Has any Coton de Tulear owner ever trained their Coton as a service dog?

by Iris Miller
(Bristol,CT USA)

I am strongly and emotionally attached to my Coton de Tulear, and he is to me. I take him everywhere with me that I possibly can.

I want to have him professionally trained and certified as an emotional/anxiety, and health alert support service dog. Has anyone been successful training a Coton to do this?

My dog is ultra friendly to people, but somewhat aggressive toward other dogs while he is on the leash with me. I need to take him on a trip West, he has flown a few times before, but always had to remain under the seat in front of me in his soft carrier. I want him this time to be able to stay at my feet as my service dog, for emotional support, without being smashed under the seat for the whole trip.

Looking forward to your good advice. I cannot leave him home without me, either way he will go with me.

Comments for Has any Coton de Tulear owner ever trained their Coton as a service dog?

Average Rating

Click here to add your own comments

Jan 27, 2017
Rating

Trained service dog. Response to Anonymous NEW
by: katie

Hi, Anonymous. Thank you for your reply. What a smart dog you have!! My partner has an AFib condition and a mild type 2 diabetes. I am hoping to have my Coton trained to provide an alert should either condition warrant attention. We travel internationally quite a bit for business and would like to bring our little Coton along with us. All the best to you and your family! Thank you again. katie

Jan 27, 2017
Rating

Trained service dog. NEW
by: Anonymous

We did not train our Coton. She started following my husband around all day and sitting by his side. He finally admit ted that he did not feel well and was in afib maybe. He went to the doctor the next day and he was in afib. Then our Coton started scratching my husband at times. He would often have a low blood sugar episode shortly afterwards. So he started testing his sugars whenever she scratched him. He was always getting low readings. We talked to the doctor and she agreed that our Coton was alerting my husband to his medical needs. So she wrote a letter to state that to get her certified. You can get your dog certified easily enough. But you need a doctor's letter to verify the condition that the dog is identifying.

Jan 25, 2017
Rating

Question for Anonymous' post on Aug 2, 2016 NEW
by: katie

Can you please tell me where you had your Coton trained as a service dog to alert you of your husband's afib and low blood sugar? I need to register my Coton with an International Service Dog agency for international travel. Thank you!

Aug 02, 2016
Rating

Coton as a service dog NEW
by: Anonymous

Our Coton started alerting my husband when his heart was in afib and then when his sugars were low. She has been an excellent service dog. She has always been skittish at first around other people. When she wears her service dog vest, she ignores other people which is good since they always want to pet her and they shouldn't. We have her hair trimmed short. So the hair should not be a deterrent to be a service dog.

Oct 24, 2013
Rating

Service dog for Dementia? correction sp. NEW
by: Iris

Correction spelling in my last posting to Dementia patient, read book by Dr, Richard Isaacson is correct spelling( no k in the name). Good luck.

Oct 24, 2013
Rating

Service dog NEW
by: Iris

Wow, this posting came as a surprise, I had written it so long ago.Since that time, I've worked things out with my doctors for me and Tuffy as a medical service assistant dog for anxiety issues,/health issue at destination., A letter from the MD.is filed with the Airlines each trip.. Long story short, Tuffy is much better off and more secure under the seat in his carrier while on the planes. He is designated mainly for support at destination. Other times, the carrier has been yanked away from me and stowed in the overhead storage and the flight attendants insisted he sit at my feet. It was stressful for both of us and Tuffy tried to get under the seat because he got nervous.
To the nice member who is considering a Coton for a service "memory" dog for her dementia, I'm sorry you're facing this, I have a sister in the same situation, I wish you well and hope you get the right treatment.There is help out there. Look up Dr.Richard Isaackson. He is a Nerologist and works with a doctor who has created a healthy healing diet for Alzheimer's and Dementia care. As for using a Coton for your memory help, If it were my Coton, who is supposed to be a happy lap dog but is NOT a lap dog, though he does like to sit on my shoulder like a parrot sometimes, I would not depend on him to remind me of anything, other than the fact he needs to go out to do his business. I hope you'll check with Dr. Isaackson on his opinion as to using service dog, or other viable options. Best regards and wishes for good health.
Iris

Oct 23, 2013
Rating

Service Dog Potential NEW
by: Truthful Kindness

55yo woman who no longer needs wheelchair assistance, but in the past I have self-trained two different giant Newfoundlands as mobility Service Dogs in the past 14yrs. Now my most recent Srv Dog is almost 12yo (with a life expectancy of 9-11yrs). I have been diagnosed with early-onset dementia and am considering training a small breed for "memory" tasks. Tasks would be pointing me the correct direction for "home" or my husband (since I can't ever remember where he has gone to) and emotional assistance so that maybe I could go with my husband to the store and other public places which are currently too "busy" and generate too much disorientation for me to accompany him. I am considering the Coton de Tulear as a breed for these tasks. I am familiar with several breeds (especially poodle & Newfy) but have never met this breed. I am looking for something smart & small ("toy"-sized to sit on my lap and "center" me, ... without squishing me) but mellow.

Apr 06, 2010
Rating

Therapy vs service dog
by: Iris Miller

Hi Gale,
Thank you for the prompt and thorough response. I do have a physical disability that my dog is able to assist me with, so it would be a combined mentlal/therapy/service dog, and true, he is also my companion. There is an agility trainer in Canton, CT wo is no advertising training for service dogs. I will give her a call and let you know what she says after assessing Tuffy's potential to be trained.
Hugs,
Iris & Tuffy

Apr 06, 2010
Rating

Coton Therapy
by: Gale

Iris, what a great question. I must say I learned something new about the Coton de Tulear when researching your question.

According to the Coton Club of America, this breed is perfect for becoming a therapy dog. Their intelligence and gentle disposition make them great candidates. They recommend contacting local therapy dog training agencies for training or certification.

It seems that it's a little bit more challenging to become a service dog. Service dogs are legally defined by federal law, whereas therapy dogs are not. Service dogs are trained to assist just one person and are not considered pets. There's also a strict guideline regarding who is eligible for owning a service dog and you have to show medical proof to qualify. The training cost can be significant as well.

It sounds like your situation would be more in line with a therapy dog, but they are not allowed to travel as a guide the same way service dogs are.

I would check your local community about these options and have them determine if your dog would make a good candidate.

And if anyone has experience with this first hand we'd love to hear about it.

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Coton FAQs.