Testimonials
Psychiatric Service Dog
Adeline and Winnie
Winnie and I have been a team for roughly 4 years. I am a first time service dog handler who has always had a passion for working with animals and seeing the benefit they bring to our lives. From a young age I knew the impact dogs had on my life. My family used to volunteer for the Assistance Dogs of America through the Ability Center training mobility service dogs for those in need. We had many successful placements and I was able to see first hand how those dogs helped their people and families. My journey for my own service dog began when I was a 20 year old college sophomore at Bowling Green State University in northwest Ohio.
At this time I had suffered with multiple mental health illnesses and had been struggling for many years prior. I had been in and out of the hospital many times. I thought a service dog would be beneficial to me after doing extensive research and seeing how it had helped other people in my childhood. So I made the decision to find a program that fit my lifestyle and needs while working closely with my doctors. The first phone call I had with Cyndy we talked for over 2 hours and I felt like we had known each other for a long time. I was able to be honest about my strengths and needs. I felt comfortable talking about what I was looking to gain from a service dog and what I thought some of my challenges would be. It was truly such a heartwarming and reassuring connection I experienced. I knew she was the one I wanted to be my trainer. Months later my pup was born from a breeder in rural Kentucky where Cyndy drove to evaluate her and hand picked this small pup to fill some big shoes. Weeks later I picked up my puppy who I named Winnie.
That was when I moved forward in the process of co-training my service dog through her program. Since that day Cyndy has been there to support me in every step of the training process and more. Winnie and I have grown as a team in ways I could have never imagined and she impresses me with her skills, drive, and dedication to serving me every day. Some of Winnie’s most used tasks are her scent training to prevent panic attacks and alert to oncoming anxiety. This allows Winnie to retrieve much needed medication before my symptoms become unmanageable. Also Winnie’s prompt response to interrupt and deescalate unsafe behaviors such as scratching, picking, and pinching has been a life saver. The list goes on of the many needed tasks Winnie has learned to provide from training with Michigan Service Dogs LLC.
I owe that to Cyndy for teaching me and guiding us with her extensive knowledge. She always finds ways to troubleshoot any hurdles we may encounter and has solutions on how to work through anything that may arise. Cyndy has a very empathic personality and is honest about Winnie’s and I's progress and where we need to focus to become the best team we can. I especially appreciate and value Cyndy's philosophy towards growing as a team in regards to progression of training and how well she is at communication with her clients. She makes herself readily available to answer any general questions or concerns I may have.
Cyndy has become more than just a trainer to me. She is someone I can come to for anything and confide in. I know she cares about me beyond all of the training. I can't thank her enough for changing my life and allowing me to gain my independence back through Winnie in many aspects. I now enjoy outings with family and friends and feel comfortable with who I am. Winnie’s ability to mitigate my daily symptoms allows me to enjoy life and all it has to offer.
As I began my teaching career in early childhood education last year I am so proud of Winnie and grateful to have her by my side as I tackle this new side of adulthood. We are almost through my second year of teaching with no hospitalizations these past two years. I have not only seen her making a difference in my life everyday but simply her presence in the classroom creates a warming and comforting environment. Winnie is what truly keeps me going and is the reason behind my happiness. I would with pleasure recommend Michigan Service Dogs LLC to anyone who is ready for positive change in their life and is looking to take the next step. Still 4 years later this is the best decision I have made in my life and wouldn't change a thing!
Medical and Physciatric alert and response dog
Shelby and Ivy
Working with Cyndy and Lizzi was the best decision. They're super knowledgeable about all the different ways to train tasks and behavior, adapting to each dog's (and handler's) specific needs; and ensure that both dog and person receive appropriate training.
Initially I planned to train my dog for PTSD and allergy alert, however I was diagnosed with POTS partway through training, which we easily adapted to adding in alerts and tasks for that. Cyndy actually had a hunch I would need the dog for more than I was initially requesting and made sure to select a dog accordingly!
Within a few months of bringing my puppy home and starting scent training to alert for stress, my dog spontaneously started waking me up from bad dreams before they became nightmares. Thus, I started having symptom relief and made better progress in trauma therapy soon after starting training. Similarly, after training for POTS, my dog spontaneously started alerting to my migraines (similar scent apparently!). Getting my service dog has helped in more ways than I imagined it would. I cannot stress enough how much my service dog has improved my quality of life; made me a more independent, functional person: and has saved my life, in multiple ways.
Medical Alert Service Dog
Ashley & Rico
I began working with Cyndy remotely (I was in California, and she was in Michigan) during the beginning of the pandemic with a boisterous golden retriever puppy when I was incredibly ill, and we had every odd stacked against us: we had the distance, my multiple chronic illnesses, the fact that the whole world was shut down, and my need to rely on my partner to step in for much of our training.
Where most trainers would have quit on me as a client because all of that was just way too much trouble, Cyndy was resilient, and willing to pivot and problem solve for every curveball life and my tricky puppy Rico threw at us. She guided a rowdy fluffball through his fear stages, through the nuances of scent work for medical alerts, and into the incredible service dog I have today.
Six years later, he is my reliable shadow and copilot who helps me maintain my sense of independence and quality of life. He’s traveled from one end of the country to the other, and has sat bedside during hospital stays, and has attended weddings, theater performances, and art openings. I cannot imagine my life without him, and I have Cyndy to thank for that.