An assistance dog can make life easier for people with disabilities. Dogs can be trained to retrieve items, turn on and off lights, signal that a seizure is about to happen, help a person get around objects, or alert a person to important sounds. But while assistance dogs offer both companionship and independence, they are still animals who need to be fed, cared for, and exercised daily.
Before deciding whether to bring an assistance dog into your life, learn everything you can about these dogs.
Assistance dog roles
According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), service animals are dogs that are “individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.” Examples include:
- Guiding people who are blind
- Alerting people who are deaf to important sounds, such as smoke detectors, dropped keys, or their name being called
- Pulling a wheelchair
- Retrieving dropped items
- Providing balance for people who are unstable on their feet
- Protecting a person who is having a seizure
- Reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications
- Calming a person with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties, such as providing a physical barrier from crowds
The ADA gives people with assistance dogs the right to bring their animal into public places, such as restaurants, supermarkets, and on public transportation. According to the ADA, only dogs can be assistance animals, although in some cases, miniature horses may take on this role.
Assistance dogs vs. emotional support animals
Confusion exists about the difference between assistance dogs and emotional support animals. While an important benefit of service dogs is their calming effect, an animal whose sole purpose is to provide emotional support does not qualify as a service animal under the ADA. An emotional support animal may not accompany its handler into public places with the following exceptions:
- Housing that has a “no pets” policy
- On commercial air craft
In both cases, handlers will likely need a letter from a licensed mental health professional documenting their need for an emotional support animal.
Is an assistance dog right for you?
If you’re thinking about getting an assistance dog, ask yourself the following:
- Can I commit to a dog for 10 or more years? An assistance dog may work until age 10. Most people keep their dogs as pets after they retire, so you should expect to have your dog for many years.
- Will I keep up with the dog’s training? Assistance dogs undergo extensive training and socialization starting as puppies. When you are matched with an assistance dog, you and the dog will train together to learn to work as a team. It doesn’t end there. To keep your dog sharp, you will need to reinforce its training and continue working on tasks throughout the dog’s life.
- Can I afford the cost of acquiring an assistance dog? Some programs provide service dogs without cost, while others charge many thousands of dollars.
- Can I afford the cost of caring for a dog? In addition to food and supplies, expect to pay for routine and emergency medical care. If you are a veteran who is approved for an assistance dog, the Veterans Administration will pay for veterinary care and equipment. The VA does not pay for boarding, grooming, food or any other routine expense associated with owning a dog. The VA also does not approve assistance dogs whose sole purpose is to help with PTSD.
- How do I feel about attracting attention while I’m in public with my dog? Dogs in public places tend to attract attention. For many people, spontaneous conversations and making connections with others are side benefits of having an assistance dog. However, not everyone enjoys attracting notice and not all encounters are positive. People who aren’t aware of public access laws may challenge your right to bring your dog into their place of business.
Finding an assistance dog
If you decide that an assistance dog is right for you, be prepared to do some research. There are no federal or state licensing requirements to train assistance dogs. That means anyone can say they train assistance dogs but not everyone will do it well. Spend time researching trainers and organizations and look for the following:
- Accreditation by the organization, Assistance Dogs International, which is the internationally recognized governing body that establishes industry standards and practices
- A long track record of training and placing assistance dogs for people with disabilities similar to your own
- A thorough application process to determine whether you will be a good fit for an assistance dog and to match you with a dog that will meet your needs
- Ongoing support after placement
Visit the training facilities and talk with clients of the organizations you are considering. Ask the following questions:
- How long is the training period for the dog? Assistance dog training takes a minimum of six months and often much longer.
- How long is the training period for the dog and human team? Training may take two weeks or longer.
- Where do your dogs come from? Certain breeds, including Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers and German shepherds make the best assistance dogs. Be wary of an organization that uses shelter dogs exclusively. Mixed breeds may not exhibit the consistency, predictability, calm and confidence that assistance dogs must have.
Bringing a service dog into your life is an important decision. When you are prepared in every way possible, it may very well be one of your best decisions.
