Guide about Service Dogs and How They Can Change the World
Pawsome Partners: How Service Dogs Change the World (and Warm Our Hearts)
Do you know that 84% of post-traumatic patients have shown a significant reduction in symptoms when paired with service dogs?
Service dogs are very helpful for people with disabilities ranging from autism to muscular dystrophy. These cute, loving, and attractive dogs help their partners perform their regular tasks and are trained to help people with PTSD, diabetes, and epilepsy.
Not only do these loving creatures become a practical part of their owner’s life, but they also become their best friends. In this detailed article, we will dig deeper into service dogs and how they are helping the world.
What are Service Dogs?
As per the Americans with Disabilities Act, service dogs are trained to assist and help people with disabilities. These disabilities can be sensory, intellectual, mental, physical, or psychiatric.
Moreover, service dogs have complete public access rights. This means they can enter places where other animals are not allowed. These places include libraries, public transportation, and restaurants.
Breeds That Can Be the Best Service Dogs
There is no doubt that dogs have an exceptional sense of smell that is even better than that of humans. In fact, some studies have also shown that their sense of smell is 10,000 to 100,000 times better than that of humans. However, it takes more than a good nose to be a service dog.
The following are the characteristics that service dogs must have:
Happy to Work: Your service dog must be active and happy to work and walk with their owner rather than just lying around at home.
Have a Calming Nature: Your service dog should not cause disturbances in public places or shouldn't easily be triggered by the surroundings.
Intelligent: Your service dog has to perform certain tasks that require intelligence and good decision-making sense.
Friendly Nature: Your service dog must be friendly when accompanied by people or other animals.
Loving: You must have a friendly, loving, and strong bond with your service dog to ensure they can help you out.
Few dog breeds that can serve as a service dogs are as follows:
Portuguese Water Dogs
Labradors (English and Americans)
Pomeranians
Golden Retrievers
Bernese Mountain Dogs
German Shepherds
Border Collies
Poodles
Great Danes
Boxers
What are the Types of Service Dogs and Their Benefits
Every service dog is different and has a unique set of qualities and characteristics. There are many types of service dogs; let us take a closer look at each of them in the following section:
Autism Service Dogs
This type of service dogs are typically paid with children as they are specifically trained to help people navigate through social settings. People with autism have trouble reading social signs and connecting with their peers. These dogs act as an icebreaker and offer a sense of comfort and predictability for people with autism.
Subsequently, these dogs help kids interact, bond with their classmates, and boost their confidence. Dogs are completely judgment-free and offer selfless love and care that help people with autism improve their communication skills and keep their emotions under control.
Moreover, the autism service dogs are specifically trained to keep kids from running away and track them if they run off. Plus, they can also alert parents if they notice any change in behavior or feel something dangerous. Sometimes, they also carry contact information and emergency protocols if their partner is non-verbal or young.
Allergy Detection Service Dogs
These service dogs are specifically trained to detect and alert their owner to the odor of allergies like gluten, eggs, or peanuts. Food allergies are on the rise, and some people may get into anaphylactic shock from eating a tiny amount of that food or sometimes even touching it. These allergy detection service dogs detect the smell of these allergens and inform a person before they come in contact with it.
Usually, allergy-detection dogs are paired with kids since they are more likely to be susceptible to allergies than adults. By pairing children with service dogs, they can be more independent, allowing parents to be a bit relaxed and giving them a sense of security.
Guide Dogs
Perhaps the most common type of service dogs are Guide Dogs, which are trained to help blind and visually impaired individuals. Usually, these dogs wear a harness with a handle for their partner to grasp rather than a vest.
Unlike other service dogs, these dogs are specifically trained for Selective Disobedience. This means they will obey their owner but still make decisions based on their personal situation assessment. For instance, the owner might demand to cross the street, but the dog can still say NO if cars are coming.
Golden retrievers, German shepherds, and Labradors are typically trained to be the guide dogs. However, if the owner is allergic to some food, they might choose a poodle or labradoodle, as both are hypoallergenic.
Diabetic Alert Dogs
The diabetic alert dogs are trained to alert the person to deadly high or low blood sugar levels. When a dog alerts its partner, it should test their insulin levels and intake insulin or glucose to bring their blood sugar levels back to normal. Like other service dogs, these types also provide their owners with a sense of security and independence.
Typically, diabetic service dogs are also trained to alert other family persons or set off an alarm if there is a medical emergency. Not only this, some of these dogs are also trained to call 911 or special K-9 if they need medical assistance and are alone at home. In addition, these dogs must contain emergency numbers in their vests so that first responders must know how to proceed with the situation.
Mobility Assistance Dogs
Many people with disabilities depend on mobility assistance dogs to perform everyday tasks. These tasks include opening doors, pressing automatic door buttons, retrieving objects, and switching on lights. Mobility assistance service dogs are usually paired with people with the following medical conditions:
● Cerebral palsy
● Arthritis
● Muscular dystrophy
● Brain injuries
● Spinal cord injuries
Moreover, some mobility assistance service dogs are trained to help their partners with dealing with the balancing issues. These bracing dogs must be large enough to support their partner and usually weigh more than 55 pounds. Plus, they wear fitted harnesses to help their partner in mobility.
Not only this, some mobility assistance service dogs are trained to move their partners' wheelchairs. They can also open doors, retrieve objects, and aid with transfer to beds, bathtubs, or chairs. They may wear special harnesses that allow them to perform these tasks and pull wheelchairs.
Hearing Dogs
As the name suggests, hearing dogs are specifically trained to assist deaf and hard-of-hearing people. These dogs are trained to hear the cue and take their partners towards the noise. Such cues include fire or smoke alarms, door knocking, phones, alarm clocks, doorbells, or sometimes even a person’s name.
When people are accompanied with the hearing dogs, they feel safe and independent both inside and outside the home. Common dog breeds that can serve as hearing dogs are golden retrievers, poodles, cocker spaniels, and labradors. Though these dogs are not required to wear specific gear, some owners make them wear bright orange vests.
Seizure Alert Dogs
These are trained service dogs that help their owner before, after, and during the seizures. This includes:
● Call 911 or K-9 alert or call a person who may help them.
● Helping their owner regain consciousness after a seizure
● Physically relocating a person if they have a seizure and are in an unsafe place.
● Using deep pressure stimulation techniques to help their partner end seizure
● Giving their partner medication when they regain consciousness after a seizure.
Medical professionals and scientists have a mix of conceptions regarding whether or not dogs can be trained for seizures. Some say they can be trained, while others say it is a reflex and they help their partner because of the bond they have.
Psychiatric Service Dogs
These service dogs are specifically trained to accompany people suffering from depression, stress, anxiety, or PTSD. They are capable of feeling and sensing the change in behavior of their owner and have a feeling that they are having negative symptoms, like a panic attack or a flashback.
Owning a service dog who can help a partner fight against depression and anxiety can also help them come back to life and start taking care of themselves.
Consequently, they are also helpful for people suffering from PTSD. They serve as a physical barrier between people and a person, helping them to stay in their safe space and preserve themselves. They also give their partner confidence when entering their house. It is to be noted that psychiatric dogs are not therapy dogs or emotional dogs; they undergo severe training sessions to ensure they help their owners.
Final Verdict
It is not necessary for every disabled person to benefit from service dogs. Individuals who are uninterested or afraid of dogs might not be interested in having a service dog. However, a natural pet lover who is naturally attracted to animals and finds comfort in interaction would definitely be a good fit. A properly trained service dog can surely help them improve their lifestyle and make them independent.
