Service Dog Research Paper

Many professionals recognize the benefits of assistive animals for people with physical disabilities. This includes seeing-eye dogs that are trained to alert owners to environmental hazards. Some policies may be hard to change, but are required if needed. One well known policy

There are between 45 to 55 million dogs per household in America (American Humane Association 2012). Furthermore, according to a national survey, the majority of dog owners chose to get a dog for the companionship as the major reason for having a dog (American Animal Hospital Association, 2004). After all, dogs are nonjudgmental, give unconditional love, can be trusted with our most intimate feelings and emotions, and are highly intelligent. These dog characteristics can significantly enhance the lives of thousands of youth and adults, especially those with disabilities and/or those who live in continuing care facilities. There are approximately 20,000 service dogs in the U.S., which includes 10,000 guide dogs (American Humane Association 2012)

Once a puppy dog being trained as a service dog reaches eighteen to twenty months, they leave their training family and are brought to the training organization for further training along with other service dogs. The dogs are trained to have good manners. During their training time they learn fifty plus commands. They are trained to perform tasks that are difficult and uncomfortable such as crawling along the floor so that they can get under furniture to retrieve items that their owners may have dropped. The dogs must be strong in case they need to push or pull a wheel chair through a narrow area. At the end of training, they are given difficult tests to test their shyness and submissiveness, if they startle, and if they are forgiving and loving. If they pass all their tests, they go through a boot camp where their potential owners are trained how to take care of them. During

In her book Reporting For Duty: True Stories of Wounded Veterans and Their Service Dogs, she shares the stories of veterans who use a service dog to help cope with different disabilities. Libby also covers topics such as the history and use of various types of service dogs at military facilities and the organizations and processes that help to produce a service dog for the veterans that need them. The cost of training a service dog can range from $8,000 to $70,000 depending on the training required and whether it comes from a shelter or breeding program (172). According to Libby, “the average cost of a guide dog, for example, runs about $60,000, whereas training for a therapy dog averages about 10,000” (189). While training a service dog can be expensive, several organizations supply service dogs to veterans at no cost through individual donations, fundraising, and other similar methods (174). The book uses pictures of dogs performing various jobs on almost every page and is well organized and detailed. This will be helpful for my essay because it covers how what factors determine costs for trained service dogs, who pays those costs, and the history of changes that have occurred in the military with service

Guide dogs for the blind help their owner walk and keep them safe. It makes them feel okay to be blind and that they have someone there with them. The deaf also have service dogs that help them with everyday activities and take away the owner’s worries. These amazing dogs also bring happiness and lower depression. They love their owners and give them a sense of purpose. People who deal with anxiety are provided with comfort from their service dogs. Also, their dogs can sense a panic attack and will help keep the owner as calm as possible. There are service dogs for people who have seizures as well. These dogs give confidence to their owner’s and reduce seizures. They also are able to tell when a seizure is going to come and provide comfort during a seizure. Autism is another disability that service dogs are trained to help with. They can help the owner relax and bring peace to the entire family. Service dogs can also help those who are handicapped by picking up objects, opening doors and helping their owner get dressed. Overall, service dogs make a positive impact on their owner’s lives by creating a better lifestyle and allowing them to be more

The Different Kinds of Service Animals Some people think that only dogs can be service animals. “A common misperception is that only dogs can be trained to help people with a disability – and those dogs must be Golden Retrievers or a similar breed” (Turnbull). Research shows that a lot of other animals can be trained to be service animals. It is a normal conception that dogs are the only animal eligible to be a service animal but research shows other animals are capable of this.

A therapy dog is skilled to care and offer comfort to patients in hospitals, retirement homes, schools, catastrophe area, and people with learning complications. From a different perspective, a service dog is an assistance dog trained specifically to help persons with disabilities including autism, hearing and visual difficulties. The dogs aid cognitive therapy enabling the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) victims to expose themselves gradually to feelings and thoughts reminding them of the past. The dogs offer comfort, affection, and companion that enable the victims to relax triggering the sense of flashback within them. Flashback is critical in the treatment process of PTSD.

