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@feywild.dogs

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Service dog training w/ canine and human mental health in mind. 🧠🧂🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦓🍉
MA, LPC, IAABC-ADT, C-AAIS
No AI, ever.

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Hi! I'm Moth!

I'm the owner and trainer behind Feywild Dog Training. My journey with dogs began in 2019 when my doctors recommended to me a service dog to help mitigate the symptoms of my connective tissue disorder. From that moment, I jumped headlong into the world of dog training. Owner training a service dog can be a difficult process, one which I understand first-hand.

My training journey began with intensive schooling, which I was already undergoing as I brought home my first service dog prospect. As I studied psychology, I couldn't help but apply concepts to my young puppy. As time went on, I met some fabulous mentors who encouraged me to get hands on experience. Before I knew it, I was shadowing group classes and receiving supervised service dog training client referrals from my first mentor. Since that time I have engaged in hours of hands on learning, continued education, and acquiring certifications and degrees that help me along this path.

Presently, I work full time as a mental health therapist. This said, dog training (specifically service dog training) is a passion of mine and far from on the back burner. I maintain a few individual clients as well as regular lecture-style online group courses open to all. I am always in pursuit of continued education, and new things to do with my personal dogs. For fun, we train and compete in numerous dog sports that increase my bond with them as well as my creativity with my training clients.

Feywild Dog Training is proudly disabled, trans (nonbinary), queer, and autistic owned. I use lived experience from occupying these identities in order to create more accessible, equitable service dog training for all. by @feywild.dogs

Is a service dog right for everyone?
... Nope!

There are many factors to consider before thinking about a service dog. These include:

Disability Status - Not everyone with a chronic mental or physical health condition qualifies for a service dog. Service dogs are task trained to assist people with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act defines disability as “a physical or mental impairment that significantly limits one or more major life activities.”

Attention - Service dog handlers can unfortunately expect to be stared at, pointed out, talked about, and asked many questions. For some people, this added attention can create more anxiety than it solves.

Conflict - How do you handle conflict? Having a service dog is a journey in self advocacy and may require that you learn to manage conflict with others in order to access the public.

Time + Finances - Service dogs take a long time to train/obtain and have high associated costs. They are a longterm, high maintenance option.

Training + Maintenance: Service dogs are always in training. You will need to be able to maintain and tune up training for the entire working life of the dog.

Needs of the dog: Service dogs need mental enrichment and physical exercise outside of work. Will your health allow you to spend the time and energy it takes to ensure your dog's needs are met?

Expectations vs. reality: Service dogs are not a cure. They cannot replace DME or medication. Your disability will still impact you. For some, you may become visibly disabled for the first time, impacting how you are treated by others.

Service dogs are a viable addition to a treatment plan for a disabled individual who has the time, money, ability, and means to both care for a dog and maintain a high standard of training. Service dogs are a longterm, high maintenance commitment. Having a service dog may change how you are perceived by the public, and will likely create unwanted attention for the handler. However, for those who are able to fulfill their dog and engage in self advocacy, service dogs can bring a sense of independence to the lives of disabled people. by @feywild.dogs

Don't sacrifice your relationship with your service dog for spooky training. But also.... Some of us DO need our service dogs to tolerate things that go bump in the night. Looking for help with how to get there? Look no further!

🍂 Code Orange: Spooky Season Survival! 🎃 Friday 9/18 AT 10AM CT
(Or Recorded!)

September-October can be a challenging time for being a dog guardian. Want to keep your service dog’s bones from rattling this spooky season!? Interested in building up to taking your service dog with on your spooky adventures?

Class will cover...
- Counter conditioning basic principles (classical conditioning, beyond behaviorism: nervous system work + somatics)
- Reading your dog and keeping things fun
- Techniques to regulate stress through training
- Games to play around halloween props (and similar triggers) to create progress
- Video demos with careful breakdown of body language and technique

...And more!

Great for halloween season and beyond in terms of building skills for the strange and unusual! Help your service dog expect the unexpected. by @feywild.dogs

🍂 September group classes 🍂
Live via google meet or participate asynchronously via recording.

