How to Decide Whether a Service Dog Is Right for You | Should I Get a Service Dog?
“I feel so much better with my pet Fido. Where can I get him a service dog vest?”
You can not. Well you can, but unless Fido is specifically trained to perform tasks related to your disability, you shouldn’t be. And I’ll tell you why
I have had two trained service dogs since my medical retirement from the Army in 2011. Kane was a German shepherd who was trained in seizure alert and response and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). I lost him to cancer in December 2019.
In 2018 I got Andy, a mix of Great Dane and Black Labrador. He is trained in PTSD and mobility tasks. I’ve been seizure free for five years now and to train him to respond to this problem I would have to stop my meds and have seizures again. I do not think so!
I am a member of several myasthenia gravis (MG) support groups on various social media platforms and I often see other myasthenics asking how they can get their pet recognized as a therapy or service dog so that they can adopt them. While most people do not intend to be harmful, handlers and trained service dogs can be injured when rules are not followed or animals are not properly trained.
First of all, it is important to distinguish between a therapy dog, an emotional support dog, and a service dog. A therapy dog usually has a gentle nature and is often seen in hospitals, nursing homes, schools or disaster areas where they can provide a calming and therapeutic effect. Therapy dogs are not granted public access rights in the United States
Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) support people with mental disorders such as depression or anxiety. With a doctor’s certificate, an emotional support animal may be allowed in places where pets aren’t typically allowed, such as. B. in some apartments. However, ESAs do not have public access rights.
A service dog is trained to perform specific tasks that are directly related to its handler’s disabilities. They are considered medically necessary under the Americans with Disabilities Act and have unrestricted public access rights. Depending on the needs of the dog handler, there are different types of service dogs.
A companion dog can be of great help to people with MG. Andy will pick things up off the ground and give them to me, open and close doors that I’ve attached tow ropes to, and provide counterweight and mobility assistance. It also disrupts harmful behaviors and distracts emotional responses related to my PTSD.
The biggest difference between these three types of dogs is that a service dog has been trained for hundreds, if not thousands, of hours. A service dog trained in a reputable program can cost upwards of $25,000.
Can you train your pet to be a service dog? Absolutely, I trained Kane from the owner. But it takes one a lot of Work – Energy that those of us with MG may not have. Assistance dogs must be evaluated by a trainer who can determine if their temperament is appropriate. They should also be able to pass the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen test.
There is no federal or state certification or registration for service dogs. This has led to problems such as B. Companies that sell vests and certificates without verifying the animal’s temperament or training. ADA.gov notes that “these documents confer no rights under ADA and the Department of Justice will not recognize them as evidence that the dog is a service animal.”
Andy and I were attacked by a fake service dog at a Veterans Affairs medical facility that doesn’t allow pets. It took weeks of retraining to help Andy get back in the right mindset at work.
Having an assistance dog comes with a lot of responsibility. Not only are you responsible for the animal’s welfare, you must also maintain its training (especially for tasks that are not frequently used) and bring it into the public eye to ensure its behavior remains acceptable. Handlers also need to realize that service dogs have bad days too and it is irresponsible to take them out on a day off.
Training your pet to be a service dog or getting a service dog is a decision not to be taken lightly. Who cares when you get into a crisis? Do you have the opportunity to raise and care for them? If you don’t have solid plans for these questions, a service dog is not for you. It’s not fair to you, it’s not fair to the public, and it’s not fair to the pup who just wants to love and take care of their human.
Myasthenia gravis news is solely a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. This content is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosisor treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with questions about any medical condition. Never disregard or delay in seeking professional medical advice because you have read something on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Myasthenia gravis news or its parent company, BioNews, and is intended to stimulate discussion of issues related to myasthenia gravis.