By Guest Blogger, Sue Kindred, President, Service Dog 411
Congratulations! You’ve decided to explore the idea that a service dog might help provide
you with increased independence or an enhanced quality of life.
You’re having a good day – one mixed in with all the bad
days – so you open your computer and start your Internet search. You type in “Service Dogs” and lo and
behold, you get 31 million links to follow. Now what? Where
do you start … what do you click on first? And, just suppose you find a site that looks pretty good to
you … what questions should you ask?
The first thing you need to know is that for many
service dog organizations, it is their job to sell you on their program. They will tell you why they’re the best
and many times, they’ll tell you what they think you want to hear. Reputable organizations will tell you
the truth which might be … “we’re not a good fit for you”, or “we don’t think our trainers can
train what you need”. But often an
organization will sell you hope. Hope that things will get better just as soon as you get a dog in your
life.
Start
your journey before you ever crack open your laptop by contemplating your
lifestyle, the amount of time you have available for training, your commitment
of financial resources, training preference style (doing it yourself by working
with a qualified trainer or waiting for an organization to provide a fully
trained dog) and whether your disability is static or changing. The answers to these questions will
inform the direction your research should take.
It’s not enough to know what questions to ask. You need to understand the answers you should
get in return. So, here are few
questions to consider and answers that make sense. This is by no means a comprehensive list, but it’s a place
to start.
Do you offer your program to
people who reside outside your geographic area? You will first
want to know whether or not the program will accept you as an applicant
presuming their program is a good fit for your disability. If the program only provides service dogs in their city or state and you live outside that area, move on to the next program on your list.
Do you have any age restrictions? Age restriction will be an important
factor if you are searching for a service dog for a child. Many organizations will not place a
service dog for applicants under the age of 12.
What types of programs do you
offer? Do you have a specific
specialty? Some programs specialize in one or two
types of training. For example,
training a diabetic alert dog is not the same training that would be used for
training a dog for post-traumatic stress. Make certain the organization has qualified and experienced trainers who
excel at training the types of tasks and behaviors your service dog needs. Ask them how many dogs they’ve placed and over what period
of time.
Where do you obtain the dogs
used in your program? Do you have
your own breeding program? What
breeds do you typically use? There is no right or wrong answer
here. You simply want to ensure
that the dogs are temperament and personality tested (and scent tested if for
medical alert work) to ensure they are the right fit for service work. Keep in mind that rescue dogs will not
come with a health guarantee but can still make an awesome service dog.
What do you charge for placing
and/or training a service dog? How
long is the waiting list? And, how
old are the dogs when they are typically placed? Do you guarantee a match? Prices range
anywhere from $20,000 to free of charge depending on the organization. The waiting list can be from a couple
of months to as long as five years. And, a fully trained dog will likely be between 18 and 24 months when
placed; partially trained or untrained dogs can be placed as young as 4-5
months. Some organizations offer
and/or encourage fundraising as a way to pay for the cost of the dog.
How long do you follow a client after
they are placed with a dog? Does
the client have the opportunity to
receive follow-up training if necessary? Organizations should
ideally have a policy that follows their clients for the working life of the
service dog.
And, if you decide that your one day of feeling good isn’t
quite enough to manage this tsunami of information, consider contacting Service Dog 411. For a very small fee, they will consult
with you about what you need and the process involved in selecting a provider. They will work with you, one-on-one,
helping to determine YOUR best course
of action, leaving you more time
to take care of yourself and your health.
