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Dog makes woman's condition more manageable
Bryan County News ^ | December 25, 2011 | Mike Riddle

Posted on 12/25/2011 8:09:24 AM PST by Altariel

For Dallas LaPointe, having seizures is a part of her life. But with a new friend that she received from Long County, the seizures may be a little less dangerous. On Dec. 15, LaPointe picked up her new friend at the Puppies-R-Us pet shop in Hinesville. But this friend wasn’t from the store. Instead, it was from the Long County Animal Control Center. This new friend was a 2-year-old Doberman pinscher that had been picked up as a stray in Long County.

“We’ve had this dog for about two and a half months out at the center, and we’ve been trying to find him a good home,” Long County Commissioner Bobby Walker said. LaPointe previously had visited the Puppies-R-Us shop, looking for a dog that could be trained to help her with her seizures.

While she was at the shop, co-owner Cathy Ray said she knew of a perfect animal for her, but it wasn’t at her shop — it was at the center.

From there, Ray contacted Walker and made arrangements for the Fort Stewart soldier’s wife to meet the Doberman that everyone at the center called Dobie.

(Excerpt) Read more at bryancountynews.net ...


TOPICS: Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: doberman; dog
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1 posted on 12/25/2011 8:09:30 AM PST by Altariel
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To: Joe 6-pack

Merry Christmas! Here’s a DOGGIE PING for your present.


2 posted on 12/25/2011 8:11:15 AM PST by Altariel (`)
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To: Altariel
HEY WOT no pitbull, Chet?
3 posted on 12/25/2011 8:13:59 AM PST by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet - Mater tua caligas gerit)
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To: Altariel; SandRat

Doggie ping list.


4 posted on 12/25/2011 8:37:25 AM PST by momtothree
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To: Altariel
"...Following general training, seizure response dogs are trained to perform one of the following behaviors, depending on the recipient's need: remain next to the person during the course of a seizure, summon help in a controlled environment, or retrieve a phone prior to the seizure when indicated by the recipient. Certain dogs may even develop the ability to predict and react in advance to an oncoming seizure once they are placed with their recipient."

Interesting, so it looks like it's a total catch-as-catch-can as to whether or not the dog in question is able to smell a seizure coming on. It looks like that's something that cannot be trained or tested for beforehand.

5 posted on 12/25/2011 8:48:13 AM PST by sinanju
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To: Altariel
We've had two dobies - one an abused rescue and the other a stray, and they were both loving, wonderful dogs. A great breed.
6 posted on 12/25/2011 8:48:24 AM PST by TheGeezer
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To: sinanju

With a sense of smell some 5000 times as acute as a human’s they may be able to pick up subtle changes in body chemistry which herald an oncoming siezure. It is indeed interesting.


7 posted on 12/25/2011 8:51:18 AM PST by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing)
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To: TheGeezer

It’s a shame that they often get a bad rap in stories and movies. It seems that in so many dog movies, the “go-to-dog-villain” is typically a doberman.


8 posted on 12/25/2011 8:55:26 AM PST by Altariel (`)
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To: Altariel
“go-to-dog-villain”

Weird. They are the most sympathetic of all breeds and surely the most gentle as well.

Dobermans "show" only when they sense a genuine threat. And, they are able to discern a genuine threat from kids playing etc.

IF a genuine threat is identified, you don't want to be on the other end of that. A Doberman can easily kill a full grown man. Easily.

Speed, power, smarts. There's not another dog that even comes close.

9 posted on 12/25/2011 9:09:37 AM PST by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: Mariner
A little story about my Dobie named Buster.

Back in the 90's myself and 3 friends went to a Rolling Stones concert in Seattle. We decided after the show to grab a pizza and some beer and go back to my house to drink into the wee hours.

Buster had met two of my buddies, but not the third.

I had totally forgotten about that.

I entered the door first and was followed, one by one, by each of the 3. The last was Terry...who had not been introduced to Buster.

Now Buster was 109lbs with a square head. A substantial dog...a great physical specimen. Gentle...almost felt sorry for himself because everyone feared him.

