Sault Ste. Marie is welcoming a new dog training group that aims to make a difference in the lives of people with disabilities.
Bugson Lifelines, founded by Pamela Bell and Charlie Evans, specializes in owner-trained service dogs, offering a unique approach that prioritizes the bond between owners and their canines.
“We don’t have an actual facility yet, but we plan to do one-on-one training at people’s homes,” Evans said.
“We specialize in service dogs, but we also offer obedience training and drop-in daycare services for people who need their dogs walked, fed, or let outside during the day.”
Managing these doggy daycare and drop-in visits is Ryatt Aikens-McIntosh.
The inspiration for Bugson Lifelines stems from personal experience. Both founders have trained their own service dogs, including Evans' dog Bug and Bell’s dog Mason.
“People are often tossed into the deep end without support,” Evans said.
“Program dogs are too expensive for the average person, so if you have a disability and can’t afford thousands of dollars, you’re out of luck.”
Bugson Lifelines aims to provide support that goes beyond traditional certifications.
“You don’t need registration numbers or certifications, but we do provide certificates upon course completion and administer tests,” Evans said.
They administer tests like the good canine neighbour test, pet therapy tests and public access tests to ensure the dog is ready for public environments.
Evans emphasized the ease which fake service dog registrations can be obtained online.
There is a fine of up to $5,000 for pretending that your pooch is a service dog.
“To go into a store with a service dog, all you need is a doctor’s note stating you require one due to your disability."
To combat this issue, they will require a doctor's note stating the dog is needed before starting the training.
"Our hope is to start cracking down on the fake service dogs in town and actually having the rules enforced about service dogs," Evans said.
While Bugson Lifelines train dogs for psychiatric conditions, diabetes, seizures, cardiac alerts, hearing impairments and mobility assistance, they do not train seeing-eye dogs due to the complexity involved.
Training timelines vary depending on the dog’s abilities and temperament.
“It can take anywhere from eight months to five years,” Evans said.
“On average, it takes about two years if you put in the work.”
Though formal qualifications aren’t required for dog trainers, Evans and Bell bring years of experience.
Evans has been training dogs since he was about 10 years old.
“My first serious case was rehabilitating a behavioural dog name Chewy who was on the euthanasia list. He’s still alive today living his best life,” he said.
As a Queer-owned and operated business, Bugson Lifelines hopes to foster inclusivity while helping clients build long-term relationships with their pets.
“Happy people, happy dogs. That’s our main goal,” Evans said.
More information is available on Facebook at Bugson Lifelines.