I’M INTERESTED IN GETTING A NORTH STAR PUP
How exactly do I get started?
First, we request that you read these two pages of ours, containing all the information you need to know:
Helping Children Find Their Way
Then, you will need to download both of these forms, to read on your own end:
The placement agreement will require a signature, and the questionnaire will require the specific answering of multiple questions designed to help us assess your family’s needs. We recommend opening these documents in a word processing program, inputting the signature and questionnaire answers into the documents, saving new versions of them, and emailing them to pattydobbsgross@gmail.com. There is also an available option of printing out both of these documents, inputting the signature and questionnaire answers with a pen, and mailing the documents to:
What are some specific examples of how a North Star pup can help a child?
A North Star kid/canine partnership can help a child in many ways dependent on the specific child’s social/emotional needs and goals. Among them are:
Serving as a cornerstone to calm
Interrupting perseverative behavior
Creating opportunities to socialize
Structuring educational lessons
Providing unconditional love
How is this the same/different from a seeing eye dog or other “more common” service dogs?
“Assistance dogs” and “service dogs” are interchangeable terms for working dogs that work with adults or children. Adults with physical challenges such as blindness or deafness, or those with a mobility challenge may require a partnership with a working dog that has many commands to follow in public to keep their adults safe. I believe the traditional concept of assistance or service training still works best here for this population.
When assistance or service dogs work with children with social/emotional challenges such as autism, task training takes a decided back seat to proper breeding for canine temperamental, correct specific socialization and creative partnership between pup and child.
At North Star, we create our social/emotional placements for children in three or four-way partnerships, depending on whether one or both parents are included. Task training is less important than creating a therapeutic relationship between the assistance or therapy dog selected and the child being served. teaching the parent(s)/teacher(es) how to use the therapeutic tool of a properly bred and socialized assistance or service dog is an ongoing and creative process that leads to accomplishing the social, emotional and educational goals for our child served.
How do we know if an assistance dog is right for us?
If you send in a questionnaire to pattydobbsgross@gmail.com, I will call you back to discuss the possibility of creating a successful assistance or therapy-dog partnership. Ultimately, as with everything we do at North Star, decisions will be made in a democratic, team-driven approach.
What if someone in our family is allergic to dogs?
Unfortunately, we don’t currently have a breeding program for hypoallergenic dogs.
How long is your waiting list, and what are some ways we can raise money to reserve a spot on this list?
Occasionally, insurance companies may cover this as a medical expense or psychological/educational support cost, and sometimes employers may match donations or support their employees in a fund drive. Other ways families have raised their funding (which is always at half of true cost) is to have an online GoFundMe or Facebook drive, or to send a cover letter (which we can help you to write) to a circle of family and friends.
I’M WAITING FOR MY NORTH STAR PUP
How long do I need to wait for my pup?
Great thought is put into keeping our wait for a child to a year or less. Nature is always in charge here, but we have put 20+ years into our breeding program to be sure North Star pups will be there when we need them.
How will I know my place in line on the waiting list?
The date you reach your fundraising level of half of true cost and send in your placement agreement is the date that determines your place on our waiting list.
Do you send out any regular updates to families who are on the waiting list?
I send out reports via Facebook when your pup is being conceived, delivered and raised along with quarterly updates.
Before my pup is born, what is the best way to contact North Star with questions?
Email is the best way to stay in touch. Phone calls are always good on occasion, and texting works fine with short messages…my number is 860.455-8877.
Before my pup is born, are there videos, books or other resources that you recommend to help our family prepare for our pup?
My book, THE GOLDEN BRIDGE: A Guide to Assistance Dogs for Children Challenged by Autism or Other Developmental Disabilities, (Purdue University Press, 2007), is a relevant read on this topic. You can also find plenty of other information on our work in different areas of this website. Scrolling down on my Facebook page is also quite educational, and I am particularly fond of authors Suzanne Clothier and Karen Pryor, who write extensively about the philosophy behind dog training.
MY PUP HAS BEEN BORN, AND I’M STILL WAITING
After the birth of a litter, how long until you let families know of pups that are reserved for them?
We generally partner children with our North Star pups once the litter has been fully evaluated at 8 weeks of age. Until then, we work to get to know all the pups in the litter and meet all of their social needs, with the initial presumption that they will all officially become North Star dogs.
When will I be able to bring my pup home?
This is a rather unpredictable variable, as every kid/canine partnership we create is custom-designed, right down to the timing. We do, however, have a commitment towards regular weekly visits once the pup is six months of age. We have a range of ages for entry of the pup into their child’s home, from a minimum age of 4 months, to a maximum range of 12 months of age.
