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National pet dog help Week is pertaining to a close but we are pleased to share an interview from Dr. Bloom who is considered by lots of to be an expert on the topic. Although she is neither a trainer nor works for an organization, Dr. Bloom is a recipient of a service pet dog and supplies ongoing information on her blog My Magic pet dog to those wanting to learn a lot more about service dogs.
When and how did you first become involved with service dogs?
I’ve been involved with service dogs for a lot more than twenty years. This interest was sparked while trying to find options to help our individuals during my tenure as the director of the center on Aging and Disabilities at a medical school. Initially, I received a pet dog from a wonderful, national service pet dog organization, which we used to educate our faculty and the medical students who worked with disabled populations. Later, ironically, I was diagnosed with a chronic condition and this became my first, official service dog. I’m now on my third service pet dog and they’ve all been wonderful!
You seem to have a strong presence in the world of service dogs. Why do so lots of people come to you with questions rather than contacting service pet dog trainers and organizations?
Great question! I guess the answer lies in the fact that I am not a pet dog trainer nor on staff with a particular service pet dog organization. given my work at a medical school, I spent lots of years researching the field. considering that I do not have an “agenda” other than to supply information to help people find the best fit for their needs, they ask me about service dogs knowing I will respond without bias. As I’ve gathered information from my research on the value of such dogs, I made a decision to enhance the availability of these resources. thus my blog – mymagicdog.com – was born, which I hope is both informative and (sometimes!) amusing. My intent is to supply a a lot more objective analysis than an individual organization or trainer might be able to give.
Can you please help readers understand the difference between an help pet dog and a service dog?
Unfortunately, our department of Justice, which regulates assistance/service dogs refers to all help dogs as service dogs. before continuing, here’s the definition to which the larger organizations subscribe: “Assistance” is the umbrella term for dogs trained to help people with a variety of disabilities. This includes: guide dogs, service dogs, and hearing dogs as well as the emerging groups of dogs which help with specialized tasks such as those who work with Parkinson’s patients, or those supplied to veterans with PTSD. note that “service dogs” is one category of “assistance dogs.” Unfortunately, when the DOJ rewrote the regulations, the terms became mixed so that in the legal literature, “service dogs” now refer to all “assistance dogs.” Confused? You aren’t the only one! We hope that by the time the DOJ updates their regulations, the terms will be corrected.
When someone comes into my service and tells me they have a “certified” service dog, what proof of this can I request?
In the United States, federal law currently decrees that no proof is required. And, in this country, there is no such thing as a service pet dog “certified” by law. certification is normally designated by the individual agency or trainer who is satisfied that the pet dog can respond appropriately to help their human partner. A pet dog is recognized as a true “service animal” under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) only when the following conditions are met:
The owner or handler has a documented special needs as defined under the ADA, “….a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or a lot more major life activities.”
The pet dog (or miniature horse) need to be trained to do a task or tasks that alleviate that disability. The mere presence of the animal (for example, “s/he gives me a reason to get up every morning”) does not qualify a pet dog as a service animal.
The pet dog (or miniature horse) need to not alter the environment for others. This indicates that s/he need to be kept on a leash and under the control of the handler in any way times in public, need to not show signs of aggression, and need to be quiet and clean.
Finally, per ADA regulations, you may only ask the following of the person with the animal: “Is this a service animal required because of a disability?” or some variation of that question. respect the fact the person is not required to describe his or her disability, carry any record of medical proof, nor respond with anything other than “yes” or “no.” The full text of the ADA guidelines may be found on the web at: . [Note: state laws must also be examinedas some states have added additional guidelines to the federal requirements.]
I’ve seen ads on the Internet using “service dog” vests or badges. Can any individual buy one of these and use it for their own dog?
Many people believe that with a “Service Dog” vest or badge, the pet dog is a legit service animal. This fraudulent practice has proliferated because there is no federal requirement that the pet dog wear an identification vest or any other special attire. Also, there is no requirement that the handler carry any proof showing that the pet dog has been trained specifically as a service animal. As a result, there are unethical individuals and companies that try to profit. The Internet is filled with uses to purchase various types of service pet dog equipment without requiring proper proof of the level of training a pet dog has had, nor medical documentation of a person’s disability.
By now, don’t a lot of people know the guidelines about service dogs and how critical it is never to separate an help pet dog from his or her partner?
Unless you work in the field of disabilities or are in need of an help dog, it is unlikely you will know the regulations, and understand how devastating it can be for both the person and his service animal if they were separated.
One image that haunts me is a picture of a man clinging to the door of an evacuation bus after Hurricane Katrina. An official with the evacuation system was holding back a guide pet dog that was straining to return to the blind gentleman clinging to the bus. As the newscast unfolded, the man, now crying, gesturing, and pleading for his guide dog, was pushed into the bus and the pet dog taken away. I’ve tried to find out what finally happened (was the pet dog ever reunited with his human partner?) but never could. considering that the lessons of Katrina, it is hoped that emergency services anywhere have recast their method – not only to help people who need their help dogs – but for animals in general. We learned after Katrina, for example, how lots of people refused to go to safety rather than leave their pet. imagine the strength of your bond with the family pet. Now, imagine, if your will, the strength of that bond for a person who depends on his or her help dog—and double it.
