Caring Animal Lovers
Breeding for Health of the Breed
MY PASSION AND MY DREAM IS TO PROVIDE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY WITH THE BEST COMPANION YOU COULD POSSIBLY EVER HAVE!!
Lynnette Bolen
My name is Lynnette Bolen and I would like to tell you a little bit about my dedication and love for my German Shepherds. I have been breeding and training Black German Shepherds for over 40 years. I Breed top-notch German Shepherds. They are great for both the companion and working home life, my focus is crafting a line of quality German Shepherds that are healthy members of the family, someone's best friend or as an asset to a working home life. There are so many irresponsible breeders and backyard breeding that it has truly damaged this breed of amazing dogs. I am working on showing, training and ridding the lines of common health issues found in the German Shepherds.
I am retired and I live to love my dogs. I live in the country on acres of land for puppies to play and grow up happy. Many of the puppies are house trained, small dog loving and awesome snugglers. Each puppy has there own personality, and will grow up to absolutely be amazing family pets, and family protectors.
I welcome you to come see the puppies and see for yourself how much of a joy these amazing puppies are. I want you to feel secure in knowing that your puppy is raised in our home, they are getting the very best in care and socialization.
I am very proud of the fact that my reputation as a dedicated breeder and all the hard work I put into my lineage has paid off and I currently have some of my puppies trained as wonderful Service Dogs.
SERVICE DOGS
Our dogs are integral to our daily lives. They follow our commands, work with us in various capacities, and act as faithful companions. Dog ownership has increased dramatically over the last 100 years, and today, dogs as companions and working partners are valued by more than 80 million U.S. owners.
Studies have shown that dogs provide health benefits, and can increase fitness, lower stress, and improve happiness. Service dogs have these abilities, combined with training to perform specific tasks for individuals with disabilities. During the last decade, the use of service dogs has rapidly expanded.
As service dogs have become more commonplace, however, so too have problems that can result from a lack of understanding about service dog training, working functions, and access to public facilities. In response, AKC Government Relations is working with members of Congress, regulatory agencies, leading service dog trainers and providers, and transportation/hospitality industry groups to find ways to address these issues.
The benefits service dogs can provide also continue to expand. In the 1920s, a service dog was typically a guide dog, assisting an individual with a visual or hearing disability. German Shepherd Dogs were commonly used as guide dogs. Today, service dogs are trained from among many different breeds and perform a variety of tasks to assist disabled individuals.
Bolenhausen's Bear Trap
Service Dog
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A service dog is a dog specifically trained to perform work for a person with a disability.
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Service dogs are valued working partners and companions to over 80 million Americans.
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Common service dog breeds include German Shepherd Dogs, Labs, and Golden Retrievers.
Following the Washington Law against Discrimination (WLAD), Washington State officially recognizes the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) when it comes to service dogs. To roam freely in public, though, your dog needs to be sufficiently trained, setting them apart from the everyday pet. For this to be recognized, the dog must complete specific tasks, instead of just being there for its comforting presence. Because of this, comfort support and therapy dogs aren’t officially recognized, but you can have a dog for severe emotional illnesses and PTSD. Dogs can assist the owner through touch and other exercises when the owner shows signs of mental distress.
Service dogs have the right of access in any public arena, allowing them to follow and assist you diligently. You are welcome to offer your dog’s certification if asked by an establishment, but it’s not a requirement, and this certainly doesn’t extend to asking about the disability itself. All you need is a clear explanation of what specific task the dog does. You can also move into any new home without the hassle of the “no pets” rule.
While you’ll make a friend, service dogs are there to do a job, assisting you and ensuring your safety. Training helps them understand what you need. You may train your dog to detect the dropping blood sugar levels of diabetes on your breath, but they can also provide more frequent guidance by being your eyes and ears. WLAD stipulates the training a dog needs, but it is up to you to find training to hit their criteria. Once registered, your service dog can aid you with whatever you need, bringing mobility and freedom.
A service dog helps a person with a disability lead a more independent life. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a service dog is “a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.”
“Disability” is defined by the ADA as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, including people with history of such an impairment, and people perceived by others as having such an impairment. The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, state and local government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation, and telecommunications.
A service dog is trained to take a specific action that helps mitigate an individual’s disability. The task the dog performs is directly related to their person’s disability.
For example, guide dogs help blind and visually impaired individuals navigate their environments. Hearing dogs help alert deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals to important sounds. Mobility dogs assist individuals who use wheelchairs or walking devices or who have balance issues. Medical alert dogs might also signal the onset of a medical issue such as a seizure or low blood sugar, alert the user to the presence of allergens, and myriad other functions.
Psychiatric service dogs assist individuals with disabilities such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, post–traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and other conditions. Examples of work performed by psychiatric service dogs could include entering a dark room and turning on a light to mitigate stress-inducing condition, interrupting repetitive behaviors, and reminding a person to take medication.
The ADA considers service dogs to be primarily working animals that are not considered pets.
