Megan Gentry and her husband Tyson decided to train their Doberman pinscher puppy, Bailey, as a service dog to assist Tyson, a C-4 quadriplegic, with daily tasks. Tyson had never had a service dog due to his allergies, so they took on the challenge of training Bailey themselves. They focused on teaching Bailey to pick things up for Tyson and push him up in his wheelchair if needed. Gentry shared the progress of Bailey’s training on Instagram, showcasing the dedication required for dog training.
The training process involved starting with simple tasks such as pushing a pillow up with her body and gradually progressing to pushing Tyson up in his wheelchair. Despite facing challenges, including Bailey’s discomfort with unstable footing, Gentry remained persistent with the help of trainer Scot Rucker. Using Bailey’s mealtime as training time, Gentry incorporated food incentives to reinforce the desired behaviors. The video highlights the realities of training a service dog and the patience required to achieve desired results.
Gentry’s dedication to training Bailey paid off as the service dog learned various commands to assist Tyson in his daily activities. Bailey was able to clean up, close doors, hit handicapped buttons, and even retrieve items for Tyson when needed. Tyson’s favorite command “bring” allowed Bailey to pick up items that he dropped and place them on his lap, providing him with more independence while out in public. Despite the challenges, Gentry found dog training to be incredibly rewarding, even though it required patience and consistency.
The progress made in training Bailey not only provided assistance to Tyson but also brought relief and independence to both Gentry and Tyson. Before Bailey, Tyson had to rely on others to help him with tasks such as picking up items from the ground. Bailey’s ability to respond to commands and differentiate who to assist has made a significant impact on Tyson’s daily life. Gentry emphasized the importance of consistency and patience in dog training, acknowledging that it takes time to see results but the rewards are worth the effort.
In conclusion, Gentry’s journey of training Bailey as a service dog highlights the challenges and rewards of dog training. Despite facing obstacles and moments of frustration, Gentry’s perseverance and dedication to the training process ultimately led to Bailey’s success as a valuable service dog for Tyson. The video shared on Instagram offers a glimpse into the hard work, patience, and time required to train a service dog effectively. Through their shared experience, Gentry and Tyson have discovered the true value of having a well-trained service dog, bringing more independence and assistance in their daily lives.
