In Love and In Service

Do you have a dog? Dogs are wonderful companions. They don't care what you look like or where you live. They just love you. They chase away the monsters that hide under your bed. If you are sad they lick away your tears. Your dog can be your best friend. Would you like to have your dog with you all the time? What if your dog was trained to help with everyday life? If your dog is a Service Dog, he can do that and more.

Service dogs are trained to help disabled adults and children with many different types of disabilities. Guide Dogs for the blind, Hearing Dogs for the deaf, Mobility Assist Dogs for people in wheelchairs, Walker Dogs for people with balance problems and Seizure Alert/ Response Dogs.

You have probably heard of Guide Dogs or Seeing Eye Dogs. These dogs serve as eyes for their blind owners. With the use of simple commands, they allow their owners to walk through traffic, down busy sidewalks and up stairs without injury. They are taught intelligence disobedience. This means they may disobey their owner's commands, if they see danger. Hearing Dogs serve as ears for their deaf or hearing impaired owners. They are trained to alert their owners to sounds by going to their owner and back to the source of the sound. They can be trained to respond to many different sounds.

Some of the most common sounds are phones, doorbells, smoke alarms, microwave oven bells and crying babies or children. Mobility Assist Dogs help people in wheelchairs many ways. They carry things in special backpacks, pick up objects the person drops, open or close doors, turn lights off or on, pull the wheelchair if needed and help their owners get dressed or undressed. Walker Dogs serve people with balance problems. They are taught to lean into their owners to keep them from falling over. They can also act as a brace to help their owners get up if they should fall. Walker dogs are most commonly used by adults with Parkinson's disease.

Seizure Alert / Response Dogs serve people with medical problems that cause seizures. Some of these dogs may even be able to alert their owners that a seizure is about to occur. This allows the owner to stop what they are doing and sit or lie down, until the seizure is over. This type of service dog is trained to stay by their owner's side or get help. Many are trained to hit a special button that will dial 911. When the dog hears the voice of the 911 operator on the speaker, he starts barking. The disabled person must have a special phone with a large button and speaker. The local 911 center must be notified of the owner's special needs and what to do if a dog calls.

The United States has over 150 organizations that train service dogs. A large breed dog is usually needed. The breeds used most are Labrador and Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds and Border Collies. Other large breeds, mixed breeds and mutts also make wonderful service dogs. Several organizations search Animals Shelters for young puppies or young adult dogs. Some of the best Hearing Dogs are mutts from a shelter.

Service dog puppies live with volunteers called puppy raisers. They are placed in loving homes where they are taught good manners and simple commands. Service dogs began training at 12 to 18 months old. They are assigned a handler and learn to work together, as a team. Service dogs are trained using positive reinforcement. The dog is repeatedly given a command and shown how to do it. Each time the dog correctly performs the command, he is rewarded. The reward may be a hug, pat on the head, a favorite toy or praise. The handler always speaks softy, using a friendly voice. A Service Dog in Training is never forced to work. If they don't seem to enjoy or understand the training, they will be found a good home.

Once training is finished, it is time to match dog with owner. The Service Dog and his new owner work together for two to six weeks with a handler. The length of training time will depend on the type of service the dog will need to perform. Once they have become a team, they graduate and start a new life together.

Service dogs are everywhere. They are allowed in places other dogs are not. You can see them in restaurants, grocery stores, the mall or your school. What should you do if you see a Service Dog? Nothing. Ignore a service dog or service dog in training. While they are working, they are not pets.

How can you tell if a service dog is working? Guide dogs wear a harness with a handle for the blind owner to hold. All other service dogs wear a special cape or vest with “SERVICE DOG. PLEASE DO NOT PET” written on the side. When you see a Service Dog Team think about the wonderful life they lead. These special dogs have love, a good home, a great job and, best of all; they give their disabled owners' independence in their lives.