Service dogs lend a helping paw

AUSTIN (KXAN) - It was graduation day Friday at Texas Hearing and Service Dogs. Four times a year, the organization turns out a new class of animals for people living with disabilities. The war overseas is creating more need for the dogs than ever.

When the Texas Hearing and Service dog client Hunter Adkins said "Duke, sit," the dog does exactly that. Just another day in the life of a Texas Hearing and Service Dog. If the client drops something, the dog will pick it up. If the client needs to go through a door, the chivalrous dog will open it for them. What if the room they enter is dark? The dog can flip on the lights for them too.

"Be a companion, most of all, and when my parents leave the house, it'll make my parents feel safer and make me feel safer, too," said Adkins.

These dogs are trained to the limits of canine ability. For example, if her dog, Duke gets distracted by treats on the floor, Hunter Adkins can get his attention with one word, "Off."

"We use all positive training," said Sheri Soltes, THSD founder. "The dogs aren't doing these behaviors because we're forcing them to; it's because they want to. So the rewards, besides food, are affection and toys and getting to do fun things."

From humble beginnings 21 years ago, THSD has shown some remarkable growth. The organization now has four different vehicles, a six-acre campus in Dripping Springs that includes four different buildings, and one of those buildings has a kennel in it, a nice one. It keeps the dogs indoors when they want to be and another kennel is under construction," said one of the trainers.

The organization is equipped now to assist veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with post-traumatic stress disorder.

"[The dog will] go into doors: it'll learn like, a telephone if it's ringing and somebody knocks on the door; like when we're walking on the street, you know, she'll watch out and stuff like that," said Paul Conner, a THSD client. "This dog here is a Godsend to us."

Much of the funding for Texas Hearing and Service Dogs comes from the annual Mighty Texas Dog Walk. The event has twice set a new Guinness Book of World Records mark for the biggest dog walk.
This year's event is set for Saturday, April 11.

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