Chances are, you’ve seen many adorable dogs wearing service animal attire. When these canines are out in the community, they are on the job, giving their full attention to the needs of their owners. It’s important to remember this when you encounter a service dog so that you can behave respectfully and appropriately.
One of the first rules is that you must not approach a service dog to offer a scratch behind the ears. Remember, service canines are not pets. Let’s look at some of the basic characteristics of a service dog.
The role of a service dog
Canines that are trained as service dogs perform a range of duties. What they all have in common is that they assist people with disabilities, and the specific type of support they provide depends on the type of disability.
For instance, service dogs for individuals with visual impairments guide their owners across traffic intersections, through crowds, and around obstacles. People who use a wheelchair may have a service animal to press an automatic door button or bring them items. A canine trained to assist an individual with epilepsy can alert the person to a seizure coming on and remain close by to help them avoid injury. It’s also common for veterans and others with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to own a service dog that will help them manage their mental health by assisting them during a panic attack or reminding them to take their medication.
No matter what tasks these canines have been trained for, they establish a very strong bond with their human parent. The fact that they are essential to their owners’ well-being and ability to function with a disability makes them so much more than a pet.
How to behave around a service dog
As mentioned, it’s critical to be aware that these pooches are not like ordinary pets. They take their responsibility to protect their owner very seriously. Oftentimes, their actions can mean the difference between life and death.
Once you understand how critical the role of a service dog is, you might appreciate that you must do nothing to interfere or distract them. Be sure to give them enough space when you meet them and refrain from talking to the dog or otherwise engaging with them. If you have your own canine or young children with you when you run across a service dog, ensure that you keep them at a distance from the working dog.
You could choose to communicate with their handler, but make sure that the individual is receptive to speaking with you. It may be challenging enough for the person with the disability to be out in public, so idle questions from others can really be out of place. Plus, they may need to focus on giving their pooch direction.
Where you might see a service dog
Don’t be surprised if you see one of these animals getting into a hotel elevator or taking public transit. Due to the nature of the work that they do, legislation permits them to accompany their owner in any indoor public space. This includes hospitals, restaurants, stores, schools, universities, and many other places where pets are typically not allowed.
Service dogs in America are protected by the Fair Housing Act that gives their owners permission to rent accommodations with their service animal. Additionally, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) speaks to the rights of individuals to bring their service dog to their place of employment.
Qualities of a service dog
The canines selected for service need to be highly trainable and have a calm disposition. These pooches may be in unfamiliar situations so they need to be alert to their surroundings, but not reactive. They must be eager to please and have the intelligence to understand commands and retain information and be able to perform tasks reliably every time. Finally, service canines need to be able to develop the necessary social skills for a range of different environments.
There are certain canine breeds that are generally more amenable to being trained as service animals. The size of the dog can be relevant when matching them with particular tasks. Essentially, they have to be large and strong enough to do what they need to if, for example, they have to pull a wheelchair up a ramp or reach a light switch. The bigger breeds in service include Bernese Mountain dogs, German shepherds, golden retrievers, great Danes, Labrador retrievers, poodles and Saint Bernards. On the smaller side are miniature or toy poodles and papillons, among others.
In closing
Seeing a service dog going about their business can certainly bring a smile to your face. Be mindful that what they wear to indicate that they’re in service can vary. They won’t always be wearing a special jacket; they could have a tag or special harness. Be aware that if one of these animals approaches you without their handler, it could mean that their owner needs help.