Moth Donahue MA LPC IAABC-ADT (psychotherapist, professional service dog trainer) teaches remote group classes tailored to assisting owner handlers with creating well-rounded service dogs. Classes are created with canine and human mental health in mind.

Classes are $45/each or 10% off if you take all three!

Message me or comment on this post in order to join!

🌈 Psychiatric + (adult) autism assistance dogs 🧠 Thursday 9/10 AT 10AM CT
(Or Recorded!)

September 6 to September 12 is National Suicidal Prevention Week. Psychiatric service dogs are a life saving tool. This class covers building foundations and a robust task list for this type of work. It also covers:

- How to get the most out of a psychiatric or (Adult) autism assistance dog (and setting realistic expectations)
- Choosing a good candidate (including specific temperament considerations
- Timelines for training to avoid burn out
- Foundations to teach before task training
- The basics on how to train a huge plethora of tasks, including “Find ____”, various spacial buffer tasks, more effective deep pressure therapy, and at least a half dozen grounding tasks.
- What can we learn from existing scientific literature?
- Tips for advocating for yourself and your dog

🍂 Code Orange: Spooky Season Survival! 🎃 Friday 9/18 AT 10AM CT
(Or Recorded!)

September-October can be a challenging time for being a dog guardian. Want to keep your service dog’s bones from rattling this spooky season!? Interested in building up to taking your service dog with on your spooky adventures?

Class will cover...
- Counter conditioning basic principles (classical conditioning, beyond behaviorism: nervous system work + somatics)
- Reading your dog and keeping things fun
- Techniques to regulate stress through training
- Games to play around halloween props (and similar triggers) to create progress
- Video demos with careful breakdown of body language and technique

...And more!

Great for halloween season and beyond in terms of building skills for the strange and unusual! Help your service dog expect the unexpected.

✨ Unlockin by @feywild.dogs

Is that service dog being naughty?

In a world of trying to police fake service dogs and so-called "dog fatigue" being a hot topic online, alongside the rising prevalence of legitimate service dogs... I notice people paying close attention to my dog's behavior, sometimes getting snippy or rude.

The problem? My dog is being completely nondisruptive! Both of the dogs I work are trained well above the standards outlined in the ADA. They're used to being in public. They're not nervous, upset, or struggling. They are, however, medical alert dogs. They cannot both be imperceptible and do the most important part of their job.

If you are ever around a working service dog, you may notice them performing behaviors that could be considered “naughty.” These may include jumping on, pawing at, nose booping, or even making (controlled) vocalizations at their handler. Is that dog begging for attention like your average pet dog or being poorly behaved? Probably not! Most service dogs cannot be completely “invisible” and still perform their job! Why might you notice a dog performing these actions?

To alert to a an oncoming medical episode (ie: seizure, fainting spell) or stimuli handler might miss due to sensory disability (ie: sound of handler’s name).

To respond to a physical cue (ie changes in breathing, swaying).

To interrupt a handler's behavior (harmful stimming, scratching, nail biting, etc.).

To remind a handler about something in their routine (ie: medication, time to leave).

If you see a dog engaging in these behaviors, what should you do?

In most cases, we got this! It’s probably best to simply ignore us. Just give us some space to manage our needs. If you give us a few minutes, the dog will settle back down or we will leave to take care of ourself. Most of the time, this behavior is not actually disruptive or hard to ignore; it’s just new to you. Any comment you could make, we’ve heard before. It’s usually unwanted, unhelpful, or unintentionally rude. Now is also not the time to ask what the dog is alerting to. You’re not owed that information. If we want you to know, we’ll tell you. However, if you are concerned it’s okay to politely ask if we need help! T by @feywild.dogs

I thought this trend was fun, so here's my take on it!

An image of a border collie running fastCAT with the caption "Kinda chic to let your service dog have hobbies."

An image of a black lab service dog sitting next to her handler with text "Kinda chic to advocate for your dog."

