Sabrina the teenage... female dog

So you want a service dog?

I helped mom compile this list of commonly asked questions from people who are thinking of getting a service dog. Let us know what you think!

1. What is a service dog?
According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a service dog is a dog trained to do work that mitigates the life limiting disability of their handler. The dog must also not cause a disturbance to the public (in other words, the dog must be public access trained).
http://www.ada.gov/ The ADA website

2. What disabilities qualify?
Any life-limiting disability (physical or mental) that could be helped by a service dog qualifies. Examples include visual impairments, hearing impairments, mental illness, physical impairments etc. Being on SSDI does not automatically qualify or disqualify you under the ADA’s definition. For example, I am bipolar, my illness is not controllable by medications and is severe enough that I qualify as disabled under the ADA. I have friends with the same illness who have it under control with medications and would not be considered disabled. However, even though I am considered disabled under the ADA I do not receive SSDI or other benefits since I can work with the help of my service dog. The best way for you to figure out if you are disabled is to talk with your doctor and ask if they think you are disabled.
http://www.dbtac.vcu.edu/whatsada-definition.aspx In depth explanation of a disability
http://www.opencrs.com/rpts/RL33304_20060309.pdf A report to congress on the implementation of the ADA definition of disability.

3. What kinds of things can service dogs do?
The most common type of service dog is a guide dog. These dogs guide people with visual impairments. A hearing dog alerts their handler to noises. Mobility assist dogs help their handlers stay steady on their feet. Some dogs pull wheelchairs for their handlers. Others pick up dropped objects for handlers in wheelchairs or who cannot bend over. Psychiatric service dogs assist handlers with a wide range of mental illnesses. Medical alert dogs warn before impending seizures or other episodes. There are many types of service dogs, and I have not listed them all here I am sure!
http://www.psychdog.org/tasks.html This is a list of tasks for Psychiatric Service Dogs
http://www.iaadp.org/A-dogWorld.html IAADPs task list

4. Are there any downsides to having a service dog?
Yes, having a service dog is not easy. People stare at you and your SD. They will often ask about your SD, and will ask how you are disabled. Some gatekeepers get very upset, yell at you and try to deny you access. You may even have to call the police in order to resolve some access challenges. Your friends might be upset with your decision to get a service dog. Your family might not believe that you need a service dog—after all they’ve known you your entire life without one and might not understand how one can help. If you have an invisible disability, this might be the first time that you can’t blend in with everyone else. Having a service dog makes you stand out, and it is not for everyone. It is important to think about these things when considering if a service dog is right for you. For me, the benefits outweigh the negatives, but it is important to realize that having a service dog isn’t always easy.
http://www.psychdog.org/lifestyle.html Articles about the service dog lifestyle

5. Where can I get a service dog?
There are two main routes to take. One way is to get a Program dog. This means that a program does all the work and you get a fully trained dog. The other way is to train the dog yourself, called an Owner Trained (OT) service dog. I’ll give a brief run-down on pros, cons and costs associated with these methods.

The biggest pro of a Program dog is that the dog comes fully trained. The dog can start helping you immediately. You will often have the support of the school throughout your time with your SD. The biggest con in my opinion is related to the biggest pro—the training of the dog is completed before you enter the scene. Usually these programs have an orientation where they cover training basics, but first time service dog handlers might not be comfortable dealing with problems if they arise. Most quality service dog schools will help re-train your dog if there are problems, though. Another con to a program trained dog is that most programs retain ownership of the dog and may take it back when it retires.

Of the dogs that come trained, there are two types places to get them. The most well known are non-profit organizations where people donate money and time to provide dogs at a reduced cost. The dogs range in price from free to a few thousand dollars, for which you can fundraise. The biggest problem with getting a dog from an organization like this is that the waiting lists are often long, and you have to get your disability approved. Many organizations shy away from training certain types of service dogs like psychiatric service dogs and medical alert dogs, so it can be harder to find facilities to train dogs for these disabilities.

Another way to get a fully trained dog is to buy one from a for-profit program or private trainer. Buying a fully trained dog will likely cost somewhere between $10,000 to $30,000 depending on how you need the dog trained. The best things about this route are that you can get exactly what you want in a dog, it can be faster than going the non-profit route, and you don’t have to worry about the organization not liking your disability. The biggest cons about going this route are the cost and the difficulty in making sure you are going with a good program. Most smaller training facilities won’t scam you. However, I have heard horror stories of people paying $10,000 for a dog that had only basic obedience skills. So if you use this route I’d recommend doing a lot of research about the organization or trainer.

The final way to get a service dog is to train your own. This can be less expensive, and you don’t have to pay all the money out at once—you pay as you go. For Sabrina I would estimate we put about $5000 into her training, equipment and supplies to get her working. I think the biggest pro of training your own dog is the training process itself. I learned so much about myself, my disability and ways to manage my disability. It has really made me more confidant. Also, you don’t have to do the training all by your self—many people with OT dogs hire a professional trainer to work with them and help them. Another pro is that you can pick the breed and size of dog that works for you. The biggest con in training your own dog is if it becomes apparent the dog is not cut out for service work, you have to wash them out and start over. It takes 1-2 years to train a dog, and it can be hard work.

