In This Topic:
- Who Is A Service Dog?
- Qualities Of A Guide Dog
- Breeds That Make The Best Guide Dogs
- Types of Service Dogs
- Emotional Strength of Having A Service Dog
Introduction
Isn’t it great to have a companion who can be by your side all the time? We all need a companion whom we can trust and rely on. Guess who defines the adage, “A friend in need is a friend indeed” the best? A service dog. Yes! A service dog provides valuable assistance to differently-abled people in various ways depending on their owners’ specific needs.
Who Is A Service Dog?
These dogs are specifically trained for specialized tasks to aid disabled people. These disabilities can be sensory, physical, intellectual, psychiatric, or mental.
Qualities Of A Guide Dog
Have you ever wondered what’s so special about a guide dog? Let’s find out!
-
Eagerness to work- Guide dogs are always energetic about going for walks or playing in the dog park rather than lolling around at home.
-
Excellent Smell- They have an acute sense of smell that is ten thousand times better than humans.
-
Intelligence- Your guide dog, can perform complex tasks that need natural intelligence and a good presence of mind.
-
Friendly Nature- Your guide dog must be friendly and feel at ease around human beings and other animals.
-
Caring Personality-. A guide dog can form a close bond with you and care for your needs.
Breeds That Make The Best Guide Dogs
- Labradors- Smart, eager to serve
- Golden Retrievers- Calm natured, trained to fetch and carry objects
- German Shepherds- Obedient and faithful, protective about their master, simple to train
- Poodles- fun-loving and active
- Boxers- carefree, playful, loyal, loves to work
- Great Danes- well-built and strong, can provide balance for people requiring mobility support
Types of Service Dogs
There are various kinds of service dogs, each with its characteristics. Let’s look at each type of service dog and how they benefit persons with disabilities.
Autism Service Dogs
Autism service dogs are trained to help autistic individuals socialize with their peers. Autistic people have a hard time sensing social cues and interacting with others. Dogs are a great icebreaker and can give persons with autism a sense of consistency and familiarity.
As a dog is very protective and dotes over its master, it develops a solid affectionate bond with its master. This emotional bonding can help autistic people build confidence and develop interpersonal communication skills.
They are trained to stop autistic youngsters from straying off to some unknown place, and they can also help get them back if they do. Moreover, they can thwart some harmful conduct or warn the parents of an autistic child of any risky situation.
Guide Dogs
They are service dogs, specifically trained to assist the visually impaired. These dogs wear a unique collar with a handle that their owner can clutch onto for support.
Unlike other service dogs, guide dogs employ a strategy known as selective disobedience, in which they defy their masters only when necessary. This means that while they follow orders, they also make decisions based on assessing a specific situation. For example, if its master orders it to cross the street, the dog will disobey the command if cars are approaching.
The three most common breeds of guide dogs are German Shepherd, Labrador, and Golden Retriever. But if you are prone to getting allergies, you may choose to consider hypoallergenic breeds such as poodles or Labradoodles.
Mobility Aid Dogs
People with mobility issues can use mobility aid dogs to assist them in their daily tasks. They can open doors, fetch your belongings, press automatic door buttons, and turn on lights. Mobility assistance dogs are an ideal companion for people who have conditions such as:
- Muscular dystrophy
- Cerebral palsy
- Spinal cord injuries
- Brain injuries
Mobility support dogs are expressly trained to support partners who experience difficulty balancing themselves. They can guide owners who use wheelchairs too. These dogs weigh at least 55 pounds and are large enough to brace their owner. They frequently wear specially designed collars that enable them to accompany their owner.
Psychiatric Assistance Dogs
These dogs have been specially trained to aid people suffering from conditions like PTSD, anxiety, and even depression as a whole. They are very intuitive by nature and can detect a change in their owner when they encounter unfavourable symptoms, such as an anxiety attack or a flashback.
Psychiatric assistance dogs can act as a buffer between their owners and others to independently maintain their private space, helping them gain self-confidence.
Hearing Dogs
As the term implies, hearing dogs can support people with hearing impairments. When a dog senses a specific cue, it alerts its owner and guides them to the source of the noise. These cues include hearing the owner’s name, ringing doorbells, fire and smoke alarms, knocking on doors, or sound of alarm clocks etc.
Popular breeds which serve as the best hearing dogs are golden retrievers, poodles, cocker spaniels, and labradors.
Emotional Value of Having A Service Dog
The bond between a dog and its owner is priceless. A dog’s selfless love for its master has a great emotional value. Some specific instances of this relationship are:
-
Companionship- A service dog stands by you as a faithful friend. Your dog will unfailingly rescue you and help you deal with any disability with a positive mindset. The presence of your dog by your side will always give you the feeling that you are not alone.
-
Enhances Self-Esteem- Once you get a service dog, you no longer need to rely on humanitarian assistance for accomplishing your tasks. Instead, you can communicate your needs to your dog, who is always ready to help you. Thus, a service dog relieves you of that dependence and restores a sense of freedom.
-
Greater Motivation- The prolonged pain and hardships of being differently-abled can gradually wear you down. But, you can overcome its challenges as your dog is ever ready to help you accomplish your tasks, making your life easier and doing your things on your own. This can help you regain motivation and gain an excellent outlook on life.
Conclusion
A service dog follows its owner like a shadow. To be eligible as a service dog, it has to undergo rigorous training for advanced disability services. This takes time, but you will have a trustworthy friend and service provider if you are willing to train your dog correctly.