8 Service Dog Secrets

There’s no denying the fact that dogs are amazing creatures. They provide companionship and joy, and keep their owners active and young at heart. Service dogs are a particular set of canines that venture into the extraordinary. These highly trained animals can perform countless tasks to aid their owner, and can benefit people with both physical and mental disabilities. Not only can service dogs reduce anxiety, they can flip light switches, retrieve objects, alert owners to sounds and sights, and even help with laundry.

At It’s A Dog’s World K – 9 Academy, we train in basic obedience through advanced on and off leash training. Although we do not handle specific service training, our experienced CPDT trainers certify loving pups for Canine Good Citizen certificates and prepare dogs for their official Therapy Dog Test. We recently had the pleasure of training Luna (German Shepherd pictured below) to walk with her owner without pulling and fine-tune her house manners. Luna graduated in early February and is home with her owner and doing great! Luna’s achievements reminded us how important it is to recognize the accomplishments of all of our pets, especially those who are helping their humans.

Service dogs in particular hold a special place in our hearts, and while their heroics are well known, we came across some lesser-known facts that range from incredible to informative. It’s A Dog’s World has the upmost respect for service dogs, and in honor of their important work we’ve compiled a list of eight things you may not have known about these amazing creatures (in no particular order).

• While it’s common to see Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, and Labradors aiding their humans in service, it’s a lesser-known fact that Pit Bulls and Samoyeds are becoming popular picks for service dogs.

• Certain breeds can be trained to detect scent changes human blood to predict seizures, in some cases up to two hours ahead of time.

• Asking to pet an animal before you reach out is always advised, and even more important with service dogs. Resisting the temptation altogether is usually best, considering they’re on the job.

• A service dog and a comfort dog are two different titles, and mean different things. Service dogs are individually trained to perform tasks for people who are disabled. Comfort dogs have not been trained to perform specific tasks, but help alleviate stress and anxiety for their owners.

• Some trainers begin working with service dogs as young as one week old, and carry out programs that can last up to two years.

• According to government ADA standards, service dogs are allowed on all public transportation, including taxicabs.

• The typical working life of a service dog is 8 – 10 years, then they retire from their illustrious career of service and are considered a pet.