How to Get a Service Dog - A Complete Guide

What is a Service Dog?

A service dog is a trained dog that is specifically trained to perform a certain kind of job or task. Usually, people who suffer from some kind of physical deformity or limitation like hearing disability, blindness, seizures and panic attacks.

A service dog can perform a lot of functions like steering the wheelchair, alerting a person before the possible seizure attack, reminding a mentally disabled person to take the medication and calming someone from a panic attack. Similarly, diabetic alert dogs are trained to alert their owner of low or high blood sugar that they monitor through the specific scent in the owner’s breath.

A service dog could be of great help for the people who are suffering from several physical and mental deformities and this is why Americans suffering from them are moving towards having them. Besides service dogs, miniature service horses are also quite famous but since they are larger than dogs, people still prefer dogs.

2. How to Qualify a Dog to be a Service Dog?

So, what are the prerequisites of qualifying a dog as a service animal? There are many and getting a service dog could be even costlier than an emotional support animal or dog. Where an ESA is not expected to perform any specific duties, a service dog or animal is different and it needs to be sufficiently trained before qualifying.

Following are the basic steps that you need to follow to get your dog qualified as a service dog.

Service Dog Vs. Emotional Support Animal

A service dog is different from an emotional support dog and where an ESA dog is there to provide comfort and support only, a service dog is here to do some form of ‘service’. This is where the difference between emotional support animal vs. service animal lies and they are equally different in purposes also.

An ESA dog or animal is not specifically trained to do any kind of task and just needs to be housebroken and disciplined to be considered and certified as an ESA. An ESA could be any animal and the list is not limited to dogs and cats only. However, only dogs and miniature horses are recognized for being service animals.

The main reason for it is that, often, a service animal needs to steer the wheelchair of their handler, which is not possible for cats and other fragile animals.

How to Get Your Dog to Be a Service Dog?

So, what are the prerequisites of qualifying a dog as a service animal? There are many, and getting a service dog could be even costlier than an emotional support animal or dog. Where an ESA is not expected to perform any specific duties, a service dog or animal is different, and it needs to be sufficiently trained before qualifying.

The following are the basic steps that you need to follow to get your dog qualified as a service dog.

Deciding the Kind of Dog

Once you have decided that you need a service dog for your help, you must decide the kind and breed of dog that you want as your service animal. Generally, dogs like Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, Huskies, Great Danes, Great Pyrenees, and Labrador Retrievers are used as service dogs.

Versatile working breeds like Black Mouth Curs can also excel as service dogs, particularly for handlers who need a loyal, athletic companion with strong work drive.

While large guardian breeds like Caucasian Shepherds and Presa Canarios, and Dogo Argentinos can also be trained as service dogs, particularly for psychiatric service work, traditional breeds are more commonly recommended for first-time handlers. These powerful guardian breeds require extensive professional training and experienced handling.

These dogs are trained to help people who are visually impaired and need assistance with everyday activities. Some people send their dog for a specific service dog training program to help them detect blood sugar, too.

Before choosing a dog, we suggest that you get the dog thoroughly examined to know about its health and if it is fit to be a service dog. Besides health, the animal must also fit the mood and personality of the owner to form a successful companionship.

Get your Dog Professionally Trained

While many people like to go for professional training for their service dogs, these dogs can also be successfully trained at home. There are no policies in the Americans with Disabilities Act that say that you need to get your dog professionally trained.

However, as a general rule, the service dog must be disciplined and able to perform the desired task satisfactorily.

Complete the Training Requirements of your Service Dog

Working with a service dog is like educating a child. You need to invest effort, time, and money to get the desired results. While there is no minimum training time or duration that is required to qualify as a service dog, you must spend ample time training your future service dog.

As per the international standards, a dog must have at least 120 hours and six months of training while as per the law in the United States, there is no particular law. Still, the dog must go through 30 hours of training process and time spent in public.

Mainly, your dog must be trained to perform tasks successfully while being adequately trained in staying under control and disciplined in public. The tasks vary from person to person but some of them include giving warning to the person before the seizure attack and getting the needed help.

Taking the Public Access Examination

While your dog does not need to be professionally trained, it needs to pass the Public Access Examination to qualify as a service dog. Following is the criteria that it must fulfill to be an official service dog.

• It must not show any assertive qualities
• It must not sniff anyone unless it is told to do it
• It must not show any attachment with food or ask for food from strangers, the very doggy thing
• It must not be super excited and eager to be outside or get close to the strangers

This criterion is also available in a downloadable format that you can get from the ADI.

