Non-profit group trains poodles to help people with disabilities

October 24, 2007

You've probably seen dogs leading the blind. But different kinds of

dogs are now helping people with different kinds of disabilities.

The Jasmine Charitable Trust in Hampton trains standard poodles to

help with a variety of disabilities from Multiple Sclerosis and

Arthritis, to Epilepsy and Diabetes.

There are now 46 of them in 13 states. These dogs are more than

pets - they're doctor prescribed assistants.

Ron Ellis takes his dog Betty everywhere. In fact, before he got

this standard poodle his wife says he didn't go out much at all.

The Vietnam veteran suffers with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He

says Betty helps, " Every time I get anxious she knows and that's

when she wants me to pat her and take the fear away. "

But Betty is more than a buffer with a bouffant, she's a highly

trained service dog, able to alert Ron when medical emergencies

arise.

She once alerted Ron, a Diabetic, to his low blood sugar by pawing

and rubbing her nose in his stomach.

Betty was trained under the watchful eye of Beverlee Engle. Engle

trained prize winning show poodles until 1991 when she trained one

for her own medical needs.

She says her dog Len is a lifesaver, " This dog takes the place of my

cane. If I go down, I can use his harness and bracing ability to get

back up again. "

Beverley says a poodle's competitive nature makes them eager to

learn and since the dogs choose their human - not vice versa -

they're also eager to please.

Like betty with Ron. " She was like a girl picking out a boy in the

line at the dance - I'll take that one and they really do bond. " A

bond Ron says has changed his life. " She's just been a blessing. "

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