What are the pressures/expectations of a service dog handler?
Just like with any big decision, there are some parts of becoming a service dog handler that may make it not worth it for you. As grateful as we are for these amazing dogs, most handlers agree they wish they didn’t need a service dog because of the added pressure to every outing/trip/accommodation
Why doesn’t everyone have a service dog?
Most people with a disability can easily think of a way they could be helped by a service dog, but what many people, especially those with anxiety/ptsd/an invisible disability don’t account for is how much attention is attracted to you in public. you have to be able to assert yourself and your dog’s boundaries to total strangers, often touching them to pull their hands off your dog and commanding that they leave you alone. Even if nobody approaches, you attract stares and whispers and attention everywhere you go, and if you aren’t visibly disabled, people will either think you are faking it, or you’ll get the pitying scorn of the visibly disabled.
What does the public think of service dogs?
Most businesses do not know the laws around service dogs and take it to one of two extremes that are both problematic for legitimate handlers. Some businesses let in any dog in a vest, and so a lot of fake and untrained dogs are in their stores, which presents a major distraction and risk to trained working dogs. Other businesses demand “No Dogs”, despite the law allowing true well-trained service dogs anywhere that is open to the public. In your time as a SD handler, you WILL have to argue your rights to business owners, police officers, managers, and everyone else that tries to ban you from their business. All service dog “papers” are fake, all badges are fake, and all registries are optional, but it’s so common for fake service dogs to show up with these that many businesses try to require them, and won’t believe you when you insist that they hold no value. You will need to have the actual law documentation on your person, often through little business cards with the full ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act, est.2008, the beautiful national law that allows us to have service dogs and not be denied access or discriminated against) and links to more information. Dylan also keeps bookmarks to all relevant info on his phone home screen, if that’s a good option for you
What is it like to work a service dog?
Working a dog extends all outings by 30+ minutes, because you must unload and gear up the dog from the car, and you always train them in the parking lot through some drills so that they are comfortable with the new environment and in “Working Mode”. You need to constantly keep an eye on and out for your dog, both keeping them from sniffing things and keeping people from distracting them. You are in constant communication with your dog through leash cues and verbal commands, and everything from getting a coffee to checking out at a grocery store now requires several extra steps to “park” your dog in a down-stay out of the way. Transportation becomes harder, because you now take up extra room in vehicles/hallways/bathrooms, and you have to be able to advocate for your accommodation everywhere
WHat if i’m unconscious/seizing/having a panic attack?
According to the law, a service dog must be under their handler’s control at all times. This does not exclude when the handler isn’t in control of themselves. If you have a likelihood of being in one of these states, you must train for that scenario and hope and pray that the dog follows it when it gets real. Many service dogs are trained to load up into an ambulance and be handleable by EMTs in their heavy and alienating gear, but the last thing on the medical professional’s mind is your panicking dog when your life is on the line. There is always a serious possibility that in that scenario the dog will be left on-location, despite other instructions, because your life is their first priority. You are accepting this risk when you take on a service dog, it is always a possibility
What hazards are there for a service dog?
Many unexpected things can be hazards for, and to, your dog. from conditions requiring dog boots (Temp over 80f, cold-weather ice salt, escalators, lack of grip on certain flooring, glass on the sidewalk/road) to toxic things your dog could ingest/lick (Most houseplants, cleaners, object coatings, aerosols/perfumes, cigarette/vape smoke) strong smells/loud noises, there are so many extra things you have to be aware of/train for/ prep for as a SD handler that you might not have thought of.
There is also, as always, a risk of your dog being attacked/distracted by other dogs, so you have to be willing to step into a dogfight to save your precious lifesaving pup, and usually the dog’s physical/psychological damage require them to be retired, so you have to be extra-aware of other dogs, because you’d have to deter them before they make contact
How much work do I have to do for a service dog?
Service dogs must be trained/worked daily, preferrably multiple times. to keep their commands sharp and their training reliable, you must commit yourself to wearing out their energy before you leave for an outing, anf then consitently working/training with them for at least an hour every day. no matter the weather, if you have plans or not, if your disability has you not feeling well, you took on the commitment of the dog and its your job to follow through on giving them the physical and mental stimulation of a working day because they need the cosistency to thrive and perform well at their jobs. Every trip out and errand becomes a training opportunity, making it take longer and use more focus than without the dog.