Service Dogs Help People

A service dog is a type of assistance dog specifically trained to help people who have disabilities. These dogs have helped people for a very long time, but having service dog isn’t perfect.Imagine you are a dog trained to help a disabled person. Would it feel good or bad? Dogs are still dogs, no matter how much they are trained. There will always be advantages and disadvantages to having a service dog.

How Do Dogs Help People?

Dogs help people in many different ways. There’s the service dog, the most common type of helping dog. They help people with all types of disabilities. There’s physical disabilities like physical impairments, blindness, deafness, or hearing impairments. They also help people with mental illnesses such as PTSD, depression,

Service dogs are no different. Like any other dog, service dogs do die. They have a lifespan of usually 14-16 years, but even if the dog does live up to 16 years, it may too old to continue its duty for its owner. And when it's time for the dog to die or retire, it usually leaves its owner in emotional distress or a period of grief. Having a service dog is a large time commitment. Unlike a human helper, service dogs can’t look after themselves. They can’t get a job, so they don’t earn any money. The dogs can’t buy food, water, vet care, etc. That makes having a service dog very costly. The training of the dog can cost $20,000 to $50,000 and the cost of the dog can be a few hundred dollars up to $7,000. Plus, the basic needs can cost $287-$2,486 yearly. Service dogs can draw attention. Let’s say you’re in a wheelchair, paralyzed, and you have a service dog. You’re on your way to work and all of a sudden, a little kid comes up to you and starts petting your dog. Of course, your dog has been trained not to bite, and you can’t possibly tell a child to go away. So in the end, you end up late to work. “Uninformed businesses may (though not legally) question a person’s need for a service dog and cause difficulty for a person with a service dog.” says Capital Area Parkinson's

Advantages Of Service Dogs

There’s more to service dogs than just pushing a wheelchair or guiding the blind. Service dogs do actually provide exercise to its owner. The dogs need to exercise and when the owner throws a ball, it gives the dog and the owner, some sort of physical movement. A service dog also has social benefits. Many people (especially children) that are disabled feel isolated or alone from the outside world. Having a service dog helps break that barrier. For instance, if someone would feel uncomfortable asking about a person’s disabilities, they can show interest to how the dog helps the person.

Being disabled has one major disadvantage, you can’t protect yourself. Luckily, having a service dog gives security to the owner. A dog can be very intimidating, especially with its loud bark. If anyone tries to hurt the disabled, the dog’s bark can be a warning to stay away.

Relationships can also form bonds between dog and owner.Because dogs are with its owner almost 24/7, they offer companionship to its owner. Most people, usually children, will form a deep bond with the dog. The dog can be a psychological lift for its