Service dogs can assist with an incredibly wide variety of medical conditions and disabilities. They can also help alleviate specific symptoms or side effects. Those who require mobility assistance, have several medical conditions or disabilities, struggle with “everyday” tasks, or want more independence are all great candidates for service dogs.
Although you are the only person who can ultimately decide whether or not you need a service dog, hopefully this article will help bring you closer to a decision.
Let’s look at 4 signs you may need a service dog.
1. You Require Mobility Assistance
Although individuals who require mobility assistance are still independent, having a service dog may make their lives easier. Those who use mobility aids such as wheelchairs, walkers, canes, and crutches can benefit from a service dog.
Service dogs provide two types of protection for those with mobility aids. Firstly, a service dog can help maintain an area of space around your mobility aid and keep other people from pushing against (and potentially damaging) your aids. Secondly, a service dog can supplement your mobility aid by providing you with an extra source of balance and stability. If you fall or stumble, can you grab onto your service dog until you are able to right yourself.
Should it be needed, a service dog can also be trained to fetch help. If you fall down and are unable to get up, or even if your mobility aid fails or is damaged, your service dog can flag down a passerby to help. Within your neighborhood, a service dog can be trained to target a specific person or home in case of a mobility emergency.
Some of the most popular service dog breeds are medium and larger size breeds, which are ideal for bracing and mobility assistance. Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers are two of the most common service dog breeds to see, but service dogs can range in size.
2. You Have Compounding Medical Conditions or Disabilities
Individuals with only one serious medical condition or disability often require a service dog. But if you have compounding conditions (e.g., multiple disabilities or conditions), then a service dog can help improve your daily life and alleviate symptoms. This is especially true because the symptoms and side effects of one disability or condition can exacerbate another, creating a sort of feedback loop of issues. Service dogs can help break this cycle.
Common conditions and disabilities that require a service dog include arthritis, serious allergies, asthma, alcohol or drug dependency, diabetes, high blood pressure, hearing impairments, heart disease, seizures or fainting spells, and visual impairments. Keep in mind, these are just a few of an extremely wide range of conditions and disabilities. This list also emphasizes physical conditions, though there are many emotional and psychiatric conditions and disabilities that could be improved through the use of a service dog.
Notably, therapy dogs can also provide relief for certain medical conditions and disabilities. Although there are differences between service dogs and therapy dogs, therapy dogs can provide vital socialization, comfort, and support to individuals. Therapy dogs often focus on emotional support, while therapy dogs provide physical support and assistance. Consider which is more appropriate for your lifestyle.
Unfortunately, there are some agencies that require the service dog to be the only canine in the home. Therefore, if a combination of a service dog and therapy animal works best for you, you may need to be creative. There are many popular therapy animals besides dogs that could coexist fine with a service dog, including rabbits and cats.
3. You Struggle with Daily Tasks
Think of what a “normal” day looks like for you: do you struggle with tasks that others consider menial or easy? Is your daily life demonstrably impacted by a medical condition or disability? If the answer to either of these questions is ‘yes,’ then you may want to consider adding a service dog to your household.
Service dogs can handle a wide variety of everyday tasks, including opening or closing doors, helping with groceries and laundry, and even fetching and carrying items around for you. These are just a few examples of tasks service dogs perform that can make your life easier in the home, at work, and even out with your friends.
Reducing the physical stress associated with daily tasks can even give you the confidence and ability to tackle more intensive activities. For example, travel and vacations may be less taxing with a service dog. This is especially true if you go to a place that specifically caters to your service animal, such as a dog friendly national park or a dog friendly resort.
4. You Want More Independence
Service dogs provide individuals with greater independence. Service dogs provide individuals with more control over their surroundings and over their own bodies. With the assistance of a service dog, you can have more energy and time to dedicate to your job, hobbies, and social activities.
If you are avoiding activities that you would otherwise enjoy because you are afraid of exacerbating a medical condition or disability, you may want to consider a service dog. Activities like visiting the beach, going to concerts, exploring tourist attractions, and even just eating out can all be made easier with a service dog.
Depending on your medical condition, a medical alert dog may be the more appropriate choice. Medical alert dogs are a subset of service dogs that alert their owners based on a medical or health condition. For example, alert dogs can tell you if your blood sugar is low, a seizure is imminent, your allergies are flaring up, and more.
Such dogs can provide you with greater autonomy by increasing your knowledge and control of situations that impact your health. For example, an alert dog’s warning could let you know if you need to move to a new (safer) environment or provide warnings or instructions to nearby individuals.