Resources
Assistance Dogs International
www.assistancedogsinternational.org/
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Rehabilitation and Prosthetic Services
www.prosthetics.va.gov/ServiceAndGuideDogs.asp
An assistance dog can make life easier for people with disabilities. Dogs can be trained to retrieve items, turn on and off lights, signal that a seizure is about to happen, help a person get around objects, or alert a person to important sounds. But while assistance dogs offer both companionship and independence, they are still animals who need to be fed, cared for, and exercised daily.
Before deciding whether to bring an assistance dog into your life, learn everything you can about these dogs.
Assistance dog roles
According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), service animals are dogs that are “individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.” Examples include:
- Guiding people who are blind
- Alerting people who are deaf to important sounds, such as smoke detectors, dropped keys, or their name being called
- Pulling a wheelchair
- Retrieving dropped items
- Providing balance for people who are unstable on their feet
- Protecting a person who is having a seizure
- Reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications
- Calming a person with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties, such as providing a physical barrier from crowds
The ADA gives people with assistance dogs the right to bring their animal into public places, such as restaurants, supermarkets, and on public transportation. According to the ADA, only dogs can be assistance animals, although in some cases, miniature horses may take on this role.
Assistance dogs vs. emotional support animals
Confusion exists about the difference between assistance dogs and emotional support animals. While an important benefit of service dogs is their calming effect, an animal whose sole purpose is to provide emotional support does not qualify as a service animal under the ADA. An emotional support animal may not accompany its handler into public places with the following exceptions:
- Housing that has a “no pets” policy
- On commercial air craft
In both cases, handlers will likely need a letter from a licensed mental health professional documenting their need for an emotional support animal.
Is an assistance dog right for you?
If you’re thinking about getting an assistance dog, ask yourself the following:
- Can I commit to a dog for 10 or more years? An assistance dog may work until age 10. Most people keep their dogs as pets after they retire, so you should expect to have your dog for many years.
- Will I keep up with the dog’s training? Assistance dogs undergo extensive training and socialization starting as puppies. When you are matched with an assistance dog, you and the dog will train together to learn to work as a team. It doesn’t end there. To keep your dog sharp, you will need to reinforce its training and continue working on tasks throughout the dog’s life.
- Can I afford the cost of acquiring an assistance dog? Some programs provide service dogs without cost, while others charge many thousands of dollars.
- Can I afford the cost of caring for a dog? In addition to food and supplies, expect to pay for routine and emergency medical care. If you are a veteran who is approved for an assistance dog, the Veterans Administration will pay for veterinary care and equipment. The VA does not pay for boarding, grooming, food or any other routine expense associated with owning a dog. The VA also does not approve assistance dogs whose sole purpose is to help with PTSD.
- How do I feel about attracting attention while I’m in public with my dog? Dogs in public places tend to attract attention. For many people, spontaneous conversations and making connections with others are side benefits of having an assistance dog. However, not everyone enjoys attracting notice and not all encounters are positive. People who aren’t aware of public access laws may challenge your right to bring your dog into their place of business.
Finding an assistance dog
If you decide that an assistance dog is right for you, be prepared to do some research. There are no federal or state licensing requirements to train assistance dogs. That means anyone can say they train assistance dogs but not everyone will do it well. Spend time researching trainers and organizations and look for the following:
- Accreditation by the organization, Assistance Dogs International, which is the internationally recognized governing body that establishes industry standards and practices
- A long track record of training and placing assistance dogs for people with disabilities similar to your own
- A thorough application process to determine whether you will be a good fit for an assistance dog and to match you with a dog that will meet your needs
- Ongoing support after placement
Visit the training facilities and talk with clients of the organizations you are considering. Ask the following questions:
- How long is the training period for the dog? Assistance dog training takes a minimum of six months and often much longer.
- How long is the training period for the dog and human team? Training may take two weeks or longer.
- Where do your dogs come from? Certain breeds, including Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers and German shepherds make the best assistance dogs. Be wary of an organization that uses shelter dogs exclusively. Mixed breeds may not exhibit the consistency, predictability, calm and confidence that assistance dogs must have.
Bringing a service dog into your life is an important decision. When you are prepared in every way possible, it may very well be one of your best decisions.