An image of a border collie puppy service dog in training and a black lab service dog with text ""Kinda chic not to task train puppies."

An image on a nonbinary wheelchair user with pink and orange hair with text "Kinda chic to develop coping skills outside your dog."

An image of a border collie sitting on top of a yellow Ruffland kennel with text "Kinda chic to travel safely."

An image of a border collie service dog in a rainbow bandana with text "Kinda chic to work a dog who genuinely enjoys it."

Enjoy force-free service dog training? Follow for more! by @feywild.dogs

It's pride month! As a reminder, Feywild is solely operated by a trans dyke living loudly despite everything that the world is right now. A few reminders for you... And if you don't like them... The block button is at your service. 🌈🏳️‍⚧️✨

I'm getting top surgery later this summer. If you're cis and/or straight, mutual aid is a great way to help out your LGBT+ siblings. Helping me to be comfortable after surgery and afford the damn procedure without sacrificing would mean the world to me.

Or... Go commission a trans artist! Go donate to your local LGBT+ center! Give your clothes to a trans clothing swap. Wash your hands. Wear a mask when you can. Bark at a cop.

Love you 💗 by @feywild.dogs

June group classes have arrived! Join Moth Donahue MA LPC IAABC-ADT (psychotherapist, professional service dog trainer) for webinar style classes tailored to assisting owner handlers and the professionals who serve them with creating well-rounded service dogs.

Classes are $45/each or 10% off if you take all 4. Trying something new-- Classes will be recorded. If you sign up, you will have access to the course for one week after upload. Message me for details of how to sign up!

🤝 Building Confidence - June 8th at 4pm CT: Does your dog seem like they could use more confidence in public? Are YOU stressed about working a dog and need some help building yourself up? This is the class for you!

🧠Psychiatric and (adult) autism assistance dogs - June 19th at 10am CT: Building foundations for this type of work and creating a robust task list. Reviewing some of the current scientific literature on Psychiatric service dogs.

🫂 Crossing Over (or changing up your training style!) - Saturday June 20th at 10am CT: Force free training is not just the use of R+... it’s a shift in philosophy! Whether you come from a balanced background and are interested in changing your training style, or you are just interested in what you can learn from a mental health pro who trains dogs with that in mind, this class could be for you!

✨ Eager Engagement - Saturday June 27th at 10am CT: No more “Focus! Focus! Watch me!” No more frustration with a dog that just seems to have “better things to do” on duty than pay attention to you. This group class will be centered around helping you to create the foundations for voluntary, enthusiastic engagement… Even in challenging environments!

As always, shares and reposts are one of the best ways to support me and are greatly appreciated 💗 help me help other handlers.

#servicedog #servicedogintraining #dogtraining #sdit #dogtrainer by @feywild.dogs

On the morning of 5/22/26 the New York Times published an article regaurding an internal memo circulating the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The proposed changes in the memo impact housing for disabled individuals who rely on an assistance animal. Assistance animals have, up until this point, been defined as both task trained service animals and emotional support animals required due to a disability. Disabled individuals are protected to live in otherwise non pet friendly housing with their assistance animals without paying additional fees.

For years, service dog handlers and disability advocates have warned against services which claim to “certify,” “register” or create housing letters for assistance animals. There has undoubtedly been a long history of people without life altering disabilities using these services to avoid paying pet fees, access housing with their pets, etc. However, these services are also used by disabled indiviuduals who really need help and who may not know better how to access the help that they need.

Faking or exaggerating a disability for the purpose of receiving accommodation is never okay. However, the ESA crisis did not occur in a vacuum. Access to pet friendly housing poses a huge problem. Accessing pet friendly housing can be very difficult, with 72% of residents surveyed by the Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative saying that pet friendly housing is difficult to find. Even when it is possible to locate, expensive fees mean that keeping an animal (even in pet friendly housing) is out of reach for many Americans.

