PAM MARTIN/Great Bend Tribune
Cooper “shakes hands” with Whitney Asher, Promising Partners Assistance Dogs Inc., after demonstrating a “hold.” Asher, of Ellinwood, is training Cooper as an assistance dog for the not-for-profit organization she began this year.
Local News
Woman utilizes canine to serve mankind
By PAM MARTIN pmartin@gbtribune.com
ELLINWOOD — Cooper turned on his first light last week. A milestone in his training.
Cooper is Whitney Asher’s first official service dog for her not-for-profit agency, Promising Partners Assistance Dogs Inc. Service dogs “serve” as arms and legs for the physically disabled. They provide balance, push and pull, retrieve items and turn switches off and on.
The founding of the agency fills a life ambition of Asher’s.
“It’s been dream of mine for a while,” she said.
The faith-based organization strives to help people with physical disabilities become more independent through the use of service dogs and the sharing of God’s promises.
“I had always loved dogs and thought I wanted to be a vet,” she said.
After training service dogs as a teenager, Asher went to college pursuing a degree in biology with every intention of going into veterinary medicine. Fate intervened when her mother met, and then introduced her, to the founder of a service dog training agency. She began volunteering for the agency.
“I found myself running from my paid job to the volunteer one,” she said.
After moving to Ellinwood with her husband Austin 2 1/2 years ago, Asher decided to pursue her dream. She completed a business plan a year ago, incorporated in May and received non-profit status one month later with the help of attorney Rick Scheufler, who attends the same church as Asher.
At this point, Asher has Cooper, a strawberry blonde golden retriever, and her personal dog, a black Labrador retriever. After two more months of intensive training, Cooper will probably fill a niche in a hospital setting and/or as a demonstration dog, Asher said. Although he is very trainable and loves people, he tends to startle at movement behind him. A trait that makes him unsuitable for a service dog.
Service dogs must be steady and attentive to their owner at all times. They can’t be too passive or aggressive, Asher said.
“They must have energy and heart,” she said.
At five weeks of age Asher can make a prediction on whether the puppy has service potential. A pinch between the toes determines the aggressiveness of the puppy. Turning them on their back also gives a good indication of the puppy’s potential personality. She looks for a puppy that struggles a little, does not bite and then submits. Biting is strictly forbidden.
Asher uses positive reinforcement training, using a clicker, a type of noise maker, to get and keep the dog’s attention.
“I wait for them to offer the behavior, click and then give a treat right after the correct action.”
Once the dog knows the command, a treat is no longer needed, just verbal praise.
“It never hurts to reinforce the behavior though,” she said.
People who apply for a service dog complete a lengthy application. Training the people is a huge part of the process, Asher said. They undergo at least 120 hours of training with the dog.
“I have to make sure they’re not putting themselves or the dog in danger.”
At the end of the training, handler and dog undergo a public access test to make sure the handler/owner knows what they are doing.
“It’s a neat thing,” Asher said. “When you place a dog, they choose. The dogs make it clear who they want to work for.”