Will I receive specific, private updates on my pup?
You are free to touch base with me at any time, but all of the most general pertinent puppy updates will be given via Facebook posts (as I do not have secretarial help, which makes this method of information delivery the most efficient.) After each post, I typically expect families’ follow-up questions to come via IM, texts, counter-posts, or the occasional phone call to my landline (860.455.8877). Please note I rarely answer this landline, but I do listen to messages and do call backs once a week.
When will my pup go to its puppy-raiser?
North Star pups typically go to their puppy-raisers between the ages of 3 and 4 months. Not everyone will employ a puppy-raiser as part of their North Star placement, but those who do typically have their pup in a puppy-raising home for 2 - 4 months.
How do you pick (and qualify) puppy-raisers?
Puppy-raisers are volunteers who are educated by their past experiences, as well as myself, in conjunction with our materials at North Star. Many puppy-raisers come to North Star via other traditional puppy-raising for service work. Occasionally, puppy-raisers come “attached” to schools which allow puppies in their midst (as they navigate the training process).
What is the role of a puppy-raiser?
A puppy-raiser helps to raise a North Star pup with his or her ultimate job description in mind; they housebreak, crate train, and keep our pups’ default sits going during those all important meet & greets. They also give our pups the love, respect and attention they require to be the best North Star companion a dog can be.
What skills will my pup learn while at the puppy-raiser?
He or she will learn to be housebroken, to be crate-trained, and to meet and greet others with a solid sit/stay. The pup will also learn to not be mouthy with people, to not chew on furniture/shoes (among other things), and to walk on a leash. It is important to understand that all of these teaching processes are interactive in nature...and that our puppy-raisers play an invaluable role in keeping them moving from North Star’s whelping box to their ultimate homes.
What are some ways I can get to know my pup while he/she’s with the puppy-raiser?
Many of our puppy-raising homes will share pictures and social-media posts which chronicle your North Star pup’s early months...some of our North Star families select puppy-raisers from their own circle of family and friends, in order to increase the communication and visits between them.
How do I find the right veterinarian/trainer/food/gear/toys for my pup?
I will have suggestions for correct food/gear/toys for your North Star pup, and word-of-mouth usually tends to find the best vet and trainers in town…
After my pup is born, what is the best way to contact North Star with questions?
Email is the best way to stay in touch; phone calls are good on occasions that we can set up between us.
After my pup is born, are there videos, books, or other resources that you recommend to help our family prepare for our pup?
My book, THE GOLDEN BRIDGE: A Guide to Assistance Dogs for Children Challenged by Autism or Other Developmental Differences, is a relevant read on this topic. You can also find plenty of other information on our work in different areas of this website. Scrolling down on my Facebook page is also quite educational, and I am particularly fond of authors Suzanne Clothier and Karen Pryor, who write extensively about the philosophy behind dog training.
I JUST BROUGHT MY NORTH STAR PUP HOME
How often will my pup need to pee/poo?
This will depend on the age you bring your pup home, as well as when the pup last ate/drank and how much. Initially (within the first 4 - 6 months) I would put the pup on a schedule that begins with leaving the crate at early morning, and takes you through the stages of eating/drinking/eliminating opportunities, cuddling/indoor play (or an outdoor walk), crating experiences, eating/watering/eliminating opportunities, cuddling/indoor play (or another walk), crating, etc.
What do I do when my pup has an accident in the house?
If you “caught” him/her in action, scold/startle the pup and quickly lift pup outside; end the scold once the pups’ paws touch the grass outside. Make a note of the timing/circumstance of the “accident” and shore up the schedule, if needed…
What do I do when my pup bites?
Any mouthiness should first be avoided, by trying to keep hands/fingers away from the pup’s mouth, and discouraging any mouthiness by removing hands and replacing them with a chew toy or other distraction. Kicking up the amount of chewable things in the crate will help to decrease mouthiness. Frozen marrow bones can be a big help here…
How often should I walk my pup?
Once for every nice day should do it, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be a long walk. It should be noted that walking with a pup in training does not exactly count as exercise (because the pup has to control his or her impulses to achieve loose-leash walking), but it is still a good training task nonetheless.
My pup pulls hard on the leash when we’re going for a walk. Is this okay?
This depends upon the age of the pup...for a young pup less than 6 months old, this is just par for the course. Once a pup is spayed/neutered and over six months of age, they can begin to focus more on you than the environment around them as they walk. The ultimate goal is to have the pup keep to your pace and to make yourself an interesting walking companion.
My pup pees a little when she/he meets a new person or other dog. Is this normal?
