What are the Benefits of Having a Service Dog?
What are the benefits of having a service dog? Many individuals need service dogs, including those with physical and mental health conditions, as they provide assistance in daily tasks. In order to get a service animal, there is eligibility criteria individuals must meet. While many think of service dogs as only guiding people who are blind, they can also assist those who have diabetes, experience seizures or have other conditions.
Who’s Eligible for a Service Dog?
Everyone is not eligible for a service animal, and every dog is not a qualified service animal—these dogs go through rigorous training to ensure they’re successful in their duties. The signs that you should get a service dog include having:
- A debilitating disability or illness
- Mobility impairments
- Epilepsy
- Diabetes
- Cardiac syncope conditions
As you wonder about the benefits of having a service dog, keep in mind that this varies depending on the type of service dog one gets. For example, the benefits a psychiatric service dog offers to those with posttraumatic stress disorder differs from those of a seizure response dog. Moreover, a service dog is not the same as an emotional support dog since the latter often assists individuals with depression, anxiety and loneliness.
Physical Benefits of a Service Dog
The physical benefits a service dog offers depend on one’s disability; while they assist individuals who are blind or deaf by acting as their set of eyes or ears, these dogs also help those with diabetes by identifying shifts in blood glucose levels. Additionally, these dogs assist those with epilepsy by signaling to their owner when they sense the onset signs of a seizure to ensure the individual is in a safe location.
For individuals with mobility-related disabilities, service dogs can help improve their owner’s way of life by retrieving needed objects, turning on the lights at home or assisting in their handler's stability if they need to get up or move with assistance.
Moreover, laws protect service dogs and their owners to ensure they may assist their handler in public locations to carry out their necessary tasks. These tasks range from pressing handicap accessible buttons to protecting their handler.
Emotional Benefits of a Service Dog
While service dogs offer many physical benefits, they also offer various emotional benefits to their owners, including:
- Companionship
- Boosted confidence
- Better motivation
With the assistance of a service dog, individuals rely less on other people to assist them. This increases feelings of independence and helps boost their confidence.
Lastly, service dogs are companions and provide individuals with devoted furry friends that will happily assist them. Having a disability can feel isolating, but dogs never judge us; instead, they ensure their owners never feel alone by showering them with the love they need.