10/01/2023
The world is filled with service dogs and people who wish for them, beg for them, fake them and genuinely need them.
As a handler you hear the words,
" I want a service dog!"
"How do I get a service dog?"
"I want my dog with me everywhere I go!"
But, has anyone stopped to think about what it takes to have a service dog? What having a service dog potentially means for you and those around you?
Think about it!
Many service dog handlers do not actually have full support from their friends and family, some it takes a few years for their family to accept that they have a disability that requires a service dog.
Some handlers are lucky and have full support.
Then there begs the question, what does it actually take to have a service dog?
First and foremost, per the Ada.gov laws regarding serviced animals, you MUST have a disability that affects one or more major life activities.
If you do not have a disability diagnosed by a professional doctor, no matter how much training you give your dog, your dog will never be a service dog and will never have public access rights.
Next, is what does having a service dog actually involve???
Have you ever trained a dog before?
If no- you'll need to hire a proffessional liscensed trainer and do extensive research. That ranges anywhere between 2k- and 50k depending on who you hire, how long you hire for, and what program you choose to go through. And there are many!!! If you are brand new to this, this task can be very overwhelming, and confusing. Joining service dog educational groups is a great way to get started and be guided in finding what works for you!
If you have trained a dog before, but are still new or havnt gone beyond basic obedience such as sit, stay, down, or recall, you'll still need a guide to get you beyond basics.
It goes beyond basic obedience and a few party tricks.
IF YOU ARE SELF TRAINING, you still have to pay for the dog, and ideally you want a well bred dog to avoid early on set cancer, hip dysplasia, blindness, and other major health concerns that could impact your dogs ability to work. A 200 $ dog is much too big of a risk and will more then likely cost you thousands in medical bills. A well bred dog may cost you 1-2.5k bit is health garunteeded, and will likely be less in medical bills.
An important thing to note is feeding your dog quality food. A dog food will make or break your dog. You want a dog food with healthy benifits, less chemicals, dysplasia and by product. The best way to avoid bad dog food is to do your research. You buy what you get, meaning the cheaper, the worse off it is for your dog. Read the labels. Avoid dog food brands that have major recalls and find foods that have quality ingredients like nutrisource and inukshuk. Just how junk food makes us feel icky, sick and unwell, the same applies to our dogs! You want your dog at his best, then give him the best you can!
There is sometimes grants you can get from local service dog training groups, who may help fundraise and donate a dog for your needs, but often times there are contracts with obligations you'll need to follow, such as going through their private service dog programs wich you would still need to pay for, and often times, you do not get to choose the breed you get. After all, it's a donation.
You will need training treats, and not just one type. Ideally you want 3 to 5 different training treats and find your dogs 5$, , 10$, 20$, 50$ and 100$ value treats to help you get the most from your training sessions. You will need training gear, 6 ft leash, 30 ft leash, halti or slip collar or martingale for those who are proactive positive only traners, or if you are a balanced trainer with trained exsperience, using a prong or ecollar. But that is up to you at your discretion. Every person has different approaches to how they train their dog and its up to you to decide what you want, but if you do decide to use more tools like a prong, choke chain, or ecollar, please I urge you to to seek out guidence and advice to using these tools correctly.
Next, you'll also want a vest , although fully trained service dogs are not required to wear one. In some states it is required to label your service dog in training, as " in training " while in public areas you are training that may not be pet friendly. Many have found themselves with loads of vests and harnesses, so dont be surprised if you may end up addicted to buying service dog gear!
Then there's the basic medical bills nessisary to ensure your dogs saftey as s/he grows up including absolutely nessisary monthly vet visits for wellness exams, f***l exam, heartworm prevention medication, tick and flea meds, standard and absolutly required vaccines, rabies, which each visit will average between 100- 180$ and if you are going mobility route, ofas or pennhips wich will cost you between 300 and 2k depending where you live and the vet you choose. Please do not try to cheat yourself out if this. Parvo, distemper, and other diseases are very real and can be lethal to your dog!
Ofas cover x-rays that can tell you the conditions of your dogs eyes, hips, and elbows. Depending on the results, you may or may not need to wash your dog.
You will also probably want to do genetic testing to make sure your pup doesn't have any allergies, or genetic malformities that could affect your dogs health and wellbeing. In general, this will tell you alot about your dogs health that you'll need to know to understand your dog and his limits.
That's another 120-150+.
While it's not required , it's advised to atleast complete akcs cgc and public access test ( cgcu wich can't be done with out first completing cgc and cgca) so that you can prove your dog is trained should you face court, questioning police, or hospital care who may question your dogs capabilities. You will need to find a liscensed akc approved evaluator to preform the test, so while the test it's self may cost 25$ to register, your trainer may charge an additional fee range from 65$- upwards of 150$ and require atleast 5 classes before taking the test.
You will loose your sanity training.
You will feel overwhelmed, exhausted, amd there will be times you will want to quit. It is not easy. It is hard work. It is exhausting, and when you are disabled, this makes it so much more difficult to meet the criteria your dog needs to be a safe and well mannered service dog.
If you feel you can't handle it, you can always do training through board and train, but that's only 6- 12 week periods and you will likly have to do multiple sessions each costing between 4.5k - 15k each time depending on the trainer. Not only that but you put your dog at health risks such as flat feet, kennel cough, parvo if hes a puppy, fear reaction towards adverse tools and more. You will have no idea for sure what your trainer may be doing with your dog , or how they jandle their facility wich could also cost you your dog. Please do your research and read those warning labels.
Minimum, you need 120 hours spread over the course of 6 months for a service dog, but the reality is, you will spend 3 or 4 thousand hours training your dog and it never stops.
The reality is, while you can choose any breed of domesticated dog, not every dog is capable of being a service dog. Many, and I mean, MANY will wash from training. Due to the rigorous requirements, many service dog candidates will not become service dogs. As many as 50-70% of the candidates do not complete the training. That means doing ALLL of this over again and again until you find a dog that meets the criteria.
If neither of these options work, you can be put on a wait list for a program dog wich will be 2ok- 60k with an average cost of a well trained program dog being 40-50k. At that point you will need to make your case and why the program should choose you over the thousands of others who are needing a service dog. You will have to show your home, show that you are stable enough to financially and emotionally provide a healthy environment for that dog. You will have to share all your medical records and IF you are approved, you could be on a wait list for 2-3 years. When it comes time to meet the dog prospect, you and the dog may not fit. If not they may provide multiple dog options, but you do not get to choose the breed and the dog will only know basic tasks at best such as basic mobility, or guide. They will be fully socialized and will have completed rigorous requirements bit if your disability is not a disabilty that can be trained by any program, they will need more training, especially for seizures, blood sugar, arythmias, and more.
The reality is, do you need a service dog? Really REALLY ask your self this. Or, is the dog, so you have comfort when you are in public places, an excuse to have your dog with you where ever you go?
If your disability keeps you from major life activities such as holding a job, driving, socializing, taking care of your most basic needs, you may need a service dog your whole life. And one dog cannot sustain you your whole life, meaning you will face all these choices multiple times.
So... how much does it cost????
It will cost you thousands of hours, because the training, never ever stops. thousands of dollars in quality food, vet care, gear and training yearly.
Often many pair their service dog with other tools such as a wheelchair, testing tools to measure blood sugar levels, arythmias, mobility, breathing and more.
Being disabled is not a privilege. Having a service dog is not a want. It is not a privilege. It's a nessisary tool for survival.