The lack of access to pet friendly housing led to 23.4% of those surveyed by the Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative to “declare their dog an ESA.” A staggering 22.7% made the difficult decision to rehome their dogs. The shelter crisis in the US is not a matter of pure irresponsibility the way that many would lead you to believe. It is a matter of access. People want to keep their dogs. Under these circumstances they simply can’t.

#emotionalsupportanimal #esa #servicedog by @feywild.dogs

"Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is a group of inherited disorders that affect your connective tissues — primarily your skin, joints and blood vessel walls. Connective tissue is a complex mixture of proteins and other substances that provide strength and elasticity to the underlying structures in your body."

Symptomatologies are broad, and can very widely between both individuals and types, but can include.... joint hypermobility, loose, unstable joints that dislocate easily, joint pain and clicking joints, extreme tiredness (fatigue), skin that bruises easily, fragile blood vessels, Weak muscle tone, digestive problems, dizziness and an increased heart rate after standing up, problems with internal organs, such as mitral valve prolapse or organ prolapse, wounds that are slow to heal and leave wide scars, and problems with bladder control (stress incontinence).

Service dogs for EDS/HSD patients serve a wide variety of functions, including mobility tasks. Forward Momentum Pull (FMP) as tolerated by unstable joints, counter Balance, wheelchair pull lading tasks, assist to stand, dropped Item retrieval, and named item retrieval are popular choices.

EDS/HSD often comes with a wide variety of comorbid conditions including autonomic issues, heart issues, hypoglycemia, and mast cell activation syndrome. Alert tasks can help warn a handler about a problem before it happens. Therefore, alerts to high/low heart rate, High/Low blood pressure, migraine, low blood sugar, and allergens may be beneficial.

These are only a few examples of how service dogs can mitigate the symptoms of EDS/HSD. There are countless more task, tailored to the individual needs of each handler. Generally, a dog will provide a handful of these tasks, not the complete list. Service dogs can help people with EDS/HSD gain back independence and quality of life. They can help handlers dealing with these complex, multi-system issues to live independent lives.

Message for info on how to join this month's classes, which are appropriate for those looking to owner train service dogs for those with EDS/HSD and professionals who wish to serve them. by @feywild.dogs

The ability to effectively explain dog training concepts to clients is a central part of being a dog trainer. If you don't like people, you're not a good dog trainer. If you can't effectively communicate science and reasoning in your own unique way, you're not a good dog trainer. And remember kids... Educated and experienced humans train dogs well. Chat GPT doesn't.

("I just use it for social media captions--"
Then post less on insta and regroup my friend! The world does not need more generic slop. Your posts aren't worth the planet. Those are not your original thoughts and they don't offer something unique in the dog training sphere. Begone.)

#dogtrainer #dogtraining by @feywild.dogs

First round of group classes following hiatus! Join Moth Donahue MA LPC IAABC-ADT (psychotherapist-- not your therapist, but has the degree and experience, and professional service dog trainer) for remote group classes tailored to assisting owner handlers with creating well-rounded service dogs.

🦓 Service Dogs for EDS/HSD - Considering a service dog for EDS or HSD? This class will prepare you for the unique challenges associated with EDS/HSD and how a service dog can help. - Friday 5/2 at 10AM CT

💗 Heart Rate Alert (it’s complicated!) - Let’s talk about heart rate alert; if you're looking to train other scent based alerts, this is also a great intro for you - Friday 5/8 at 10 AM CT

💪 Mobility foundations course - Weight-bearing mobility tasks are life changing... and dangerous! This class covers all you need to know before a harness goes on your dog. - Saturday 5/9 at 10 AM CT

🫂 Not just snuggles, but science! - Getting the most out of deep pressure therapy. Instruction on DPT "The Feywild Way" - Friday 5/15 at 10 AM CT

Classes are $45/each or 10% off if you take all 4. Trying something new-- Classes will be recorded. If you sign up, you will have access to the course for one week after upload. Message me for details of how to sign up!

As always, shares and reposts are one of the best ways to support me and are greatly appreciated 💗 help me help other handlers.

#servicedog #servicedogintraining #dogtraining #sdit #dogtrainer by @feywild.dogs