10 DIGIT ID CODE

SERVICE DOG TRAINING

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Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and local governments had given the privilege to use a service dog in public areas. The training of a service dog can be done by you, a family member, a friend or a professional trainer.

 

Note:Remember that you are 100% responsible at all times for the behavior and control of your Service or Assistance Dog, even during training.

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All of the titles, distinguishing categories and types of Service Dogs have no bearing under federal law — a Service Dog is a Service Dog. However, the various types of Service Dogs make breaking down the dogs’ functions, jobs and tasks a little easier and can make a trainer’s life less stressful. For example, a Service Dog trainer may have a ton of experience training Diabetic Alert Dogs, but may not be qualified to train and place Visual Assistance or Guide Dogs.

Some Service Dogs perform two or more functions for their disabled handler so you might hear someone say, “Oh, she’s a brace/mobility support dog and a seizure assistance dog.” There isn’t a clear way to classify all types of Service Dogs, nor is classification particularly important. The dog’s type, function, title or classification is usually left up to the dog’s handler. Finally, there’s no universally accepted list of types of Service Dogs.

 

Here’s a brief overview of several common types of Service Dogs:

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Severe Allergy Alert Dogs (AADs)

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Job: To alert their handler to life-threatening allergens that may be in the area, especially tree nuts, gluten or shellfish.

Handler: May or may not have visible signs of disability.

Gear: Allergen Alert Dogs typically wear a vest with pockets for emergency information, medical information and/or medication. For their handler’s safety in the event of an emergency and to ensure fast and accurate medical care, AADs should sport a patch that says, “IN EVENT OF EMERGENCY CHECK POCKETS.”

Notes: Often partnered with children, but can be seen partnered with any person with a life-threatening allergy. Most Allergen Alert Dogs carry medical information and emergency protocol in their vest or on a USB key attached to their collar.

 

Autism Assistance Dogs

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Job: To assist in calming and grounding an individual on the autism spectrum via tactile or deep pressure stimulation. May also assist in teaching life skills, maintaining boundaries or finding a “runner.”

Handler: Likely to be a child, but could be older. May or may not show visible signs of disability, and may or may not be verbal.

Gear: Autism Assistance Dogs don’t have distinguishing gear. If a dog’s partner is young and non-verbal, the dog should carry emergency protocol and contact information in his vest.

Notes: Autism Assistance Dogs and Sensory Processing Disorder Dogs fall into the same category and usually perform identical task work.

 

Brace/Mobility Support Dogs (BMSD)

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Job: A Brace/Mobility Support Dog works to provide bracing or counterbalancing to a partner who has balance issues due to a disability. Many BMSDs also retrieve, open/close doors or do other tasks to assist in day-to-day life or in an emergency.

Handler: Will vary in presentation depending on disability. Could be any age.

Gear: Most Brace/Mobility Support Dogs wear a specially-fitted and designed harness to help them safely assist their partner. However, just because a dog isn’t wearing a brace harness doesn’t mean he may not be a brace dog

Notes: Brace/Mobility Support Dogs must be large enough to safely support their human partner. In general, BMSD must be at least 23″ tall and 55 pounds to perform brace/counterbalance work safely, and must be proportionally larger if their human is larger than average.

 

Diabetic Alert Dogs (DADs)

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Job: To alert their handler to dangerous or potentially deadly blood sugar highs and lows. Many dogs are trained to call 911 on a special K-9 Alert Phone if their partner cannot be roused.

Handler: May show signs of visible disability, but likely will not. Could be any age from very, very young to an elderly.

Gear: Diabetic Alert Dogs typically don’t wear special gear. DADs should carry emergency protocols in their vest if the dog would ever be the first point of contact with an emergency medical team.

Notes: Diabetic Alert Dogs are also known as “Blood Sugar Alert Dogs.”

 

Hearing Dogs

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Job: To alert their deaf or Deaf handler to specifically trained environmental sounds, including, but not limited to, alarms, doorbells, knocking, phones, cars or their name.

Handler: Likely won’t show signs of disability. May or may not speak verbal English.

Gear: Hearing Dogs don’t require special gear, but many state laws designate bright orange as reserved for Hearing Dogs.

Notes: Hearing Dogs can be trained to respond to any environmental sound or cue their handler needs to know about. Just because you can’t see what a Hearing Dog is responding to doesn’t mean he’s not working.

 

Medical Alert Dogs (MADs)

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Job: To alert their handler to dangerous physiological changes such as blood pressure, hormone levels or another verifiable, measurable bodily symptom.

Handler: May or may not show signs of disability.

Gear: Depending on the handler’s disability, the dog may or may not have specialized gear.

Notes: Medical Alert Dogs’ jobs and functions can vary widely. Also, all DADs are Medical Alert Dogs, but not all Medical Alert Dogs are DADs.

 

Medical Assistance Dogs

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Job: To assist their handler with a medical disability via trained, specific, mitigating task work.

Handler: Can vary widely in presentation of disability and age.

