“The only, absolute, and best friend a man has in this selfish world, the only one that will not betray or deny him, is his dog,” said King Frederik II of Prussia in 1786, and that is still true to this day, which goes to show how important dogs are in our communities. Dogs are not only emotional support animals, but they also serve as assistance for those who have physical disabilities. Mobility assistance dogs can open doors for those in wheelchairs, manipulate light switches, and pick up objects off the ground or retrieve them from other spots. The presence of a loyal, empathetic canine friend can enhance the overall quality of life.
Service dogs undergo rigorous and severe training to make sure that they can effectively do their job and assist people with disabilities. It first starts with basic obedience training, which consists of common commands such as lay down, sit, come here, heal, and much more basic training. The second stage is socialization; service dogs need to be comfortable with different people and in different places.
The third step focuses on more specific commands, and that depends on the needs of their future handles. If the dog is being trained for mobility issues, then they will focus on tasks such as opening doors and picking up objects, but if they are being trained to become a medical support dog, then they will do training involving detecting seizures and changes in blood sugar levels. Next, they will have to train with their specific handler so that they can become acquaintances. The training process to become a service dog is very intense and can take up to several months, sometimes up to two years.
There are an estimated 500,000 service dogs in the United States. Studies show that 80% or more of the providers training service dogs complete the training to become a service dog.
Service dogs can bring joy to their handlers’ lives and motivate them to handle challenging tasks that they might have struggled with otherwise. These dogs are vital to improving the lives of their handlers. Having an emotional support animal can result in better emotional functioning and school or work-related activities.
When it comes to the phrase “a dog is a man’s best friend,” we can say that that is the sure truth, as proven by their constant companionship, loyalty, and unconditional love, and all of those good qualities make them cherished members of communities.