Resources
Assistance Dogs International
www.assistancedogsinternational.org/
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Rehabilitation and Prosthetic Services
www.prosthetics.va.gov/ServiceAndGuideDogs.asp
An assistance dog can make life easier for people with disabilities. Dogs can be trained to retrieve items, turn on and off lights, signal that a seizure is about to happen, help a person get around objects, or alert a person to important sounds. But while assistance dogs offer both companionship and independence, they are still animals who need to be fed, cared for, and exercised daily.
Before deciding whether to bring an assistance dog into your life, learn everything you can about these dogs.
Assistance dog roles
According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), service animals are dogs that are “individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.” Examples include:
- Guiding people who are blind
- Alerting people who are deaf to important sounds, such as smoke detectors, dropped keys, or their name being called
- Pulling a wheelchair
- Retrieving dropped items
- Providing balance for people who are unstable on their feet
- Protecting a person who is having a seizure
- Reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications
- Calming a person with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties, such as providing a physical barrier from crowds
The ADA gives people with assistance dogs the right to bring their animal into public places, such as restaurants, supermarkets, and on public transportation. According to the ADA, only dogs can be assistance animals, although in some cases, miniature horses may take on this role.
Assistance dogs vs. emotional support animals
Confusion exists about the difference between assistance dogs and emotional support animals. While an important benefit of service dogs is their calming effect, an animal whose sole purpose is to provide emotional support does not qualify as a service animal under the ADA. An emotional support animal may not accompany its handler into public places with the following exceptions:
- Housing that has a “no pets” policy
- On commercial air craft
In both cases, handlers will likely need a letter from a licensed mental health professional documenting their need for an emotional support animal.
Is an assistance dog right for you?
If you’re thinking about getting an assistance dog, ask yourself the following:
- Can I commit to a dog for 10 or more years? An assistance dog may work until age 10. Most people keep their dogs as pets after they retire, so you should expect to have your dog for many years.
- Will I keep up with the dog’s training? Assistance dogs undergo extensive training and socialization starting as puppies. When you are matched with an assistance dog, you and the dog will train together to learn to work as a team. It doesn’t end there. To keep your dog sharp, you will need to reinforce its training and continue working on tasks throughout the dog’s life.
- Can I afford the cost of acquiring an assistance dog? Some programs provide service dogs without cost, while others charge many thousands of dollars.
- Can I afford the cost of caring for a dog? In addition to food and supplies, expect to pay for routine and emergency medical care. If you are a veteran who is approved for an assistance dog, the Veterans Administration will pay for veterinary care and equipment. The VA does not pay for boarding, grooming, food or any other routine expense associated with owning a dog. The VA also does not approve assistance dogs whose sole purpose is to help with PTSD.
- How do I feel about attracting attention while I’m in public with my dog? Dogs in public places tend to attract attention. For many people, spontaneous conversations and making connections with others are side benefits of having an assistance dog. However, not everyone enjoys attracting notice and not all encounters are positive. People who aren’t aware of public access laws may challenge your right to bring your dog into their place of business.
Finding an assistance dog
If you decide that an assistance dog is right for you, be prepared to do some research. There are no federal or state licensing requirements to train assistance dogs. That means anyone can say they train assistance dogs but not everyone will do it well. Spend time researching trainers and organizations and look for the following:
- Accreditation by the organization, Assistance Dogs International, which is the internationally recognized governing body that establishes industry standards and practices
- A long track record of training and placing assistance dogs for people with disabilities similar to your own
- A thorough application process to determine whether you will be a good fit for an assistance dog and to match you with a dog that will meet your needs
- Ongoing support after placement
Visit the training facilities and talk with clients of the organizations you are considering. Ask the following questions:
- How long is the training period for the dog? Assistance dog training takes a minimum of six months and often much longer.
- How long is the training period for the dog and human team? Training may take two weeks or longer.
- Where do your dogs come from? Certain breeds, including Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers and German shepherds make the best assistance dogs. Be wary of an organization that uses shelter dogs exclusively. Mixed breeds may not exhibit the consistency, predictability, calm and confidence that assistance dogs must have.
Bringing a service dog into your life is an important decision. When you are prepared in every way possible, it may very well be one of your best decisions.
Resources
Assistance Dogs International
www.assistancedogsinternational.org/
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Rehabilitation and Prosthetic Services
www.prosthetics.va.gov/ServiceAndGuideDogs.asp