)

These tests help ensure puppy is well-mannered, reliable, confident and prepared to work appropriately in a variety of public environments. The program also includes some of the essential gear needed to being training, including a slip leash and a program vest. As puppy grows, the vest can be exchanged with a proper size for puppy to remain comfortable through their training journey.

Phase 3: Ready for Service Work

Once the training program is complete and all required tests have been successfully passed, our journey doesn’t end it truly begins. We will officially move forward as a team, continuing our life together with my service dog by my side, providing assistance and support I need each day. Coastal Canine will provide three follow-up meetings after the completed program to help make sure our skills stay strong and our partnership continues to grow. These sessions will give us an opportunity to address any areas that may need a little work and to keep everything on track. Beyond the follow-ups, we will never be on our own. If questions, concerns or new challenges come up. Coastal Canine will continue to be there to provide guidance and support.

This is more than simply completing a training program - it’s the beginning of a lifelong partnership between me and my service dog.

A woman kneeling on grass, smiling at a service dog, a Great Dane, in an outdoor setting during sunset.

Tasks my dog will provide . . .

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A woman lying in bed with a service dog presenting her with a gift box, in a cozy bedroom setting.

My service dog will be trained to retrieve items I may need throughout the day-like hard days that I am feeling extra sick. Including medication, water, phone or objects I may accidentally drop. This assistance will help me avoid unnecessary strain and make everyday tasks more manageable, while giving me greater confidence in my daily life.

Item Retrieval

A smiling woman waving at the camera with a service dog on a leash beside her at an outdoor event with many people in the background.

In crowded or overwhelming environments, my dog can help create a comfortable amount of personal space around me, allowing me to move through public areas with greater confidence and security.
Behavior interruption means my dog will be trained to recognize certain behaviors or signs that I may be struggling and respond with a trained cue to help redirect me. This could look like interrupting repetitive or escalating behaviors, prompting me to refocus or bringing my attention back to my surroundings.
A task related to these, is also Deep Pressure Therapy (DPT)

Crowd Control & Behavior Interruption

A woman sitting on a park bench, touching her chest, looking at a service dog sitting in front of her. The service dog is a golden retriever with a vest labeled 'SERVICE DOG, ALERT, HEART RATE RISING, SIT DOWN'. The scene is outdoors with trees and a pathway in the background.

My service dog will be trained to recognize changes in my body that may include a potentially dangerous change in my heart rate or blood pressure, which leads to dizziness and sometime fainting. By alerting me to these changes, my dog can give me the opportunity to stop, sit down and if needed take action to seek help before a more serious situation arises.

POTS alert (BP & heart rate)

A woman hiking outdoors at sunset, assisting her service dog, a golden retriever, as they climb a rocky trail. The service dog wears a vest labeled 'Service Dog, Mobility Assist, Working'.

My service dog will be trained to provide counterbalance assistance when I am feeling unstable or unsteady, helping me maintain my balance and navigate about safely. He/She may also provide forward-motion assistance when I am more fatigued or going uphill, using a special small handle designed specifically for this task. These skills will help me conserve my energy, improve my stability and allow me to move through my day with better confidence and independence.

Mobility

Thank You!

Training a multi task service dog requires hundreds of hours of expert guidance, specialized public access training and rigorous testing. Because puppy needs to handle scent alerts, mobility support and psychiatric tasks - the financial investment is significant.

My fundraising goal (ultimately) is $10,000

Every dollar raised will go directly towards:

Tuition and fees for specialized service dog training through Coastal Service Dogs.
Advanced task training sessions (psychiatric care, scent work, stability work and public access)
Custom medical gear, including specialized mobility harness and training vest.
Ongoing health clearances and specialized veterinary care required for working dogs.