An Inside Look at Service Dogs

 

     This post was originally shared by an acquaintance in one of the online Service Dog groups I am a part of.  With his permission, I am sharing it with you all.   If it touches you the way it moved me, please forward it on to a friend.

 

 

 Written by Todd Smith.

“You are so lucky!”

We hear it frequently. And it always makes me cringe.

Many times when I am out and about with my wife and her guide dog, people comment about how ‘lucky’ she is. I like to think it is because she is married to me, but after a few years of hearing it, I now know better.

It is because of her guide dog.

The comments are, for the most part, innocently made because of the general public’s misunderstanding of just exactly how being blind can impact a person’s day-to-day living. They do not see the barriers, both physical and mental, which must be overcome in order to do the same things that so-called “normal” people do every day and seemingly take for granted. Things like getting safely from one place to the next, not bumping into other people and things when walking, noticing hazards that can trip someone easily and possibly cause an injury, and even simply walking across the street without being hit by an inattentive driver. These are some of the reasons she has her guide dog with her, not because she is ‘lucky’. And yet we hear it all the time: “You are so lucky that you can have your dog come with you. I wish I could take my dog with me everywhere I go.” They never see the real reason behind having the guide dog; all they see is the dog.

And it is not just guide dog users that hear the ‘lucky’ platitude. The general public sees a person with any kind of disability who uses any kind of service dog and automatically uses THEIR OWN interpretation of THEIR OWN life to come to the conclusion that somehow being able to have the service dog “along for the ride” makes the person with the disability ‘lucky’, because, after all, “you get to take your special friend along everywhere you go”.

The sentiment is genuine, but the understanding is lacking.

So, was my wife ‘lucky’ that she was shaken as an infant, causing her retinas to detach? Was she ‘lucky’ to have the scars on the inside of her brain from the shaking to swell, press on her brain stem, and cause her to have seizures? Is she also ‘lucky’ that the visual cortex in her brain was so damaged by the shaking that there is no type of medical treatment or procedure which can ever allow her to see ‘normally’?

She will never do the simple things that others with ‘normal’ vision do. She adapts by using special programs on her computer to ‘read’ the text on the screen. She adapts by using a portable GPS device because she can’t read the street signs. She adapts by using an Audio Description service when we go to the movies or a live performance play. She adapts by using specially marked knobs on the stove, washer, dryer, dishwasher, and with marked shelves in the pantry and kitchen. She adapts by walking or taking the bus or train because she cannot drive. She adapts when shopping by using a UPC scanner to read what the items are. And yes, she adapts in her travels by using a guide dog because she can’t see you and your shopping cart, automobile, stroller, or anything else. Is that what makes her 'lucky'?

I can honestly tell you that my wife would turn her guide dog into a pet dog in a New York minute if doing so meant that she could see like every 'normal' person and not have to constantly be gawked at, questioned, bullied, and made to feel inferior simply because of the type of mitigating device she uses to try and compensate for her blindness. Would she still be 'lucky' then?

The whole 'lucky' bit comes from those who are dog lovers and would like to be able to take their pet dog places with them. That’s all they see when they see a service dog working for a person with a disability: being able to take a dog places. Their thought patterns are all about them and their own desires; not about what is going on in the real world of those with disabilities. It is kind of like saying this to a person in a wheelchair: "You are so lucky that you get to sit down all the time."

Using a service dog is a lot of work. It’s expensive. It’s time consuming. The logistics are mind numbing. One has to prepare many things in advance just to take a quick trip to the store. The dog has to be brushed, relieved, have all the gear in place, special leashes, and many other things which differ depending on what the dog needs to do. And when it comes to trips that are overnight or longer, there is a lot more which needs to be considered such as food, bowls, clean up supplies, crates or sleeping mats, vaccination records, and other things. At least a wheelchair doesn’t have to be fed, watered, walked or relieved. A white cane won’t get sick in the hotel room and puke on the carpet. But for many service dog handlers, a wheelchair or white cane simply cannot do what needs to be done efficiently or quickly, and many times cannot give the personal confidence and reassurance that handling a properly trained service dog can bring.

When one truly has an understanding of what the day-to-day life of a person with a disability who uses a service dog is, one is in a better position to see that it isn’t ‘luck’; it’s adaptability. It’s overcoming. It’s finding a way to get things done in spite of the challenges one faces. In the simplest term: It’s doing what works best to be as independent as possible. There is no ‘luck’ involved.

A Little Clarity, Titles for Dogs and What They Are

Brutus Paul RA has been conditioned to work under vest as a Therapy Dog

    In the dog world, there is a diverse array of options when choosing training goals.  Many of us can clearly articulate the skills we want to build in our companions, but do not necessarily use AKC recognized Titles (or their acronyms) when describing them.  I am not competitive in nature, but I have chosen to be tested for some awards and titles so I have a standardized gauge to measure my progress.

     Here is a brief rundown of the most commonly used (and mis-used) titles I hear on a daily basis.

