More than a furry friend: The role of a service dog

While service dogs provide a comforting role simply by being dogs, they also have a big job to do. Over the years, service dogs have been increasingly common and trained to perform a wide variety of tasks. There is even a dispute if service dogs may go back as far as the Roman Empire.

Because dogs have more acute senses than us, and also because Sally Said So Professional Dog Training Greensboro train them so easily, they play an important role in many people’s lives.

Guiding the blind 

One of the more well-known purposes of service dogs is by guiding those who experience visual impairment. They’re intended to help divert those with these disabilities from placing themselves in any dangerous situation. They also help individuals navigate throughout their day to day lives in a way that would be considerably harder for them to do otherwise. Standard Poodles, Labradors, Golden Retrievers, and Labradoodles are generally chosen to fulfill this role due to their temperament. Without these furry friends, it would be much more difficult for persons with visual impairments to get around!

An extra set of ears 

A less known use of service animals is assisting those who experience hearing impairment. These dogs have to differentiate between various sounds in their environment and sounds that are pertinent to their handler. They can inform their owner when someone calls their name, when the doorbell rings, or even when their phone is receiving a call. They require only a short period of training, from several months to a year. We do not often think of the tasks that hearing impairment would make difficult, but these pups help find a solution. 

Emotional support 

Not all disabilities are visible to the naked eye, and that is where emotional support animals play a role. They help subside symptoms of their owners’ experience related to emotional or mental health issues. Emotional support dogs don’t need any training like other service animals and are simply there to provide comfort to their owner to abate symptoms. However, according to the experts of https://therapetic.org consultation with a psychiatrist is necessary to obtain an ESA letter. An ESA letter is a letter that allows an owner of an emotional support dog or other animals to enter public places, travel, or avoid discrimination when it comes to housing. 

Diabetic and seizure alerts 

Given that dogs have more acute sense than us in many areas, it is no wonder that they can predict when many health-related events are going to happen. Diabetic service dogs are able to remind owners to check their blood sugar levels if they get too high or too low. If an owner is experiencing an instance of hyper, or hypoglycemia a diabetic alert dog can also inform any household member they need help. They may even be trained to call emergency services using a special button on a telephone, or another device. 

Seizure alert dogs also exist and can help an owner prepare for an imminent seizure. They alert the owner that they may be experiencing a seizure soon, and they are able to get themselves out of harm’s way. Sometimes when dogs are living with individuals who have epilepsy, they may begin to develop an awareness of when they will have seizures. While some people have questioned the reliability of both of these kinds of alert service animals, seizure alert dogs are highly disputed despite anecdotal claims of their efficacy. 

Psychiatric service dogs

Psychiatric service dogs are able to help people who experience a wide range of psychiatric disorders. They can help those who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder or have high rates of recurring panic attacks. In these cases, they provide comfort similar to emotional support animals, but they do this as a trained response. They are also trained to provide deep-pressure therapy and may put their weight on top of an individual in order to calm them. Whereas emotional support animals or dogs calm the owner from their mental or emotional impairment through their presence. 

In many developed countries, service dogs are allowed anywhere that the general public is allowed. In the United States, there are some exceptions, especially where the health and safety of individuals is a concern. However, given that these animals play such an essential role in so many people’s lives, it’s great that they are able to travel so freely in many countries. So the next time you see a service dog hard at work, make sure you give them some space. They have a job to do.