Yes. This is called “submission peeing”, and it is a healthy sign of a soft pup’s loving and sensitive nature...it is beyond their ability to help at this point, but, rest assured, it will be outgrown. If people are gentle with their approaches, this will help the pup to outgrow that habit, along with the passage of time.
What food should I feed my pup?
Currently, I am feeling our North Star pups Solid Gold, Wolf cub (Puppy) formula, and adult formula at nine months of age.
Who should feed my pup and how often?
The child served is the best candidate to take on the role of feeder, as well as hand-feeding towards simple compliance for recalls, sits, downs and sit/stays, as well as down/stays. This method of training is a great way to deliver a meal, and it can be done in 10 - 15 minutes. However, if this time isn’t available, the pup can be fed in a bowl inside the crate and if the child is not amenable to hand feeding, and adult can do this with good timing by way of reinforcing interactions next to the pup and the child.
Is it okay for my pup to eat “people food”?
NEVER feed any food to the pup from the table…however, you can put some people food in his bowl within the crate. I feed scrambled eggs several times a week cooked in olive oil, I also feed some unseasoned meat, chicken or turkey, and the occasional cut-up hot dog, chicken or cheese when training.
How should I respond when my pup barks?
I personally hear the pups’ vocalizations as communicative, and respond appropriately if I can. However, when it comes to limit-setting, I will ignore random barks/whining (such as when a pup is in a crate), unless I believe it’s an indicator to let them out to go to the bathroom or a sign I am over crating the pup according to his tolerance level for separation. In this vein, it’s important to never let a pup out if they’re constantly barking/whining, but it IS important to let them out on first bark after all night in a crate…or, after an hour or so if it’s during the day.
How do I trim my pup’s nails?
When they’re tiny, I trim my pups’ nails once a week. Once they are 4 months old, I trim the nails twice a month with a nail clipper. After being spayed/neutered at 6 months, I trim the nails once a month.
How often should I give my pup a bath?
The best answer is whenever they need one, really, as it depends on what they have been up to...a dog formula/tearless shampoo is best for this purpose.
What other grooming is needed and which tools do you recommend (teeth, ears, fur, etc)?
There is a tool called the “dremel” that is good for “sanding down” nails, rather than cutting them. There are also shedding tools for when dogs are “blowing their coats” (which is a twice-a-year hormonal event that tends to kick up shedding). Ears can be kept clean with a cleansing formula your vet can provide, with some cotton balls to clean the ears. Teeth can be brushed with equipment you can purchase at Petco…and frozen marrow bones from your grocer’s freezer can also help to keep dogs’ teeth clean. Some prefer to have their dogs professionally groomed 4 - 6 times a year, and others prefer to do this work themselves.
When does my pup need to wear her/his North Star vest?
North Star pups can wear their “in-training vest” anywhere they are invited to go in public. This training status does not necessarily guarantee the pup’s right to be in public; although this varies from state to state, our policy is to ALWAYS seek permission, and leave politely if permission is denied. Later, when a North Star dog earns public access with his team (for it is not just the dog that earns this status, but also the teams we put together, educate and insure), the NS pup must then wear this vest whenever public access is being granted to the pup.
Where am I allowed to go when my pup is still training?
Anywhere you want…as long as the pup is given permission to be there, and is well-supervised and well-mannered in the course of the visit. Petco is a good place to begin practicing public access, as every pup is welcome there. Remember, sitting patiently when “meeting and greeting” is one of the main goals of our first year of socialization and training.
In what situations am I allowed to take my pup’s leash off?
It is important to NEVER take off or let go of the leash in public places…however, you can remove a leash in a safe fenced-in area, to give the pup runaround room and freedom in a cordoned off room in a home. A pup in a school or workplace environment can have “down” commands or “sit/stays” with the leash on.
How should I control my pup when he/she meets another dog?
If you are on a walk and you know the dog/family approaching you, you can have a short and polite meet-and-greet (as long as both dogs are on leashes), while allowing the two pups to touch noses and sniff each other (as they will usually do when meeting and greeting). However, if you do not know the other dog, you can always tell your pup to “LEAVE IT”, and politely tell the owners of the other dog that your pup is in training, so you have to keep moving. Most dogs are friendly when you bump into them, but a sizable amount of other dogs are not…dog parks are very tricky places, and I can’t offer any specific suggestions here, other than to be VERY observant of the body language of other dogs around as well as that of your own North Star pup.
How do I introduce my pup to our family cat?
Remember that the cat has to be the one setting the pace of the developing relationship. Manipulate the environment so that the cat can jump in and out of the pup’s space. When they’re nose-to-nose, try to pet the pup and encourage him or her to be gentle and slow.
How do I teach my pup to go up/down the stairs?
