September is National Service Dog Month!
Did you know September is National Service Dog Month?! In this post, we’ll go over the types of service dogs, how they benefit people, and what it takes to certify your dog!
What is a Service Dog?
“According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, service dogs are specially trained to perform specific tasks for people with disabilities. These disabilities can be physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or mental.
Service dogs have full public access rights, which means they can go places where other animals aren’t allowed. This includes restaurants, libraries, and public transportation. There is no universally-accepted list of types of service dogs.(1)”
What Types of Service Dogs are There?
Allergy Detection Dogs
These dogs are specially trained to detect and alert to the odor of allergens, such as peanuts, gluten, or eggs. Food allergies are on the rise, and some people go into anaphylactic shock from touching even a tiny amount of an allergen. Allergy detection dogs can pick up the scent of a harmful allergen before their person even comes into contact with it.
Autism Service Dogs
Frequently paired with children, autism service dogs are trained to help people navigate social settings. Many people with autism have trouble reading social cues and forming connections with their peers. Dogs make for the perfect icebreaker and can provide a sense of predictability and comfort for people with autism.
Diabetic Alert Dogs
These service dogs are specifically trained to alert their person to potentially-deadly blood sugar highs (hyperglycemia) and lows (hypoglycemia). When the dog alerts, the partner knows to test their blood and then inject insulin or ingest glucose to adjust their levels. Like other service dogs, diabetic alert dogs provide their owners with a heightened sense of independence and security. Diabetic alert dogs are typically also trained to alert other people in the household or set off an alarm if their person needs medical assistance.
Guide Dogs
Perhaps the most commonly-known type of service dogs, guide dogs help blind and low-vision individuals navigate the world. These dogs typically wear a special harness with a handle for their owner to grasp, rather than a vest. Unlike other service dogs, guide dogs practice what’s called selective disobedience. This means they obey commands, but still make choices based on their own assessment of a situation. For example, their partner may command them to cross the street, but the dog will disobey if there are cars coming.
Other types of common service dogs include Hearing Dogs, Mobility Assistance Dogs, Psychiatric Service Dogs and Seizure Alert Dogs.
(1)
What are the Service Dog Requirements?
Training a dog to become a service animal is available to individuals that have a disability. If you are interested in having a service dog, below are requirements to be aware of:
Eligibility: A person is eligible for a service dog if they have a physical, emotional, or mental health disability.
Training: A service dog must be trained to perform specific tasks that aid in a disability.
Behavior: A service dog must be under its handler’s control at all times.
Verification: If it is not obvious what service the dog provides, the handler must be willing to answer two questions about their service dog.
Identification: Optionally, it can help service dogs to be clearly identified with accessories like ID cards, vests, tags, and certificates.
(2)
For more information on becoming a service dog visit www.servicedogcertifications.org