We got to the kitchen and no Terry, no Buster and no noise. I hollered for Terry, no response. Hollered for Buster and heard the very, very low guttural rumble of a growl.

I look around the corner and there was Terry frozen in the doorway. Unable to move or speak.

Buster's nose planted firmly between his legs, deep into his crotch with that low rumbling growl.

As soon as I told Buster it was OK, he backed up and starting wagging. Happy to see all of us.

I still remember Terry later that night with Buster in his lap trying to pour a drink of beer into his mouth.

109lb lap dog.

10 posted on 12/25/2011 9:25:25 AM PST by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: Altariel
Photobucket
11 posted on 12/25/2011 9:38:40 AM PST by stylecouncilor (Some minds are like soup in a poor restaurant...better left unstirred.-PG Wodehouse)
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To: Salamander

Relative of Odin’s?


12 posted on 12/25/2011 12:39:39 PM PST by Slings and Arrows (You can't have Ingsoc without an Emmanuel Goldstein.)
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To: AnAmericanMother; Titan Magroyne; Badeye; Shannon; SandRat; arbooz; potlatch; ...
WOOOF!

The Doggie Ping list is for FReepers who would like to be notified of threads relating to all things canid. If you would like to join the Doggie Ping Pack (or be unleashed from it), FReemail me.

13 posted on 12/25/2011 4:49:50 PM PST by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
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Comment #14 Removed by Moderator

To: Slings and Arrows; Salamander

Now why’d ya go ping Sal? You KNOW she doesn’t like dobes!

;)


15 posted on 12/25/2011 8:02:06 PM PST by Brad’s Gramma (Keep the CHRIST in Christmas!!!)
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To: Brad's Gramma; Salamander

Yeah, she hates dobes as much as I hate JRT’s.


16 posted on 12/25/2011 8:19:51 PM PST by Slings and Arrows (You can't have Ingsoc without an Emmanuel Goldstein.)
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To: Mariner
I had a really weird experience with Odin last fall.

We went to the biker crab & chicken feed and I took him along to get him a bit chilled out about ‘strange men’ getting near “mommy”.

The bikers were the perfect foils/guinea pigs because most of them wouldn't freak out and run if he got gnarly with them.

He settled in and was doing very well until a huge biker dragged a small woman onto the dance floor and proceeded to “hoe down” to the bluegrass music.

Odin went Cujo about it.

I made him stop.

This was repeated every time the guy dragged her out to dance again.

As we were leaving, I went to her to apologize for Odin's “bad behavior”.

It wasn't until I was inches away from her that I recognized the very subtle but definitely there “thousand yard stare” of a mentally impaired person.

She seemed very distraught by all the noise, motion and confusion of a full out biker party

All I can figure is Odin sensed/smelled/whatever her fear/anxiety and was trying to get to the guy to "take his $ss out" so he wouldn't be "hurting" the woman/child.

He was trying to 'body block' her and lick her hand whilst simultaneously watching the man's every move and rumbling in his chest.

He has an obsession with children and I honestly have to wonder if he didn't perceive all of that as a "child" being hurt by an adult man.

17 posted on 12/25/2011 8:49:21 PM PST by Salamander (I'm your pain.....)
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To: sinanju

All animals are sensitive to electrical fluctuations.

A seizure is a *huge* electrical fluctuation.

IMO, seizure dogs are reacting to subtle changes in the person’s electrical fields.


18 posted on 12/25/2011 8:51:54 PM PST by Salamander (I'm your pain.....)
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To: Slings and Arrows

Could be if there’s Euro blood.

More likely, just a typical breed behavior.

I can “lie” to any of my other dogs but he’s never fooled.
He’s far too “tuned in” in to me.

The sad thing is, when I hurt, he hurts along with me.

I wish to God I could spare him that.


19 posted on 12/25/2011 8:56:00 PM PST by Salamander (I'm your pain.....)
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To: arbooz

When all others desert, he alone, remains.


20 posted on 12/25/2011 8:56:50 PM PST by Salamander (I'm your pain.....)
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