originally posted on 27-10-2014 8:31 PM

This Pet Effect chat is healthy, I see!

Does anyone have their favourite breeds of dogs and/or cats?

originally posted on 27-10-2014 8:36 PM

@Platypus23
I am very allergic to pets like hayfever so I have said to myself nahh forget it but last week I found out there are certain dogs that dont cause allergies. So I really love a bichon frise super cute 🙂

originally posted on 27-10-2014 8:40 PM

@jvkn  I find it interesting that you say it like that, that 'they looked after me very well'! That is awesome!

 

@ruenhonx I know, right? Allergies suck majorly! I always got asthma when we had cats, but was okay with dogs. I think bishon frieses are so cute. We looked after one once, and it was so white and gorgeous!

 

I have a feeling i will SO be wanting a pet after tonight's chat! And it's only my second chat.... What is RO doing to me!?!?!?!

 

originally posted on 27-10-2014 8:43 PM

@delicatedreamer The forced exercise is really good and motivation to get out in some fresh air. I have these nostalgic pictures in my head, pseudo-Disney influenced, of the young boy taking his dog into the prairie - just the two of them, on a trek, looking out for each other....

 

I am so going to visit the pet store tomorrow!

originally posted on 27-10-2014 8:44 PM

Good night to the guys who just left!

originally posted on 27-10-2014 8:45 PM

@Jeremyinthebox What a good idea! Thank you for the sugestion

originally posted on 27-10-2014 8:43 PM

Or you could go to an animal shelter/pound @Platypus23 🙂 Lots of pets there that would love you to come and cuddle with them for an hour!

originally posted on 27-10-2014 8:34 PM

Has your pet helped you make positive changes in your life? How so?

 

@ruenhonx  and @lanejane Yes, I guess caring for a pet injects a certain, necessary and unavoidable routine into your days! And you learn to care for another living being, which translates into learning to care for yourself as well.

You learn compassion and to take the other's welfare in mind - i mean, you don't leave your dog in the car when you go shopping, and when you go for a day to the beach, you feel guilty leaving the dog at home alone after being home alone all week while you are at school...so you think, can we go somewhere where we can take the dog with us?

 

A pet becomes a bona fide member of the family.

originally posted on 27-10-2014 8:36 PM

@Platypus23 I agree! It's like having a baby

originally posted on 27-10-2014 8:29 PM

Ohh yikes @Platypus23 I think its soo cool that you did that and extremely brave.

originally posted on 27-10-2014 8:30 PM

We are so fast paced today and its super awesome the passion and love for this topic you guys have 🙂 

Has your pet helped you make positive changes in your life? How so?

originally posted on 27-10-2014 8:43 PM

Has your pet helped you make positive changes in your life? How so?

 

Definitely. I agree with @Platypus23  and @Jeremyinthebox about developing compassion through learning to care for another living being. There's something really rewarding and comforting about looking after animals, and I think that the way in which pets force us to shift the focus from ourselves in order to look after them is a good thing! 

 

 

originally posted on 27-10-2014 8:37 PM

Has your pet helped you make positive changes in your life? How so?

I can't really think of any, other than providing me with some forced routine (Which is good when I'm feeling low because it means I have to keep doing some things and it can help me get started with my day or get things done). I don't have a dog, but I think if I did it might help me exercise more because I'd have to walk it 🙂

originally posted on 27-10-2014 8:35 PM

Has your pet helped you make positive changes in your life? How so?

 

I think my dog has helped me look out for people more because I'm used to checking up on her 🙂

 

originally posted on 27-10-2014 8:39 PM

@Student94 having pets teaches you heaps about responsibilities! my dog was very high maintenance so i always had to take care of him... learnt so much 🙂

originally posted on 27-10-2014 8:23 PM

@Jeremyinthebox Your dog looks really interesting! I have never heard of that before, but it makes sense they would be perfect for the job!! You are very lucky.

originally posted on 27-10-2014 8:25 PM

I couldn't resist posting this cute fellow!! Aaawwwwww!!!!

originally posted on 27-10-2014 8:27 PM

@Platypus23 Corgis are so cute! One of the reasons why i wish i was Queen Liz... She has so many corgis!!

originally posted on 27-10-2014 8:26 PM

So cute @Platypus23. That face!!

originally posted on 27-10-2014 8:24 PM

We're still in the training process at the moment @Platypus23 it's a lot of hard work and can be very stressful--but of course it has its rewards.

originally posted on 27-10-2014 8:27 PM

@Jeremyinthebox can you tell us a bit more about the training process and how someone would go about getting one?

originally posted on 27-10-2014 8:31 PM

Sure  @ruenhonx ! I'm a dog trainer so I have a leg up fortunately. Basically a psychiatric service dog (PSD) has the same legal rights as a guide dog, and under the federal disability discrimination act the PSD and its owner are guaranteed access to all public spaces in Australia (such as shops, schools, restaurants, sporting venues, piblic transport, hospitals etc.)

This means that I need to train her to behave appropriately in these environments so we are granted a trainee status for 12 months while she and I go into these areas and train calm and appropriate behaviour (i.e. no toileting, jumping, attention on me at all times etc.) As well as this (called 'public access') she must be trained in higher level psychatric tasks (such as medication reminders, emotional regulation work, social situations etc) that help me with my disorder-so it's a fairly extensive process.

There are a few organisations in Australia that accredite PSDs but unfortunately the process is fairly solo oriented...these organisations will give you the legal rights and test your dog to make sure it is suitable, but they can't help you with the training as they're quite understaffed. I am writing a blog about my training experiences with Frankie so that others can follow and train their own dogs (and also so those without a mental illness can see what life is like for someone who has one). 

originally posted on 27-10-2014 8:34 PM

Wow @Jeremyinthebox that is so amazing and sounds like a lot of work, must be really rewarding though?

originally posted on 27-10-2014 8:38 PM

It's a lot of hard work but it is so worth it @ruenhonx & @redhead - I wouldn't trade it for the world. I'm at my best and my worst around Frankie, and she really is a fantastic reflection of my emotions back at me so I can identify and see my behaviour without judgement.