What is a Service Dog?

Thu, 29 Sep 2016 14:10:07 -0400

Hey y’all! If you’ve read any of my other blog posts you already know that Lyme disease is a very debilitating illness. Many days go by that I cannot do things for myself. Getting out of the house to get some groceries, visit a friend or see my doctor is sometimes impossible for me to do on my own because of my many symptoms. This is why I have begun my research on service dogs. Service dogs have helped so many people live more normal lives despite their various disabilities. It takes a lot of work to properly train a service dog but I think it will be well worth it in the end.
I will write more about my service dog journey another time but for now, enjoy learning all about service dogs!
What is a Service Dog? According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a service dog is defined as a dog of any size or breed suitable for public work that has been trained to preform special tasks for someone with a disability. Service dogs are trained to take specific action when assisting their handler.
Some of the tasks a service dog can be trained to do are alerting to medical conditions such as seizures, anxiety attacks or diabetes, deep pressure therapy (or “grounding” exercises for depression), opening doors, turning on lights, fetching a medication bag, carrying objects, picking up dropped items, or getting someone when help is needed.
Is an Emotional Support Animal or a Therapy Dog considered a Service Dog? No. An Emotional Support Animal, or ESA, is not considered a service animal because ESA’s are not specifically task trained. They are not covered by the ADA laws and have no access rights in public establishments. They may however live with their disabled owners even in “No Pets” housing.
Therapy dogs are not considered service animals. Therapy dogs are used to provide emotional support to many people in places such as hospitals or nursing homes. They are not specifically task trained, although they must be housebroken and be well-behaved. Therapy dogs are not covered under the ADA nor are they allowed in public establishments unless otherwise invited.
What type of training do Service Dogs need? People with disabilities have the right to train the dog themselves and are not required to use a professional trainer or program. By law, service dogs are NOT required to be certified with any organization. Service dogs must be housebroken and must know at least one specific task that is used to mitigate the handler’s disabilities. Some tasks that service dogs can be trained to do are picking up dropped objects, alerting to medical conditions such as seizures or panic attacks, turning on lights and fetching medications for the handler.
Public Access The ADA states that service dogs are allowed anywhere the general public is allowed to go. These dogs are considered “medical equipment” so anywhere a person with a wheelchair or oxygen tank can go, the service dog must be allowed to go with its handler. This includes restaurants, cafeterias, food lines, hospitals, airports, hotels, etc. A service dog can only be asked to leave if the dog is not housebroken or if the dog is out of control and the handler does not take affective action to control it.
The ADA also says that in situations where it is not obvious that the dog is a service animal, staff may ask only two specific questions: (1) is the dog a service animal that is required because of a disability? and (2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform? Staff are not allowed to request any documentation for the dog, require that the dog demonstrate its task, or inquire about the nature of the person’s disability.
Service Dogs in Training Service dogs in training are not protected under the ADA and do not have public access rights. However, some state laws grant service dogs in training the same public access rights as they do for service dogs. My home state of Indiana is one state that covers service dogs in training.
What do I do when I see a Service Dog? When a service dog has a vest on or is in public with its handler, it is working. Distracting a service dog by making noises, offering food, toys or petting can be dangerous to the dog’s disabled handler, especially if the dog is a medical alert dog or a mobility support dog. Many handlers have an “invisible disability” such as diabetes, hearing loss, anxiety or other symptoms that are not readily apparent and if the service dog is distracted he is not doing his job for his handler.
If you would like to pet the service dog, ALWAYS ask the handler before touching the dog and don’t be offended if they say “no.” Some service dog handlers prefer not to discuss their service dog or their disability. Never ask personal questions about the handler’s disability or intrude on their privacy. Keep these simple service dog etiquette tips in mind, and you’ll have a far smoother experience when you see a Service Dog in public.

Lyme Strong

Fri, 1 Jul 2016 11:10:19 -0400

When I turned on the radio this morning, Stronger by Mandisa is the first song I heard. The lyrics kinda hit me with a bang because they really describe how I’ve felt the past couple of days. Like I’ve been taken under by a wave and I’m struggling to stay afloat.
“When the waves are taking you under Hold on just a little bit longer He knows that this is gonna make you stronger, Stronger” - Stronger by Mandisa
A little over a month ago, the intensity of my Lyme disease symptoms lessened quite a bit. The fatigue, brain fog, anxiety and headaches I’ve been suffering from for the past year finally became less and less severe. I began to feel like I almost had this thing beat. That I was finally gaining control of this horrible disease that ripped the rug out from under me and sent me on this crazy crusade. Knowing I could relapse at any time, I tried not to get my hopes up too high. But for the first time in nearly a year I felt alive! And it felt amazing!
Unfortunately, after a couple of weeks the Lyme symptoms returned, resulting in lots of pain, no energy and a lot of quality time spent with my couch. Joint and muscle pain is now trough the roof with little relief from painkillers. I tire very quickly and my head often feels fuzzy inside. My heart rate spikes every time I get up so standing for even short periods of time makes me weak.
There is almost nothing worse than coming so close to the finish line only to slow down and take steps backward. It’s so hard for me to sit down and rest when there are so many things I want to do! I can’t tell you how much I miss working and spending time with my family and friends without thinking “oh, this is going to kill me tomorrow.” I’ve taken some things for granted in my life and good health was definitely one of them.
As hard as this journey has been for me and my husband, I can say with 100% certainty that it really has made us stronger. Having Lyme disease has given me the opportunity to learn so much, to help educate others and to raise Lyme disease awareness. My faith has soared and I have a renewed trust in God. Yes, Lyme has weakened me physically, but God has used my situation to make me stronger.
God knows that it hurts. He knows that it’s hard. But He has a bigger plan in the works. And I can’t wait to see what miraculous things are going to come of this.

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” - 2 Corinthians 12:9

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What is a Service Dog?

Lyme Strong