Gear: Can vary widely based on dog’s job, function and training.

Notes: “Medical Assistance Dog” tends to be a catch-all category for a Service Dog that doesn’t “fit” anywhere else. It’s also commonly utilized when the handler doesn’t feel like going into detail.

 

Psychiatric Service Dog (PSDs)

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Job: To assist their handler with a psychiatric disability such as anxiety, depression or PTSD via specific, trained tasks.

Handler: Can vary widely in presentation but often appears to not have a disability. Often cited as having an “invisible” disability.

Gear: No special gear required.

Notes: Psychiatric Service Dogs are protected under the same federal laws that protect other Service Dogs. They must be given the exact same treatment and access rights. Note: Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) and Therapy Dogs are NOT the same as Psychiatric Service Dogs and are not covered under the ADA, and nor do they have any public access whatsoever.

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Seizure Response Dogs

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Job: To respond to their handler’s seizures via trained tasks. The dog may retrieve medication, utilize deep pressure stimulation to end a seizure early, fetch a nearby person to help or call 911. Other trained tasks are common as well.

Handler: May or may not show signs of physical disability.

Gear: Typically no special gear required.

Notes: Seizure Alert Dogs fall under this category. Please keep in mind that you cannot train a Seizure Response Dog to alert to seizures — it must be something the dog comes to do naturally via association with their human partner and an intuitive nature.

 

Visual Assistance Dogs

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Job: To guide their visually impaired or blind handler.

Handler: May or may not show signs of visible disability.

Gear: Visual Assistance Dogs will wear a guide dog harness, typically of which at least some part is white. White is the color protected for use by guide dogs and visually impaired individuals.

Notes: Visual Assistance Dogs are commonly called “Guide Dogs” or “Leader Dogs.” Most are Labs, Goldens or German Shepherds, but they can be any sturdy, even-tempered, medium or large breed dog.

 

Wheelchair Assistance Dogs

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Job: To assist their partner by retrieving dropped objects, opening doors, retrieving the phone, helping with transfers or anything else their partner may need.

Handler: Is in a wheelchair. May or may not be ambulatory at times.

Gear: No special gear required, but many wear a special harness to assist in pulling a chair or opening a door.

Notes: Wheelchair Assistance Dogs can vary widely in trained tasks and actual job.

 

Narcolepsy Service Dog

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Job: They can stand over the person’s lap when an attack comes on, which prevents them from sliding out of a chair onto the floor; they can also stand over the person to protect them if they are out in public, or they can go get help. And most importantly, they can provide a warning up to 5 minutes before an attack comes on, giving their handler a chance to get to a safe place or a safe position.

Handler: Has a brain disorder that affects the ability to control sleep-wake cycles. This can mean a person suddenly falls asleep, even in the middle of a task. It’s a dangerous condition, as someone who has an attack could be injured falling to the ground or could have a car accident if it happens while driving.

Gear: No special gear required.

Notes: To find a dog that is a good match for a narcolepsy patient, Trainer’s look for “a dog with a high ‘play’ drive that is always ready and attentive to their handler, not a dog too high energy, but one that is at all times alert and ready to go. We also look for a match between the dog’s energy level with their handler as well as personality similarities (analytical, driver, amiable, expressive, etc).”

 

Migraine Alert Dog​

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Job: A dog's sense of smell helps them notice changes in your systems that are probably otherwise unnoticeable to you. When the dog is trained in migraine therapy, he or she will know what to do to get your attention, including:

• Staring at your or sticking very closely

• Giving you a nudge or licking you

• Circling around you

• Barking to get your attention

Handler: For migraine sufferers, early warning signs are a godsend that often enable them to sidestep the pain through early medication. Everyone with migraine eventually learns their own patterns and triggers, how to adapt their behavior to avoid known triggers, and what to do when presented with recognizable warning signs.

Gear: Depending on the handler’s disability, the dog may or may not have specialized gear.

Notes: Even though most pets are perceptive about changes with their owners, pet dogs won't necessarily be able to alert you in the way that a migraine therapy dog does. A dog's temperament also plays a role in how well they can be used for this type of therapy.

However, the good news is that many owners are blessed with dogs that pick up on their migraines naturally, with one study revealing that 50 to 60 percent of dogs could detect their owners' migraines.

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YOUR SERVICE ANIMAL MUST BE WELL-BEHAVED

It is a need that you must have a control over your service dog at all times and as a team comprised by you (the owner/handler) and your service animal. A service dog must be well-mannered. And if your dog is lack of training, it is our honor to tell and recommend purchasing a gear with him/her. “All service animals must be leashed, harnessed, or tethered” according to the guidelines of ADA. But service animals can be unleashed in instances like picking up, in rescue or searching for an object or a thing. The owner/handler must still have a control over their service dog (voice, hand gesture, any form of signal).

 

Note:Dismissal: Any dog that displays aggressive behavior (growling, biting, raising hackles, showing teeth, etc.) or exhibits otherwise unmanageable behavior will not qualify as a Service Animal.