    CGC: Canine Good Citizen award. It is earned through a basic 10 step test.  This is an award offered through the AKC to reward responsible owners, and well behaved dogs.  It does NOT grant access or privileges not available to the general public.  For more information about this reward, click here.  If you are in the Charlotte NC area and would like to be tested, you may contact me.

     Therapy Dog: This is a title for a dog who has been certified by either TDI (Therapy Dogs International) or Delta Pet Partners.  Dog and handler teams with these titles have been tested,  evaluated, and deemed safe to participate in a wide variety to helpful programs.  Even Certified Therapy Dogs may have rules their handler prefers them observe.  Always be sure to ask before petting, even though it is most likely very welcome!  Click on either one of the names to learn more about the organization. 



     Service Dog:  This is an animal that is specifically conditioned to do work, or perform tasks for a person with a disability.  The disability can be physical or mental.  It is quite rude to approach and ask a person what their Service Animal is for (it is asking them to share personal medical details), they may choose to share that information, or not. The animal is almost always identified properly with a clearly marked vest.  It has access to any place the handler does by law.  Your attention could inhibit it's ability to do it's job (ie. you could be putting some one's life in danger by trying to distract it).

Grace is a service dog

     Working Dog:  A dog that has been specially trained for a specific task.  There are many different types of Working dogs: Service Dogs, Therapy dogs, Scent Detection (Narcotics, Explosives etc.), Personal Protection Dogs, and Herding Dogs (just to name a few).  If you are not sure, and particularly, if a dog is wearing a vest, best ask to pet, it may be working!

     AKC Titles :  (Click on the link to the left) The American Kennel Club has a vast array of accomplishments you can earn!  There are over 80.  I cannot list them all (I don't even know them all!) so I have provided you a link to look them over.  They cover skills from agility, obedience, herding, hunting, and more!  Check them out and you may find a new activity you and your pup will love!

*Check out the facebook page

Non-Perfection

     Everyone always assumes that the trainer's dogs are perfect.  Such a dangerous thought!  My dogs have simply been exposed to a lot of structure consistantly enough to adapt to MY needs.  That means ME personally.  It does not mean that anyone at any time can do anything to them, especially outlandish or harmful things.  Before I developed a spine, I would have people I was not acquainted with walk up to me and my dogs and begin talking inches from their faces in weird gibberish voices, rough-housing, or poking them.  Their excuse?  "Oh, well if you're a dog trainer your dogs like this, right?"  I am still a person who has the same expectation of privacy and personal space and I insist on the same rights for my canine companions.

     My dogs have achieved great things.  They do not pee or poop in the house.  They allow me to constantly touch and play with their nose and toes (my two favorite doggy parts!).  They never complain when I sing (quite badly) to them.  Brutus Paul got his Canine Good Citizen award years ago, was a Delta certified Therapy Dog, earned Rally Novice and Rally Advanced titles.  Grace qualified for her Canine Good Citizen award and Delta Therapy Dog certification, but the paperwork was never submitted (she was simply tested to gauge her training progress).  She went through intense conditioning with another trainer before I adopted her to prepare for Service Animal work, so had been socialized and desensitized to a multitude of environments. 

     When Brutus and Grace accompany me anywhere, there are not permitted to pull on the leash, use the restroom on inappropriate places, bark, or jump up on people.  Brutus has some cute tricks he likes to show off- "Bang!" (Play Dead), "Wave Hello", and "Get Low" (lie flat with your head down).  In public, Grace will lie so quietly for so long where I place her, that many people do not even realize she is present unless they see us enter or exit. 

     At home, my fur babies are my companions while my Matthew is at work.  Whether cuddling on the couch, playing fetch, taking a walk, or any other activity we choose Brutus and Grace are willing to accommodate my ever-changing whims. 

     If you choose to visit me at my house, Brutus will bark to let me know you have arrived, and Grace will whine.  When Matthew arrives home from work the dogs like to dance around him in circles and whine slightly, which annoys him to no end (I personally, think it's adorable!).  You may notice I never allow Brutus off-leash unless he is in a fenced in, safe place.  This is because his recall is still not completely trustworthy- when we are harnessed up properly he will track an animal for several miles, and I do not enjoy taking hours-long hikes unexpectedly.  Grace can handle petting with guidance, but if a stranger was to walk up to her and just start rubbing all over her, she would likely try to nibble and jostle them. 

     My personal training style relies mostly on accurate handling, which allows canines to learn multiple skills more quickly (as opposed to styles that rely heavily on muscle memory, for example.) My pups are not machines.  Behavioral Conditioning to the extent my dogs have been exposed to through me makes them more adept problem solvers.  Brutus's sweet sense of mischief and Grace's stealthy sense of humor means I am very selective about who I will let even hold their leashes, or deliver commands.   If I was to give my pups to someone who would not follow through and be sure their behavior was consistent, they would quickly adapt to suit their own purposes. 

     Dogs become "Good Dogs" with structure and guidance.  They are not magically "Perfect" just because they happen to be standing with a trainer.  I love to have a conversations with anyone I meet, whether it is about dogs or even just the weather!  It is exponentially more enjoyable when I am treated like a normal human being, and my dogs are too.