Service Dogs (ADA)

Words: 422
Pages: 2

The ADA’s definition of a service dog is “a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities” (“Frequently”). Data indicate that there are over 50 million people in the United States that have one or more physical or mental disabilities (Capp). Service dogs help with guiding blind people, pulling wheelchairs, protecting a person who is having a seizure, and reminding individuals to take prescribed medicine. Does that provide emotional support and comfort do not qualify as service animals under the ADA, unless they are used to calm a person with post traumatic stress disorder. To be a service dog, the dog must be trained to do a task that will relate to a person's disability. An emotional support dogs are usually just required to be potty trained, know basic commands, and know when they are supposed to be quiet. To receive an emotional support animal, …show more content…
Guide dogs are bred for their sole purpose. The most common guide dog breeds are Labrador retrievers (60%), Golden retrievers (30%), and German shepards (8%). (“In-service”) In the documentary, One Vision, one of the owners of a future guide dog describes how her new puppy came from one of the previous guide dogs she had raised. She said only 10% of guide dogs are chosen as breeders. In the first year of the future guide dog’s life they are put with puppy raisers, which teach them basic commands and get them accustomed to distractions, such as other humans or dogs. The documentary followed four different guide dogs all at different stages in their first year. Right off the bat the dogs are described as bold, attentive, and fearless, yet each dog seems to have challenges along the way. One dog, Tom, did not like putting on his work vest, so his owners took him to obedience guide dog class, led by the Southeastern Guide Dog School, and the instructor showed them how to build up Tom’s tolerance to the