F.A.Q.s about service Dogs
If I run a restaurant and a person comes in with a service pet dog that is barking or is frightening customers, can I ask the person with the pet dog to leave?
The basic answer is: Yes. An help pet dog must be well trained and unless the animal is seeking help for its human partner, would never run around barking or what some may consider to be a “nuisance.” The problem is not just one of legalities here; it’s attitude. people with a viable service pet dog know that being able to go into a restaurant with their animal is a privilege. The honorable person would never abuse it.
I’m reminded of a brilliant example showing how a service pet dog must behave. during the last few days in training for my first service dog, our entire class, including our instructors, went to a restaurant. Thirteen dogs slid in under two, long tables. While eating and socializing, there was a shift change, with the initial waiters, waitresses and hostess leaving and new staff coming in. about an hour later, when we started to leave and all thirteen dogs came out from under the table, there were gasps of shock from everyone in the restaurant. Not a single customer, waiter or waitress, had known there was a mass of dogs under the two tables. That’s the kind of quiet obedience a restaurant deserves. After all, it is a privilege to be able to bring a pet dog into a food establishment. We must be completely confident that the dog’s behavior will not adversely affect the service we are using or their patrons.
My pet is so loving and comforting that I don’t want to go anywhere without him or her. Doesn’t this indicate he or she is a “service dog?”
This question comes up all the time. Although there are now decades of research confirming that the “comfort” and “love” from animals is clinically beneficial to people, this would not be acknowledged as a trained “task” by the department of Justice, which enforces the ADA. To be considered a service animal, the animal need to have been trained and able to do tasks directly related to the person’s disability.
I have a friend who paid $10,000 for her service dog. but the pet dog doesn’t seem to do anything to help her. Did she get taken?
It’s possible your friend was a victim of fraud, or the pet dog may be supplying a service for an “invisible” special needs (e.g., a seizure alert dog, or one trained to help people with severe anxiety disorders like PTSD). Unfortunately, it is also possible that your friend was, indeed, a victim of an unscrupulous purveyor. Sadly, like all avenues where money can be made, those with the fewest resources are often the most likely targeted – children, the elderly, the disabled.
Can a well-trained pet dog that is still young (about 2 years old) be donated to a service organization?
The answer lies with the basic aspect of time multiplied by cost. lots of people don’t realize that training an help pet dog can take up to two years. even then, 40% to 60% of the pool of dogs may not make it all the way through training. Unlike humans, the temperament of a pet dog is mainly based on genetic history. So, for an organization to invest two years of time and expense, they need to have as much assurance as possible that the dog’s breeding lines are complimentary of medical problems and other facets that could ultimately disqualify the dog. Thus, lots of of the larger help organizations have their own, strictly supervised breeding program. While, initially, lots of organizations tried to take family family pets that were offered, or dogs from shelters, the high drop-out rate made this financially impractical. (Note, however, that some help pet dog organizations do still work with shelter dogs. good for them!).
Are some breeds of dogs better than another?
The kind and type of dogs now used as help animals is large and varied. but there have been some general changes. Years ago, for example, German Shepherds were used nearly exclusively for guide dogs. Today, however, you are a lot more likely to see Labrador and golden Retrievers and their cross-breeds. large to medium size dogs are needed if pulling a wheel chair is the required skill; smaller breeds are often used to help those who have hearing impairments or are deaf. The type of pet dog used as a service animal will depend on the animal’s breed history, temperament, natural abilities, receptiveness to training and, above all, whether it meets the needs of the person to whom he or she will be assigned.
Is there a particularly memorable experience which has stuck with you throughout your time with service dogs?
One of the great joys in my work at the medical school was going to group homes. There, my service pet dog seemed to serve as both a catalyst and reward while we serviced various physical and behavior issues. Those with Down syndrome, for example, really improved their pronunciation when the pet dog could understand what they said. It was terrific to enjoy their faces when my pet dog swiftly (and, I might add, joyfully) responded to their requests. It was a very different situation, however, that first informed me to the amazing potential of my service dog.
We were working with a teenage kid diagnosed with severe autism. He had unexpectedly become aggressive and threatening to both the other clients and staff. Our sessions seemed to go well and the staff reported marked improvement. I was skeptical because the kid never told me how he was feeling during our sessions or, in fact, never talked at all. One day, while we were returning to the workshop after a session, his therapist and I were startled when he asked if he could hold the leash to walk the dog. Later, I learned this was the first time in a lot more than ten years any individual had ever heard him speak. It was quite an experience but, as it turned out, one that would be repeated lots of times in lots of other settings. Still, it was both a shock and an extraordinary thrill that my service pet dog had this kind of impact on someone where other types of “traditional” therapies had not.
What do you personally feel is the most satisfying part of your job as a recipient?
The opportunity to show people with a special needs how their lives can open up. A service pet dog can help someone to become a lot more independent and also a lot more involved with their community. helping people recognize this bridge has been among the most gratifying aspects of having a service pet dog at my side.
In addition to helping dogs to help others, are there other pet-related topics you are passionate about?
I’m ecstatic by the ever-widening band of scientific knowledge relating to the cognition and behavior of all the animals with whom we share our earth. It’s genuinely exciting to learn how intelligent even a tiny bird is, or the family dynamics of wolves, whales and elephants. I feel so gra