Service Dogs: To Serve and Protect
WHAT IS A SERVICE DOG?
DEFINITION OF A SERVICE DOG
A service dog is one type of assistance dog- the other two are guide dogs and hearing dogs (1). Generally, these three are recognized as the three main categories of assistance dogs; however, other terms are occasionally used. The definition of guide dogs and hearing dogs is fairly straightforward: guide dogs aid people who are blind or visually impaired, while hearing dogs help those who are deaf or hard of hearing. The typical definition of a service dog is one that assists people who have a mental or physical disability- other than one involving vision or hearing. Service dog is also an umbrella term of sorts. Underneath this category fall various types of dogs performing different duties, such as seizure dogs, mobility assist dogs, and psychiatric service dogs. For the purposes of this article the most important type of dog listed above is what is also commonly referred to as the seizure-alert or response dog; however, the article will be using the term "service dog".
WHAT DOES A SERVICE DOG DO?
Service dogs have been trained to help their owner while he or she is experiencing a seizure, by either going to fetch help, or staying by that person's side. These dogs can activate alert systems. For example, in some cases people install a special button that the service dog can press to contact 911; once the dog hears a voice over the phone they begin barking. It is important to remember that a pet dog is not the same as a service dog. Service dogs have gone through extensive training. If you are going to keep a pet dog, you must be aware that it could react adversely to your seizures. There have been incidents in the past where dogs have reacted aggressively to humans having seizures around them (2).
HISTORY OF SERVICE DOGS
THE ORIGIN OF SERVICE DOGS
Throughout history, dogs have been used to help people in various ways. For instance, dogs have been helping humans during wartimes, for centuries. The ancient Greeks and Romans both used dogs to attack the enemy, while Russians utilized them as ambulances during the Russo-Japanese war. They have also been used as sentries for many nations in warfare (3).
Although service dogs are a fairly recent development in the assistance dogs industry, they have shown that they are here to stay. The amount of demand for service dogs is constantly growing as people realize how capable they are, and how much relief they provide for their owners. Service dogs essentially came about in the 1980s, and since then there has been rapid growth in the industry. The first recognized organization for training guide dogs was established in 1916 as a result of the efforts of the Austrian Police and the War Dog Institute. It was called the German Association for Serving Dogs. However, in 1847, a Swiss man named Jakob Birner had already written a book on the training of guide dogs based on his own 5 years of experience with it. Earlier still, in the 18th century a hospital called Quinze-Vingts tended to the needs of blind patients who were led through the streets of Paris by dogs. An instruction book was created for the Viennese Institute for the Blind explaining how one is to go about training guide dogs effectively. There are claims that dogs have been helping blind people since the time of Christ. However, that is a bit more difficult to prove. Although there is evidence of dogs being mentioned throughout the Bible, there is no documentation proving that dogs assisted blind people (4).
SERVICE DOGS IN THE MORE RECENT PAST
The first type of assistance dog was the guide dog, to assist those with visual impairments. The second was the hearing dog for people with hearing difficulties. The hearing dog was a result of a feasibility study done in 1975 by Agnes McGrath. The Minnesota SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) had approached Agnes and asked her to determine whether dogs would be able to aid those who were hearing impaired. After testing out this theory, and deciding that it was a good idea, Agnes began a pilot hearing dog program for the American Humane Association in 1976. She and the staff later went on to create International Hearing Dog, Inc.; the hearing dog idea became so popular that dog services expanded to the state that they are now in (4). At present, there are 28 members of Assistance Dogs International worldwide (excluding America, which has more than 70 members throughout the country) (1). That's not bad for an industry that only started flourishing about two decades ago.
HOW TO DETERMINE WHETHER ONE IS APPROPRIATE FOR YOU
LEARNING TO ADJUST
Any pet owner can tell you that owning a pet is a big responsibility. In a sense, it's like having a child; you now have another being that you must care for and watch over. Just like having a child, this also means that you have another individual there to monitor you. Although this dog will be a bit different from having a normal pet dog, it still requires the same basic care, such as training, feeding, washing and so on. If you do get a service dog then you will have to be very patient from the start, seeing as you may be its third owner since birth already. It will take time for the dog to become accustomed to you, your family and your way of life. During this adjustment phase it may do some things which you don't want it to, i.e. chew furniture, bark excessively, urinate in the house etc. When it does these things, do not overreact- they are natural. You do not want to be too lenient, nor do you want to be too strict. The organization that you obtain your dog from will have trained you with your dog by this point, so you should know the basics and perhaps even more.
TAKING RESPONSIBILITY
If you aren't willing to dedicate a considerable amount of time to caring for this dog from the start, then this may not be the best idea for you. It will require a lot of time and energy from you. There is a lot of selflessness and commitment involved, as you will have to tend to your dog's needs (as it's tending to yours). This may mean that you will be awoken at 1 a.m. by a pool of slobber running down your cheek and the dog jumping onto your bed. The dog has physical needs as well. If it signals that it needs to go out, you will have to stop what you're doing and let the dog out (unless of course you don't mind the idea of cleaning up the mess after it's done its business).
Another important consideration is whether or not you would have someone else to care for the dog if something were to happen to you, for example if you became ill. In addition, the dog would be accompanying you wherever you went, and would be with you almost all of the time. Are you ready for that kind of commitment? You would need to reconsider certain vacations. Although prejudice shouldn't still exist, it does. Unfortunately, you may be met with prejudice from business owners and various others. It is not right for them to ban a service dog from a store; there are laws preventing these kinds of wrongful actions, however it does sometimes happen.
TELL ME ABOUT IT
If you are serious about this, it's necessary that you consult with a person from one of these organizations who can help you make the decision. You should also speak about this decision with the people that you live with, and you could talk about it with your friends to get a fresh perspective on the matter. You may want to visit your doctor or neurologist to speak with them about this decision. You should compile a list of pros and cons for yourself to help make the decision a bit easier. The organization may also want you to create a list of expectations that you have for what the dog will be doing. When you meet with an employee from the organization that you choose, you will show this individual the list, if they have requested that you create one.
Organizations do have the right to refuse you a dog if they do not feel that you are a suitable candidate.
