Nowadays, having a Service Dog seems to be an "in" thing. And why shouldn't it be? Being a part of a Service Dog Team is an incredibly rewarding opportunity. A Service Dog is a best friend and constant companion who provides increased independence and confidence, peace-of-mind, and support during difficult times. A Service Dog will always be there for you and, depending on your circumstances, may save your life on a regular basis. But owning and caring for a Service Dog is a lot of hard work and is not the best option for everyone. Most people that I come in contact with have no idea exactly what they are actually getting into. Just like your Service Dog will always be there for you, you must always be there for him/her. There is a reason we call it a Service Dog Team – it’s a team effort, and you’ll both have to make sacrifices to be successful. Your answers to the following questions should help you determine whether becoming a part of a Service Dog Team is right for you.
Do you have a disability as defined by ADA law or that has been diagnosed by a medical or mental health professional?
The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) governs federal law regarding fully trained Service Dogs. They define a person with a disability as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. If you don’t have a disability that falls under ADA law, you DO NOT have the legal right to take a Service Dog out in public with you. Be careful about "self diagnosing." Just because you want your furry friend to be able to go everywhere with you doesn't mean that you can have a Service Dog. In order to fully protect yourself legally, it is always best to make sure that a medical or mental health professional has actually diagnosed you with a disability. This does not necessarily mean that they can determine whether or not a Service Dog is the right option for you though. Medical and mental health professionals are far from experts when it comes to Service Dogs. Most of them are not actually familiar with many of the laws and standards surrounding Service Dogs at all. Getting a diagnosis is simply the first step on your journey to determining if a Service Dog is right for your situation.
Not sure if your situation applies? You can call this confidential ADA Information Line: 800-514-0301 (Voice) or 800-514-0383 (TTY).
Not sure if your situation applies? You can call this confidential ADA Information Line: 800-514-0301 (Voice) or 800-514-0383 (TTY).
Can a Service Dog perform actual physical tasks for you?
According to Federal ADA law, a dog must be trained to perform work or tasks that directly relate to and assist with or mitigate your disability in order to qualify as a Service Dog. A dog that solely provides comfort or emotional support through his or her presence does not qualify as a Service Dog and cannot be taken into public access locations. It is important to identify specific tasks that you feel a dog could do to assist with or mitigate your specific disability. You may find that there is an adaptive technology or tool that would be better suited to your situation to mitigate your disability, such as a wheelchair, walker, alert phone, etc. A dog is also not a replacement for any such tools. A dog should never be your first line of defense when it comes to mitigating your disability. Be responsible and do your research or contact a professional to find out what a dog can realistically be trained to do for you.
Do you have the financial and physical ability to properly care for a Service Dog?
A Service Dog is not a pet and s/he will require more time, more effort and more money than a pet dog. You will want your Service Dog to be healthy and able to work for as long as possible. As such, you will need to provide a high quality diet, proper exercise and mental stimulation, ample play time to let your Service Dog just be a dog, extensive veterinary care, basic dog supplies and special gear and training equipment. Service Dogs also require extra grooming to keep them presentable to go out and work in public. You will want to make sure that you can budget to easily cover all of these costs on your own. If you do not have the ability to properly care for a regular pet dog, there is no way that you will have the ability to properly care for a Service Dog. Check out my blog post: How Much Does it Cost to Train a Service Dog? for more information.
Do you have the ability to properly train and work with a Service Dog?
You will have to train with a Service Dog daily to keep up his/her skills. You will need to create and adhere to a regular training schedule for your Service Dog. You will need to be able to go into public places at least 2-3 times a week to train and maintain your Service Dog’s skills. If you have severe phobias or agoraphobia that will prevent this, you will need to gain treatment until you have reached a point where you can do this before a Service Dog will be realistic for you. You should also be able to keep detailed track of all of the training and work you put into your Service dog via journal, written training log, video log, etc. This will help you keep track of all of your Service Dog's progress and struggles and help you figure out the best ways to be working with your dog. This will also be a great protection to you should anyone ever question the validity of your Service Dog.
It is very important to recognize that if you cannot keep up with regular training, your Service Dog will stop performing the tasks and high standard of behaviors that have been trained.
There are many programs that offer service dogs for free (all of which have waiting periods of 2-7 years). Because of this, many people look into other organizations that charge for their Service Dogs or opt to owner train. There are many grant and fundraising options that can greatly help cover costs. However, if you are training a Service Dog yourself you must be able to financially afford to;
It is very important to recognize that if you cannot keep up with regular training, your Service Dog will stop performing the tasks and high standard of behaviors that have been trained.
There are many programs that offer service dogs for free (all of which have waiting periods of 2-7 years). Because of this, many people look into other organizations that charge for their Service Dogs or opt to owner train. There are many grant and fundraising options that can greatly help cover costs. However, if you are training a Service Dog yourself you must be able to financially afford to;
- Hire a professional who can help you determine if your dog has a suitable temperament for service dog work and/or help you find a dog that does.
- Hire a professional to help you learn how to safely and appropriately handle a dog out in public and teach you how to safely train tasks to ensure no harm comes to you or your dog.
Do you have a strong support system in place?
Training and owning a Service Dog is A LOT of hard work. It is important to make sure you have a strong support system in place of people who are willing and able to help you with training and care of your Service Dog during times of illness or flare ups of your disability. These can be family, friends, relatives, neighbors, etc. Having a service dog is going to be difficult to impossible if you do not have this support system in place.
Are you prepared for the extra attention?
Your Service Dog will go with you everywhere you go – and everyone will notice that you have a dog with you. You’re basically putting a big red flag on your head that says “I have a disability.” Children and adults will attempt to pet, talk to, feed or otherwise distract your Service Dog and almost everyone will want to stop and “chat.” Some people will give you unkind looks or make unkind remarks. Some will ask questions and want detailed information about your disability. Some people may behave extremely poorly and do incredibly inappropriate things, and a few, uneducated businesses will even attempt to unjustly deny access to you and your Service Dog. You will have to spend a lot of time calmly and politely educating people, and you’ll have to learn to say, “No” when you don’t have time and/or aren’t in the mood to talk to people or let them pet your Service Dog. You will have to become familiar with the laws, know your legal rights, and be willing to stand up for those rights with your Service Dog. You will have to become an advocate for Service Dog teams everywhere as you and your dog will represent what should be expected of all Service Dog teams.
So, do you actually want a Service Dog?
It is so important to do as much research as possible before taking the plunge into getting a Service Dog. In many ways, owning a Service Dog will actually make your life harder. If you want to have a Service Dog, you have to be prepared to take all of the bad that comes with the good. If you think that's something you can handle, you have the potential to be rewarded with an amazing companionship unlike any other.
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