Slowly, and one step at a time. Having a piece of food or some warm words of encouragement will certainly help here, and this is a job just right for your child.
Is it okay to travel with my pup? If so, how far?
Yes, it is. Most of our pups do quite well in the car, even at their young age...there are many pieces of travel equipment you can purchase at Petco, such as leashing systems or small car-friendly crates. Regarding airplanes, a North Star pup in training can ONLY ride in-cabin with the specifically-designated trainer accompanying him or her, and no one else. However, a NS dog that has earned public access can ride in-cabin with his entire public-access team (i.e. the pup, the child served, and one or both parents.)
When is my pup “working”, and when is it okay to “just play”?
As with children, there isn’t as much of a line of differentiation between work and play as most adults would think. However, having a pup NOT jump up on people OR be mouthy with them are what we call “forever commands”, regardless of whether it’s work or play. When you put a North Star vest on, the pup should hopefully understand that he or she is technically “on duty”…and so, when the vest is removed, you can say “RELEASE!” to let the pup know that he or she can chill out a bit.
What should I be training my pup?
This depends on what stage of life your pup is in. Here at North Star, we follow developmental readiness closely, and we place a premium on dog management skills to make the absorption of a working pup as easy as possible. During the pup’s first year of life, the pup should learn to meet and greet people by holding a solid sit/stay. Also, no North Star pups should be putting teeth on skin after four months of age…until this age, my puppy-raisers and I do allow a bit of mouthiness so the pup can begin inhibiting his developing bite when teeth meet skin. Housebreaking, crate-training, and loose-leash walking are all important processes that begin with my efforts, and soon migrate to the puppy-raisers and the families served. I have handouts on these available to help guide this work, which are available upon request.
Who will help me train my pup?
A local trainer is assigned to a family when the pup arrives in town, and this trainer will provide private training sessions to the family served. This trainer will also help find training classes for the pup to take.
How often will my pup get training?
For our first level of service (the therapeutic level), we offer 12 private-training sessions and two training classes. These training sessions and classes can be used according to the comfort level of the family during the North Star pup’s first year of life, and extra classes/sessions may be offered for families that take the North Star pup into their home early (i.e. before six months of age). For families that elect to stay partnered with us to earn full public access for their team (once the therapeutic level of service has been reached), up to 24 private sessions (and/or two to four additional classes) are offered to reach this next level of service. Both of these levels of service have “training caps” on them which meant to keep this field affordable, and to filter out the trainers who are actively trying to make unrealistic profit off of a nonprofit concept.
Now that my pup is home, what is the best way to contact North Star with questions?
Email is the best way to stay in touch. Phone calls are always good on occasion, and texting works fine with short messages…my number is 860.455-8877.
Now that my pup is home, are there videos, books, or other resources that you recommend to help our family prepare for our pup?
My book, THE GOLDEN BRIDGE: A Guide to Assistance Dogs for Children Challenged by Autism or Other Developmental Differences, is a relevant read on this topic. You can also find plenty of other information on our work in different areas of this website. Scrolling down on my Facebook page is also quite educational, and I am particularly fond of authors Suzanne Clothier and Karen Pryor, who write extensively about the philosophy behind dog training. I also advise my clients to avoid advice from anyone who doesn’t yet understand this emerging field, as well as anyone who believes a dog should be trained with pain.
I CURRENTLY HAVE A NORTH STAR PUP
Is there an online community for North Star Families (e.g. a Facebook private group)?
Currently, there is a North Star Foundation Facebook page that can be subscribed to by “liking” it, as well as a personal Facebook page of mine (under the name of Patty Dobbs Gross) which anyone can add to their friend list.
Do North Star Families usually prefer to keep their identities private, or to be connected to other families?
Some do, and some don’t.
Would you recommend other online communities that can help me learn more about having a service dog?
No, I would not. I strongly feel that this is still an emerging field, and I would certainly look at any resources anyone sends my way if my opinion on them is desired. However, I do feel we have more than enough educational materials available that support/describe our own philosophy of placement…we also have several handouts available for this purpose, which are available upon request.
Where can I learn more about the science of service dogs and animal-human connections?
Purdue University has a website called “HABRI”, which is a good informational resource for research on the human-animal bond.
I’d like to get more involved in this work. What are some needs and/or ideas on how I can serve others in this field?
Volunteering for North Star is certainly an option…we are always looking for new puppy-raisers or innovative trainers to work with. We also have a program that partners North Star dogs with people who want to work with a therapy dog within their practice (i.e., therapists, teachers, etc.) Only a few North Star pups a year are available to serve as pets/therapy dogs in the field of volunteer work.