Getting the Certificate for your Service Dog

Luckily, like an emotional support animal, you do not need any legal letter or certificate to prove your service dog’s legitimacy. Your dog just needs to be sufficiently trained to work for you and this is enough. In case someone asks you to provide the papers to prove the legal status of your service dog, documents stating that the dog has proper and complete training to be a service dog is quite enough and acceptable.

Presenting the case verbally and showing the training certificate is enough for you to continue living and traveling with your service dog.

What is the Eligibility Criteria to Get a Service Dog?

What is the eligibility criteria for a service dog? Just like emotional support animals, a service dog also has some criteria that you need to fulfill in order to be eligible for a service dog.

• The applicant must be 12 years of age unless the dog is needed for an autistic kid
• He must have a diagnosed mental or physical disability like PTSD, chronic illness or some neurological disorder that has left him or her disabled to perform everyday tasks properly
• The person must be capable, physically and mentally, to train a service dog or get a personal trainer for the purpose
• The person should be capable of handling and commanding the service dog independently
• The person must be capable of fulfilling the physical, mental and financial needs of the service dog since it could be costlier than getting an ESA
• The person must not have any other dogs or pets in the house

Since the handler will be handling the dog himself, he must be capable to command and tell it what to do and control it in public places.

How to Get a Doctor’s Note for a Service Dog?

Many people often wonder how to get a service dog and a doctor’s note for getting one. Though you do not need a doctor’s note or letter to show that your dog is a service dog, especially if you have a visible physical deformity. However, your note or letter must come from a licensed health therapist like a medical doctor, a psychiatrist, a vocational case manager, a clinical social worker, a psychologist or a licensed therapist.

You will need a genuine doctor’s note if you are traveling, as the Air Carrier Access Act requires some formal documentation, like your dog’s ID card, tags, a genuine doctor’s note, and other required documentation, to travel with your service dog.

Documentation Required for a Service Dog

There is no formal registration, certification, or government-issued ID required for a service dog. In most situations, you are not legally required to show documentation. However, for housing or travel, you may be asked to provide verification of your disability and your need for a service dog under applicable laws.

Choosing the right service dog breed is important because service dogs assist both visible disabilities, such as blindness, mobility limitations, or hearing loss, and non-visible disabilities, including psychiatric conditions that still require task-trained support.

While documentation relates to the handler rather than certifying the dog, owning a service dog involves significant financial responsibility.

Training a dog yourself is generally less expensive, while a professionally trained service dog typically costs $15,000 to $30,000, and in some cases up to $50,000, depending on breed and task complexity. Ongoing annual expenses for veterinary care, food, grooming, equipment, and health maintenance usually range from $500 to $10,000.

How to Get your Dog Trained as a Service Dog?

To get your dog trained, you can consult a professional dog trainer for it. On average, a service dog trainer costs $150 to $250 an hour. Additionally, a service dog could take up to two years to be fully trained to provide the required services.

How to Get a Service Dog for Free?

While there is no way to get a service dog for free unless you already have a dog and you train him yourself, there are some ways to afford one. Below are the top 5 ways to get a service dog for a little, or even mo, fee:

• Get the dog from a non-profit service dog organization; Assistance Dogs International and Service Dogs for America
• Get your dog with a flexible spending option
• Crowdfund and take help from your social networks to raise money to buy your dog
• Use your savings
• Take a personal loan, if possible

A non-profit organization will provide you a trained service dog for a nominal fee and in some cases, even for free.

What Kind of a Service Dog Should I Get?

Before getting your service dog, it is important to decide the type of dog that you want. This largely depends on your condition and the kind of assistance you need. Generally, the following kinds of dogs are used for various assistance purposes.

• Guide Dogs: Help the blind and visually impaired people.
• Hearing Assistance Dogs: Help people with hearing disabilities.
• Seizure Alert Dogs: Alert the people before the onset of the attack.
• Allergy Detection Dogs: Help in detecting allergy-causing elements.
• Diabetic Alert Dogs: Alert the person about the chemical changes in his body.
• Mobility Assistance Dogs: Assist the person in pushing buttons and doing other tasks.
• Psychiatric Service Dogs: Trained to help people with a mental disability, PTSD, schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorder. To qualify for one, you’ll need a PSD letter from a licensed mental health professional.
• Autism Support Dogs: Help kids and adults dealing with autistic disorder.
• FASD Service Dogs: Helps the kids of fetal alcohol abuse

Make sure that you are confirmed about the kind of dog that you need and your diagnosis is clear about it. A good thing about service dogs is that you will not need an ESA letter for it but, you will still need to train your dog before applying for the service dog certification.