Facebook page.Hello,
My wife (Melissa) and I are new to this community and this forum. We just welcomed our puppy to our home three weeks ago. She is now 12 weeks old. A beautiful DS named Annika. We will be training her to be a service animal for our boys (who both have Down syndrome).
We look forward to reading all about the different topics on this forum and ask questions as we move along this journey.
Thanks,
Charlie & Melissa
Annika - Dutch Shepherd
New Member from Northern Virginia
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HouseFamily
- Just Whelped
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2015 2:49 am
- Tell us about yourself: We are the House Family (Charlie & Melissa House). We just got a DS puppy, Annika. She is only 11 weeks now. We got her with the goal of training her to be a service dog for our two boys, both of which have Down syndrome. We hope to learn from others.
New Member from Northern Virginia
Charlie & Melissa
Annika; DS Born - Sept 30, 2015
Annika; DS Born - Sept 30, 2015
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Raven
- Global Moderator
- Posts: 1608
- Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2009 4:19 am
- Tell us about yourself: .
Re: New Member from Northern Virginia
Welcome.
I'll be interested to hear your experiences. And please post pics!
Have you trained/owned service animals and/or working line dogs before?
A few hundred years ago I lived in Northern Virginia. Different parts of Arlington. It's a little crazy....
Out of all the dogs to acquire as a service animal, what made you choose a DS?
I'll be interested to hear your experiences. And please post pics!
Have you trained/owned service animals and/or working line dogs before?
A few hundred years ago I lived in Northern Virginia. Different parts of Arlington. It's a little crazy....
Out of all the dogs to acquire as a service animal, what made you choose a DS?
Though I can only hope to become the person who my animals believe I am, the things that they have taught me have made me a better human being. ~~~Sharon~~~
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Dutchringgirl
- Global Moderator
- Posts: 5692
- Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 3:05 pm
- Tell us about yourself: I am a mom of 6 life forces - 2 kids and 3 dogs 1 hamster. I live in Ct. I have trained Ringsport and Agility and have 2 DS, one 15 and 7 and a Basset Hound Cookie who is 2
- Location: Ct, USA
Re: New Member from Northern Virginia
Welcome and I will Ditto Ravens question as to why a ds?
Lisa, Thalie CGC & Sadie, Cookie the Basset, CT
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Mark77
- Training Dog
- Posts: 468
- Joined: Fri Aug 03, 2012 6:19 am
- Tell us about yourself: Own a Mal and a Dutchie.
Re: New Member from Northern Virginia
I own a female Mal/Dutch mix, a female Mal, and a male Dutch. They are a little on the hyper side to be honest. I think they mellow out a bit after they reach four years old. Overall, they are very sweet dogs though very protective. However I don't know if they'd be a good fit for a child with down's syndrome but again who knows. Just make sure your kids know their limits with interacting with the dog.
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Dutchringgirl
- Global Moderator
- Posts: 5692
- Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 3:05 pm
- Tell us about yourself: I am a mom of 6 life forces - 2 kids and 3 dogs 1 hamster. I live in Ct. I have trained Ringsport and Agility and have 2 DS, one 15 and 7 and a Basset Hound Cookie who is 2
- Location: Ct, USA
Re: New Member from Northern Virginia
Unless the ds is a mix or a low drive ds, not sure how that would work. Thalie would have worked because her drive is very low but that dosnt mean she dosnt need plenty of work and stimulation. Sadie...........HA forget it.
This breed is very different from dog to dog and you never know what you will get until they mature and that may not be until 4 or 5.
This breed is very different from dog to dog and you never know what you will get until they mature and that may not be until 4 or 5.
Lisa, Thalie CGC & Sadie, Cookie the Basset, CT