Really, you need to decide for yourself which route to take based on your lifestyle. I would encourage anyone considering a service dog to talk to as many people with service dogs as they can. Ask people for their opinions about where to get the dog from, and ask for referrals to good schools or trainers. Think about your lifestyle and your needs, and try to imagine how these different ways of getting a service dog would affect you.
http://www.deltasociety.org/ServiceInformationConsumer.htm Information for people considering a service dog
http://www.deltasociety.org/ServiceTrainersTrainers.htm Non-comprehensive list of service dog trainers

6. I want to train my own service dog—what next?
According to the ADA, any dog that is trained to mitigate the life-limiting disability of their handler and that doesn’t disrupt the public can be called a service dog. However, there are a few steps that I highly recommend any owner-trainer taking to ensure that if you ever have to go to court for an access issue that you have all the proof you need.

The first step is to get proof that you are disabled. I recommend asking your doctor if you are disabled and would benefit from having a service dog. If they say yes, ask them to write you a letter of support.

Next, you need to find a dog. Some people already have a dog in mind; others might be looking to get a new dog. Service dog candidates can be purebred or mixed, any breed or size, puppies or young adults. The most important thing is their temperament or personality. You want a dog who will tolerate highly stressful situations, who won’t be terrified of loud noises or crowds, who has a low prey drive etc. I recommend hiring a trainer to temperament test the dog(s) you are interested in. If a dog does not pass the temperament test, no matter how cute the dog is, how much you’ve fallen in love, you should not get the dog. You want to start with a dog who is likely to make it as a service dog. If you start with a dog not suited for service work, no amount of training will make up for that, and you will waste a lot of time and money. You also need to check the dog’s health and if it’s a puppy make sure the parents have had genetic testing done. If you are buying a puppy, make sure you are getting from a responsible breeder and not from a back yard breeder or puppy mill!

Training the dog is the next step. I recommend hiring a private trainer to keep you on track, even if you can only meet with them once every couple of months. I really recommend using a trainer because having an outside person to evaluate you and the dog is invaluable. You can read books about dog training but nothing is a substitute for outside opinions and advice! In addition, having a professional contact will help you if you’re ever in court on an access issue. You will need to train the dog to help with your disability and you will need to do public access training. It usually takes 1-2 years to train a service dog.

You will also need to research the SDIT (service dog in training) laws in your state. The ADA gives access rights to full service dogs only. Some states have laws giving rights to SDITs, so check your state statues. Some states only give SDIT access for certain types of service dogs, or for certified service dog trainers, or only with a certain state issued ID card.

When you’re ready to switch your dog from SDIT to SD status, I recommend taking some sort of public access test to prove that your dog can behave in public. There are some organizations that you can go to and take the test, some private trainers can give various forms of the test, you can use the Psychiatric Service Dog Society form of the test or you can videotape the test and get certification from an on-line company. Certification is not necessary, however having proof that your dog is able to work well in public can be very important should you ever have to go to court. I recommend videotaping your public access test if at all possible to help in case you ever have to go to court.
http://www.psychdog.org/faq.html FAQs about service dog training
http://www.iaadp.org/info.htm How to choose and train a service dog

7. How can I find out more?
The best way is to ask questions! Find other service dog handlers online or in person and talk with them. I have a few groups and listservs listed, but there are many more on yahoo and MSN. Bear in mind that there are some definite rifts in the service dog community, so don’t take it personally if you are denied membership from some groups—just look elsewhere for your information! Here are some links that I find helpful:
http://www.deltasociety.org/ The Delta Society has a lot of general information
http://www.psychdog.org/ The Psychiatric Service Dog Society has great information including an extensive FAQ, public access standards, service dog etiquette, a listserv for people with invisible disabilities using service dogs and much more
http://www.psychdog.org/listserv.html This is a direct link to the PSDS listserv for people with invisible disabilities. A great source of information for those considering training their own service dog
http://www.dogster.com/forums/Service_and_Therapy_Dogs This is a public forum on dogster.com where you can chat about service dogs of all types and training and read questions and answers from other members.
http://www.dogster.com/group/Service_dogs_group-10 This is a private group on dogster, where you can ask more intimate questions and talk about all types of service dogs and training. You must have a dog on dogster (it’s free!) to join this group, but you can at least access the links without joining the group!
http://www.service-dog.org/ Canine Caretakers for Life
http://www.iaadp.org/ International Association of Assistance Dog Partners is an organization you can join
http://www.paws-up.net/EtiquetteforSDHandlers.pdf A great etiquette document
http://www.deltasociety.org/download/sd_min_stds_rev2a.pdf Another document about service dog standards
http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/svcanimb.htm The Department of Justice’s flyer about service animals
http://www.iaadp.org/maze.html A guide to the maze of laws about service animals
http://www.box.net/public/qe956unssp A flyer I give out to educate people about Sabrina
http://www.servicedogssavelives.org/ Service Dogs Save Lives