Are You Ready For A Service Dog?

1. Do you know the legal definition of a service dog?

A service dog is different from an emotional support animal or therapy dog. Legally, there is no requirement for service dogs to have any type of certification or to have completed any type of formal service dog training program. There are many “certifying bodies” to be found online, and while some offer great programs that can guide you through adequately training a service dog, many “certifying bodies” are simply a scam to take peoples’ money and do not contribute to a dog’s legitimacy as a service dog.

Americans with Disabilities Act excerpts

Service dogs are defined as “dogs that are individually trained to do work to perform tasks for people with disabilities… Service animals are working animals, not pets… The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.”

2. Are you familiarized with all ADA regulations regarding service dogs?

Americans with Disabilities Act excerpts

“Under the ADA state and local governments, businesses, and nonprofit organizations that serve the public must allow service animals to accompany people with disabilities in all areas where the public would normally be allowed to go.”

“Under the ADA, service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless these devices interfere with the service animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices. In that case, the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls.”

“When it is not obvious what service an animal provides, only limited inquiries are allowed. Staff may ask 2 questions: 1. Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability and 2. What work or task has the dog been trained to perform. Staff cannot ask about the person’s disability, require medical documentation, require a special identification card or training documentation for the dog, or ask that the dog demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task.”

“A person with a disability cannot be asked to remove their service animal form the premises unless: 1. The dog is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control it or 2. The dog is not housebroken. Where there is a legitimate reason to ask that that a service animal be removed, staff must offer the person with the disability the opportunity to obtain goods or services without the animal’s presence.”

The highlights of ADA regulations are outlined above, but it is important to thoroughly understand all of the regulations, which can be found on ADA’s website.

3. Will the tasks the dog learns mitigate the disability of it’s handler?

The tasks the dog performs must directly relate to mitigating the handler’s disability. Tasks trained that do not mitigate the handler’s disability do not qualify as service work. Also note, behaviors that the dog naturally performs are not considered “trained tasks” and do not contribute to the dog’s legitimacy as a service dog.

4. Are you prepared to invest a minimum of 18 months training the dog the necessary skills that will not only include service tasks, but also basic obedience and public access skills?

Teaching the necessary skills for service work is a huge undertaking. Of course, training the specialized service tasks that will directly assist their handler is important, but there are many more skills the dog must acquire before being a full fledged service dog. Most dogs begin with mastering obedience cues (like sit, down, stay, heel, etc.) and foundation skills for work in public (like ignoring other people and dogs, laying quietly for long periods, familiarization with public spaces, etc.) before even being considered for true service dog work.

5. Are you prepared to invest a potentially large sum of money in hiring a professional to assist in the dog’s training?

Given the large amounts of training that must be invested in a service dog prospect and pressure to ensure successful training, many people find it necessary to invest in a trainer or enroll in an online program that will walk them through the long and tedious training process. Naturally, trainers and online programs can be quite expensive, but the knowledge and assistance they provide is priceless making them a very important part of successful service dog training.

6. Do you have a contingency plan if the dog proves unsuitable for service dog work?

Sometimes, despite best efforts, a dog proves to be unsuitable for service work for a variety of reasons. The dog is too friendly towards other people, the dog is fearful of other people, the dog develops a health condition that hinders its ability to work, the dog develops aggression towards other dogs, etc. It is important to have a plan for what would happen should the dog no longer be suited for service work. Many people become attached and keep the dog as a pet, while others may rehome the dog so that they can invest in another potential service dog. If the dog was acquired through a service dog program the person may be legally obligated to return the dog to the program.

7. Are other members of the family prepared for the presence of a service dog in the household?

First, are household members prepared for the typical things that come along with having a dog in the home like shedding, drooling, potty accidents, chewed up belongings, barking, etc.

Of course, a service dog will develop the skills to be a model household companion, but they often don’t start off that way and there will inevitably be instances of the dog “being a dog”. In addition, a service dog is not a companion for the family. This is often a fact that many household members are not prepared for and do not understand prior to having a service dog in the home. The service dog must be strongly bonded to its handler and no one else. This often means that other members of the household should have minimal handling and interaction with the dog.

If you can not confidently say yes to all of these questions, you are not ready for a service dog.