Research supports the benefits of service dogs for individuals with disabilities. However, many questions remain.
During temperament screening, trainers ensure the dog is able to stay focused and calm in a busy public place. They also test for how the dog reacts to noises and other triggers. Read on Sierra Canine for more details.
While federal law protects the right to bring a service dog into public spaces, it is not without risk.
A service dog is a working animal that performs tasks that mitigate a disability for its handler. The dog may be trained to perform a wide range of tasks, such as guiding a blind person through an environment, alerting a deaf or hard-of-hearing individual to sounds, pressing elevator buttons, retrieving dropped items and providing balance support, among other things. Service dogs may be individually trained by their owners or through a specialized organization. The training process for service dogs is extensive and involves a number of tests to ensure that the dog has the right temperament and can carry out the necessary duties.
To obtain a service dog, an owner must consult with their doctor or mental health professional to assess the benefits and risks of having one. In addition to determining the type of service dog needed, an individual must determine whether or not they have the financial resources to pay for a service dog. In some cases, service dogs can be funded by a public or private organization or by the individual’s insurance company.
The next step is to find a trainer that specializes in service dog training. Although it is legal to train your own service dog, finding a normal trainer who can work with you and understand your needs will make the process much easier. You must also keep detailed training records to help you in the certification process.
When training a service dog, it is important that the dog be highly motivated and focused for hours at a time. This is because service dogs can be called on to work in a variety of environments and situations, including thunderstorms. Trainers also expose the dogs to a variety of noises to test their reaction, as good service dogs are not easily rattled by loud noises.
During the training process, it is important to understand the difference between service dogs and emotional support animals or therapy dogs. While both groups of animals assist disabled individuals, the ADA makes a clear distinction between the two, and people with disabilities should be aware of this difference so they can advocate for their rights in public spaces.
Training a Service Dog
Training a service dog is an extensive, expensive process that can take up to two years. It’s highly individualized and tailored to each handler’s disability, with tasks such as guiding the visually impaired; alerting individuals who have seizure disorders; detecting allergies; and retrieving medication or other items for the mobility-impaired. Many credible organizations offer service dog training, but the waiting lists can be extremely long.
The first step in service dog training is finding a suitable puppy or adult dog that has the right temperament and work ethic to become an effective partner. This requires plenty of research, and you should visit several facilities to see how they train service dogs. The trainer or organization will also evaluate the animal’s physical health and mental stability, as well as their ability to learn. A service dog must be able to follow basic obedience commands while in public and respond reliably to cues from their handler.
Once the trainer feels confident that the animal is ready, they begin advanced training. This can be an intense process that involves a lot of repetition and positive reinforcement. The handler will also be trained to communicate effectively with the dog and understand what types of behaviors are expected in each environment.
Most service dogs go through a long period of socialization and basic obedience training before they start their formal public access training. This teaches them to ignore distractions and stay focused on their task at hand, which can vary according to the type of service they provide. For example, psychiatric service dogs may be taught to use Deep Pressure Therapy to calm their owner, interrupt self-harm, or block (standing in front or behind their handler to give them slightly more physical space).
After the dog is fully trained and working for its handler, it’s eligible for public access rights. However, it’s important to note that there are some states and businesses that have restrictions, or may even refuse to allow the animal inside. For this reason, it’s best to only use a service dog that is properly trained and can meet the requirements of your needs.
Bringing a Service Dog to School
While schools offer many accommodations for special needs students such as one-on-one sign language interpreters, FM transmitters and student note-takers, they may not be as familiar with accommodating service dogs. A service dog team consists of a handler and the animal who performs specific tasks that benefit the person with a disability. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates access for this canine tool in areas where members of the public are allowed to go, including schools.
In order to bring a service dog to school, the handler must be able to communicate with the animal and demonstrate that it is trained to take specific actions when needed. It is also important to know that the dog must be under the handler’s control at all times. This means the dog must be on a leash or harness and remain under the handler’s control, regardless of what environment they are in.
Parents will often have their child undergo training as the animal’s handler to make sure that they are capable of handling it in public. They will then typically bring the dog to their child’s school on a part time basis to give the team and the school a chance to acclimate to each other. As the dog becomes more accustomed to the school, additional time can be added on a regular basis.
When a service dog is brought into a school, it is best to make the school aware of this ahead of time so that everyone can prepare accordingly. Some parents will also arrange to have a third party handle the dog while at school so that they are not compromising the safety of their child or anyone else.
When a student is bringing their service dog to school, faculty and staff are permitted to ask only two questions: 1) Is the animal required because of a disability and 2) what work or task has it been trained to perform? The only other exception is in sterile environments where the presence of the dog would pose an immediate risk of injury or disruption. The school cannot require documentation for the animal or require that it be demonstrated, which is a violation of ADA guidelines.
Bringing a Service Dog to Work
Bringing a service animal to work is legal under the Americans with Disabilities Act and California Fair Employment and Housing laws. Employers cannot discriminate against employees who bring a service animal to work, but they may require that the dog remain leashed and under control at all times in the workplace. It is also legal to ask for documentation from the employee or a health care provider that outlines the disability and the dog’s role in helping overcome it.
Service dogs are highly trained to ignore distractions and stay focused on their handler’s commands. It is generally considered rude to touch or pet a service dog, so you should ask for permission from the handler before you interact with the dog. This will keep the dog safe and prevent it from interrupting its task for its owner.
Some examples of tasks that service animals perform include guiding the blind or visually impaired, alerting people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, pulling wheelchairs, providing mobility support, protecting individuals from seizures, preventing psychiatric episodes, reminding people to take medication and performing other duties. Unlike emotional support or therapy dogs, service dogs are individually trained to do specific tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability.
While most interactions between pets and service dogs are non-eventful, there are reports of aggression or even death caused by inappropriate handling. Regardless of how well a pet is trained, it is never acceptable to play with, feed or distract a working dog without the owner’s permission. This can put the dog in a dangerous position, causing it to stop its work and interfere with its handler’s ability to respond appropriately to environmental cues or emergencies at the workplace. Pets that are not under strict control around service dogs risk injury to the dog, the owner and others. It is always best to avoid pets and service dogs in sterile environments like hospitals or other medical facilities. In those situations, the URI ADAAA policy for service dogs applies.