PELL CITY – A local resident is training a service dog to help her with day-to-day activities.Lexie Smith has been training her 9-month-old Great Dane, Lexie’s Blue Angel of Grace, or Gracie for short, for about four months.
“I have been training dogs and horses all my life,” Smith said. “I trained dogs with a police department in Georgia, and that made me a lot more aware of what they are capable of.”
Smith has been diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a connective tissue disorder due to faulty or reduced amounts of collagen in the body. Her ligaments, because they lack proper collagen, are overly stretchable, and her joints can dislocate easily. To own a service dog, you must have a disability.
“I researched service dogs for over two years,” she said. “I had a lot of questions about getting a service dog, because I wasn’t sure how much one could really help me.”
Smith said once she decided to train a service dog, she researched even further on what type of dog to get, eventually settling on a Great Dane.
“I did research for about one year to find the right litter to get a puppy from,” she said.
Smith said she looked for a long-lived line of Great Danes.
“Gracie will probably live about 10 years,” she said. “I also researched to make sure there were no genetic flaws in the line all the way back.”
Smith said she checked with the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals to ensure the ancestors all had good hip ratings, because Hip Dysplasia would end a service dog’s career.
“Gracie was bred for the show ring, and is registered through American Kennel Club, but her temperament was perfect for that of a service dog,” she said.
Smith said a service dog must not be trained for protection, and must be calm and friendly.
“If you fall and need assistance, you can’t have a dog that would attack anyone trying to help you,” she said.
Gracie was also picked for her size, Smith said.
“She weighs about 90 pounds now, and will get up to about 130 pounds,” she said. “She was bred to be big, for her father and grandfather are both 160 pound dogs.”
Smith said she began training Gracie with basic commands such as “come here.”
“Her training depends on what I need that day,” she said. “Right now, her biggest job is holding me up. I have a problem with going up and down (stairs, curbs, etc.) or on uneven ground. I pull up on Gracie and use her as a counter balance.”
Smith said Gracie will eventually learn to pull Smith’s wheelchair and shopping cart.
“She is practicing with no weight work until her joints finish growing, which will happen when she is about a year-and-a-half old,” she said.
Smith said Gracie wears a service dog vest, and helps her carry things.
“The vest also helps her differentiate between work and play,” she said. “When the vest goes on, Gracie knows it is time to work.”
Smith said the training is an ongoing process, but Gracie learns quickly.
“It is really remarkable on the speed she has picked things up,” she said.
Smith said Gracie can perform as many tasks as she can learn.
“It’s amazing because she just knows when I am out of energy,” Smith said. “She senses when I am tired and will come lean against me and help hold me up.”
Smith said because her disease affects a wide range of mobility issues, Gracie is especially helpful.
‘I will be fine one day, then the next day my leg won’t work,” she said. “The day after that, my leg will work but my shoulder won’t.”
Smith said local businesses and individuals have been receptive to Gracie.
“I took her to church services to try her out,” she said. “My church has been very supportive.”
Smith said she has had a couple of problems with restaurants that were not familiar with her, and did not know about service dogs.
“Nobody has been ugly about her,” she said. “I keep her very clean, keep her from shedding, and brush her teeth.”
Smith said some people with similar disabilities just accept it and don’t work to change their lifestyles.
“That’s just not me,” she said. “There are limits to my world, but that’s OK.”
