Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacqueline Mueller.
Hi Jacqueline, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Tails for Wonderland was born out of my own journey of being through disability diagnosis and figuring out how to manage it moving forward.
The journey began with my relocation from Texas to Germany for work. I was working in the enterprise software business at the time. The cultures and ways of living, working and interacting are very different in Germany of course. The culture shock and several less than pleasant experiences were triggering severe panic attacks which lead to my diagnosis of CPTSD.
As part of my treatment and management plan, my medical team helped me identify that a service dog would be more appropriate than medication to help me mitigate my disability in my day to day life.
I worked with one of the primary service dog organizations in Germany to find an appropriate service dog prospect. This took about six months before they found an appropriate match for my needs.
COVID was spreading across the globe and lock downs were beginning just as I was placed with my service dog prospect puppy. It made our raising and training journey very challenging. There were only a few gaps in the ever changing lockdown regulations where we could train with our trainer 1-1 and in groups throughout the year and a half we continued to remain in Germany. By the time we were flying back to the U.S. for work, the lockdowns in Germany and Europe were still ongoing.
Raising and training an Australian Shepherd puppy in a small German apartment during COVID lockdowns was challenging enough. Training to meet the intensive German service dog team standards, which exceed the IAADP and ADI standards, with limited access to training and limited access to places and people for training made our training journey exceptionally difficult.
I founded Tails for Wonderland to help other disabled individuals, especially civilians struggling with CPTSD and PTSD, to train their own service dogs with the time, care, and attention I wish I had during my service dog training journey.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
One of the greatest challenges we run into is the lack of awareness and education about dogs and service dogs. Most people in the U.S. have at least heard of service dogs but struggle with common misconceptions about what a service dog is and does and the laws that govern them. Our clients often come to us at the point where they are aware they have one or more disabling conditions and are interested in a service dog to help them mitigate their conditions. Their level of awareness and experience regarding service dogs can range widely though.
This is why we offer 30-minute initial consultations as an upfront investment of our time and expertise to understand where the client is on their journey and help them identify options and provide recommendations on how to move forward, even if it’s not with us. For example, we’ve referred some clients to certain ADI certified training organizations who raise and train service dogs for people with their disabilities because although they were interested in training their own service dog, their situation precluded them from being able to effectively train their own service dog. We work hard to set our clients up for success from the start, even if that means recommending alternative options to our service dog training programs.
We’ve been impressed with Tails for Wonderland, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Tails for Wonderland’s mission is to help disabled individuals, especially those with CPTSD / PTSD, improve their quality of life through the assistance of a service dog who is carefully selected and trained for their handler’s unique disability and lifestyle needs. We work with a limited number of clients at any given time to ensure each team receives the necessary time, care and attention they need to become a fully qualified service dog team in accordance with IAADP and ADI standards.
“LIMA dog training methods and strategies are the foundation of service dog training programs. LIMA stands for “Least Invasive, Minimally Aversive”. This means we do not use training methods or tools that are designed to inflict fear, pain, or anything that the dog considers aversive, this includes prong collars, shock collars, and e-collars. We want our service dog teams to love their work together and for the dogs to want to do their work because they love to do it for and with their handler. So we focus our training around communication, socialization, and operant conditioning focusing on positive reinforcement. Our clients learn how to effectively and efficiently work and play with their service dog prospects in a way that is fun and rewarding for them both.
Our training approach is quite unique. Many dog trainers and even service dog organizations still practice classical training and working methods that use aversive tools and techniques that cause fear and pain.”
In addition to our service dog training programs being LIMA, IAADP and ADI compliant, the training programs are tailored to each team’s needs and are adapted throughout their training journey based on their progress. It’s typically a 2+ year journey to go from a puppy service dog prospect to a fully qualified service dog team. And once the team reaches the IAADP and ADI service dog team standards, they not only have to maintain those skills and abilities, but continue to learn and grow as a team. There are always new environments, places, people, and situations to navigate and master. We’re here to support our service dog teams throughout their journey.
We specialize in helping civilians with CPTSD and PTSD train their own service dogs. There are several training programs and trainers in the U.S. who specialize in training service dogs for veterans, PTSD, the blind, and physical disabilities. But few specialize in or will train for civilian CPTSD and PTSD and other psychiatric disorders or “invisible disabilities” as they are otherwise known.
Disabilities are rarely as straightforward as a single condition or disorder though. So although we specialize in service dog training for civilian CPTSD and PTSD, our clients typically have multiple disabling conditions or disorders a service dog can be trained to help mitigate. Also, no two clients with the same condition or disorder experience it in the same way. And no two service dog teams work together in the same way to mitigate that condition or disorder. We help our clients train their service dog prospects to mitigate how they experience their disabling conditions or disorders in a way that is optimal for their unique needs and lifestyle.
In addition to helping disabled individuals to train their own service dogs, we also design and make custom handmade gear tailored to each service dog team’s needs. Service dog teams often struggle in trying to work in commercially available gear designed for pets. Service dogs need to work and live very differently with their handlers though than pets do with their owners. Our goal is to help service dog teams optimally work and play together and to do so in a single set of gear.
Our custom service dog gear is made of Biothane, which is stink proof, water proof, easy to care for and so durable it will easily outlive any dog. All gear is designed to fit precisely to each dog and their handler so they can work in optimal comfort to keep the focus on their work and play. We use solid brass hardware which helps keep the gear lightweight, durable, and rust-resistant. With our gear, a service dog team can go from the office to the lake to the trail without changing gear.
Our gear isn’t just for service dog teams though. We invite any and all dog moms and dads to order and enjoy our custom handmade dog gear. All proceeds help disabled individuals to train their own service dogs.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
There are a lot of regional and international dog training organizations which help bring together dog trainers, including service dog trainers. The two leading global organizations in the service dog field are the International Association of Assistance Dog Partners (IAADP) and Assistance Dogs International (ADI). These organizations and their member searches can be a good starting point for networking and mentoring.
For those looking to become a service dog trainer, one of the best ways to learn is to shadow a service dog trainer whose ethics, values, and style resonate with you. This is a great way to gain hands-on experience with service dog training, working with different dog breeds, and working with people with all types and combinations of disabilities. Ironically, service dog training involves more working with people than dogs. And as a service dog trainer, you need to have a passion for working with both people and dogs and a great deal of compassion and empathy for both.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.TailsForWonderland.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tailsforwonderland/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tailsforwonderland
