So, here I am, sipping my morning matcha and pondering deeply about the unsung heroes of the canine world—service dogs. Yes, I’m talking about my own furry companion who, quite frankly, deserves a journal entry all to herself.
First off, let’s address the elephant in the room—or should I say, the dog in the room. In many places, the law classifies these amazing animals as medical devices. Yes, you heard that right! My dog is a medical device, but an interactive and versatile one at that. She’s like a Swiss Army knife with fur!
Now, let’s talk about size. I can’t tell you how often people side-eye me because my service dog is on the smaller side. When I got her, I didn’t have any physical issues, so a small dog was perfectly fine for my needs. But here’s a fun fact: the reason you usually see bigger dogs as service dogs is due to the type of tasks they perform. If it’s a mobility-related task, the dog needs to be a certain percentage of the person’s weight to be effective. That’s the only difference! Seriously, if one more grocery store employee gives me that look, I might have to start carrying a sign that says, “Size doesn’t matter!”
Now, onto another interesting tidbit—why rescues are almost never chosen as service dogs. I’ve been learning to train these amazing animals from someone very dear to me, and here’s what I’ve picked up. The main issue with rescues is behavior. Imagine a dog that freaks out every time they see a feather. This isn’t just inconvenient; it’s potentially dangerous. A scared dog can become aggressive, and once that behavior surfaces, the dog can no longer serve as a service dog. Plus, someone could get hurt, which is a big no-no.
Health history is another crucial factor. Take hip dysplasia, for example. If a dog has a family history of this condition, it could lead to early retirement and chronic pain. And let’s face it, a dog in pain can be as unpredictable as my morning moods without my matcha—aggressively unpredictable.
Now, the school I’m learning from is quite unique in a big, fantastic way—they cross-train their service dogs. Often, those needing a service dog for a medical condition have other complications as well. If I were to go to any other school for my service dog needs, I would probably end up with three or more dogs. Instead, this school trains the dogs to meet individual needs. Sure, it may take longer, but you end up with a dog that can handle multiple tasks like PTSD, ASD, Diabetic Alert, seeing-eye guidance, and balance support. The versatility of what a service dog can do is simply staggering.
When there are no physical tasks involved, smaller dogs are feasible, allowing for one dog trained in several areas instead of just one specialization. This increases the likelihood of finding the perfect match. Training these incredible dogs usually requires more than 2,000 hours. First, the breed is chosen, then the right genetics are identified. The assessment of the litter begins as early as 6-8 weeks old. Yes, even that early, some dogs show they just aren’t cut out for this line of work.
Once the suitable puppies are identified, they start their training, usually with a puppy handler, learning the basics and laying the core foundation for behaviors. For instance, in busy places, they learn to sit down as soon as their handler stops. Not grabbing food from the ground is another critical lesson—imagine being in a restaurant and your dog rummaging under the table. Rewards are typically anything but food, and they are even trained to ignore a plate of their favorite treat until given permission.
Some dogs need to be trained with the basic command to relieve themselves, which is essential whether you are entering a building, at home, or if you are visually impaired and require your dog to signal when it needs to take bathroom break, think of it like going for a long car ride. You go bathroom before you start the journey, well same idea only your going in some place like the mall where it might be a bit before the next chance arises. This command allows individuals who cannot see to ensure their dog relieves itself and subsequently can clean up after their dog. Pretty intense for a young pup huh?
So as you can see, training not only starts early but it is intense. Only about one in six pups that start service dog school actually pass. The odds are tough because they need to meet incredibly high standards. It still shocks me when my service dog, on a bad behavior day, gets praised for being well-trained. It’s actually kind of sad because a service dog should almost be invisible in behavior, even if its presence is noticeable.
One major issue that many handlers face is being denied transportation, even though it’s illegal unless it causes undue harm. I have the skills to handle this one because I am a medical advocate, and service dogs fall into that category. But seriously, this shouldn’t even be an issue. I can already hear the questions: “What if the driver is really scared of dogs or has a severe allergy?” Those are legitimate examples of undue hardship where the ride can be denied. Otherwise, there are no valid reasons for denial.
Another big thing is people sending their kids to say hi to the service dog. Did you know that distracting a service dog could lead to harm for the handler? Imagine a seizure alert dog missing the cue to get their person to a safe position, leading to an injury. Please don’t send your kids over to say hi. Some handlers want to be left alone; some might allow interaction with a release command. Ask the handler to explain about service dogs instead of asking why they have one. It’s like asking someone about their personal medical conditions—totally off-limits. Stick to generalized information.
One of my favorite ways to explain to a curious little kid is to ask them if their mommy or daddy gives them medicine when they are feeling sick. The answer is a yes every time so far. So then I ask if it helps them feel better? Again predictably, it is a yes. So I explain the dog is a medicine that helps in a different way. I also explain that this is why we should always leave service dogs alone. They are helping like the medicine their parent gives them. Oh, the expression of understanding on their face delights me to no end with this one. If it is the start of my excursion to the store, I tend to hear this kid tell others, “Guess what I learned today.” Kids are gonna repeat this a thousand times to people and say they shouldn’t touch the dog, it is medicine and helping someone. That one is funny when the kid gives their parent trouble for still trying to reach out and pet the dog after this explanation. I have a hard time keeping a straight face and just praising the kid for remembering.
If you would not want me coming up and randomly petting you, do not come up and randomly pet the dog. It is the same thing and don’t forget touches if unwanted can lead to legal issues in some cases when you touch a person. Well, when that vest is on it is considered part of that person and the same thing can happen. If you can’t just ignore the medical device, at least ask before doing. It is actually sad that many times without me talking to a little one that I hear a child giving their parent trouble for saying something like “let’s go pet the dog.” When more kids know this than adults, it worries me.
In the end, living with a service dog is like having a superhero sidekick that’s always by your side, ready to leap into action at a moment’s notice. Except instead of a cape, they sport a vest and their superpowers include sniffing out low blood sugar and providing balance support just to name a few. It’s a partnership built on trust, patience, and a whole lot of training hours – and yes, sometimes a little bit of humor to get through the tough days.
So, if you see me and my four-legged hero out and about, remember: we’re a team. And while I can’t promise I won’t be aggressively unpredictable without my matcha, I can promise that my service dog will be doing their absolute best to keep everything under control. Just don’t try to pet the superhero, okay? They’re on duty, and we wouldn’t want any civilians (or curious kids or adults) to distract them from their mission.
Feel free to ask your questions here if you have any. I love sharing knowledge and when it comes to my service dog I will be more then happy to answer your questions. Easier to ask here then when you see a team out and about. It is natural to be curious.
Who am I? 
I would love to hear from you!