Service dogs are trained to assist people with physical and mental impairments. They are not pets. It was not until after World War I that a modern guide dogs school was founded. However, the United States did not have a Seeing Eye dog until 1928. Today there are many service dog schools such as Guide Dogs of America and Occupaws. The American’s with Disabilities Act guaranties that people with service dogs cannot be refused service at restaurants, stores, health care facilities, places of lodging, or recreational settings. To obtain a service dog, a person must be legally disabled and able to train with the dog for 3-6 months. It costs an average of $25,000 to breed, train, and certify the dogs. It is usually free of charge for the visually

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, anxiety, or depression, amongst many other disabilities deserve to be acknowledged because of the medical advancements in the past several years which support the effectiveness of service animals. These disabilities affect the everyday lives of thousands of people throughout the United States, which is why I believe that service animals can be a beneficial component that may boost a person’s endurance. In the article, Service Dog Training Program for Treatment of PTSD in Service Members, a study written with the United States Army, results concluded that service animals were deemed effective in their practices. The article reports that veterans and service members had an “increase in patience, impulse control, [and] emotional regulation” (Yount, et al.). As a helpful practice for disabled persons, it is a civil injustice to discriminate against a person with a service dog. To neglect a disabled person’s accessibility to basic public services in modern society is a violation of human rights. I think that the lack of accommodations for service animals and their handlers is an overlooked issue in society, which is why I believe that my research is a relevant issue in modern

There are many different aspects to look at when owning and obtaining a service dog. Service dogs come in many different forms. One form is an eye seeing dog. German Shepard's are the main breed for seeing eye services. The cost for attaining such a service dog can range from $25,000.00 to $42,000.00. That would include the training and instruction. Service dogs were founded 60 years ago by a company called International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. The program was broken down into four different stages, starting with the Breeding Program and ending with the Admissions criteria. Public Education is important in the seeing eye dog community. Public Education also ties into the legal aspects of having a service dog within

Service dogs are a type of dogs that are specially trained to do specific responsibilities to help people who have disabilities, such as people with visual impairment. The dog’s role in this case is to guide them around the obstacles, stop at step ladders, and help them cross the street. Also, service dogs trained to help people with hearing impairment. They trained in a way to alert their partners to sounds and lead them to the source of it. On the other hand, service dogs help people with mental illnesses to take their pills at certain times of the day and carry medical supplies for them.

For most service dog programs, there are certain requirements to meet before you are eligible to receive the assistance you need. One of the main requirements is that you must be legally disabled. By providing a doctor’s note, it will list or show the many things you are not capable of doing on one’s own. Another sort of legal documentation stating your disability is also preferred. A type of requirement some programs look for is the daily use of independently using a walking cane or stick. You must also be willing to be responsible of the full time caring of your guide dog. Once you meet the criteria’s, you are ready to apply for the service that you need. If you are uncertain of your eligibility or have any questions or concerns,

Service dogs help some see, some with their balance, such in the case with Marjalissa's husband, some with their blood sugars, seizures, etc. Optimally, helping to keep their handlers safe and away from harm. I found it interesting that service dogs can be trained and with those who have various types of disabilities. I understood that there were alert dogs for those who have diabetes and who were blind or were unable to see properly. I was unaware of how many disabilities that service dogs can be trained for.

There are people who do not understand when dog owners, of both working and non-working dogs, do not want their canines to be stroked. According to the Royal National Institute of Blind People, it is dangerous to pet dogs who are working because these canines will be distracted from their jobs and it might endanger the lives of their owners. But, sometimes, even guide dogs are wearing their vests with messages like, “I’m working” or “Do not disturb”, many people do not understand what it means.

APDT or Association of service dog trainer is meant for the people who want to become a professional dog