Meet Service Dog Ryker

Hi I’m Ryker, and I am a Dutch Shepherd
Currently, I am the youngest at 7 months going on 8 months old, so still have a bit of growing to do.

Originally, I was going through training to be a Search and Rescue dog in Victoria, but I started to pull up lame after long days of working on mountain hikes that would be for 9-15 hours.

Then after crating for some time I’d be fine for about 2 hours and pull up lame again, so it was becoming very unpredictable. So my owner made a tough decision and posted a rehoming post on a Facebook group (Belgian Shepherd Rescue & Rehab Australia) and then the Head Service Dog Task Trainer of Paws for Hope and Understanding Inc contacted the group and got things started and now here I am.

I’m doing a lot of refreshing of my basic obedience, which is good for me being so young. I’m also starting to learn NEW things called TASKS. Stuff like DPT (Deep Pressure Therapy), Closing the Fridge, Interrupting Panic Attacks and Find the car. My trainer, Hannah doesn’t want me to get too overwhelmed with too many tasks at once. She wants me to master one at a time.

On 19/07/2021 I went on a Adventure into Central Station via Train and Anzac Square. This was my FIRST OFFICIAL TRAIN TRIP as a Service Dog in Training

I AM LEARNING TO BE A SERVICE DOG, I WILL CHANGE SOMEONES LIFE