THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE GETTING AN ASSISTANCE DOG

People often tell me “I would love to take my dog everywhere with me, too.” This comment makes me realise that people, generally, don’t understand the implications of being partnered with an Assistance Dog. It is important that you are aware of the range of issues you may face as an assistance dog handler.The following information isdrawn from the experiences of many assistance dog owners that I know personally, as well as my own experiences. You may face all, or none, of these challenges.

Cost

The purchase of your dog, including suitability assessment if required, and first lot of basic supplies will be your initial expense, and the type of dog will determine this cost. Then there are the ongoing costs, including:

Food (the size of your dog will determine the cost).

Vet fees-

Your dog must be neutered, have all its immunisation injections when it is a pup, as well as yearly booster shots. You will also be required to get a vet certificate filled out to go with your application for certification and yearly renewal. This is before any other medical issues that may arise for your dog.

Regular worming and flea/tick treatment.

Training.

Council registration (some councils waive this fee for Assistance Dogs, but not all).

ID tags.

Equipment-

Bedding, identification harness, collar, lead, dishes, car safety equipment etc.

Insurance (if you choose to get pet or indemnity insurance).

Certification and annual reaccreditation – This requires a doctors visit for you and vet visit for your dog, as well as the cost of your Public Access Test and identification card.

Dog walker (if you are unable to exercise your dog yourself).

Grooming-

Assistance Dogs must be clean for public access. If you are unable to groom your dog yourself, you may need someone to do it for you.

Time

Having an assistance dog is very time consuming, for varied reasons. You initially need to find a dog to suit your needs. You will need to research temperament, breed issues, and whether the dogs size is up to the tasks you need it to perform. You will also need to decide whether to purchase directly from a breeder, or whether a rescue dog will be more suitable.

Training is an ongoing activity. Firstly, the dog needs to learn basic obedience and house training. This should start the day you bring your dog home. If you getan older dog,that already has basic obedience, it will still need to learn your house rules when you first bring it home. Even after your dog has been through its training program and certification, you still need to do some training each day. This not only keeps you and your dog’s skills sharp, but helps keep the bond between you strong. It also stimulates your dog’s brain and helps prevent boredom if you are housebound for an extended period.

Your dog will need to be exercised regularly. If there are times you are unable to do this, you will need to organise someone who can.

Going on an outing with your dog is not a matter of “pop in the car and away we go”. You need to make sure you have all the equipment you need ready and your dog is clean and toileted. You will need to carry water, and possibly food, for extended outings. Your dog’s harness or cape, collar and lead need to be clean and in good repair. Going out with your assistance dog can be as complicated as taking a toddler out. A ten-minute pop to the shop may turn into an hour long outing as people stop you to discuss your dog.

An assistance dog must be well groomed and in good health to be in public areas. Care and grooming can be very time consuming, depending on the breed of dog you have. Dogs with long or thick coats need to be groomed regularly to maintain a clean, knot free coat. These dogs may also need a regular hygiene clip. Dogs need to be brushed to remove any loose hair before going into public areas. Regular trips to the vet are a must.

Your dog will be with you 95-100% of the time, you will have a constant companion for the life of your dog.

Psychological effect

When you make the decision to get an assistance dog, its usually made with the hope that the dog will improve your quality of life, and generally they do. There is, however, a negative psychological effect. This is something I, for one, was not anticipating. Getting past the ‘dogs don’t belong in certain places’ mentality can be hard. The feeling of doing something ‘wrong’ when you take your dog into a shop or restaurant can be difficult to shake, especially if you are from a generation that viewed dogs as outside animals. When I first got my dog, I was on edge all the time,and felt like a criminal. For me this was one of my biggest hurdles.

Also having your dog with you 95-100% of the time can be difficult on a psychological level. It affected me for quite a while, having no time alone.

Effect on family and friends.

While your assistance dog may be a blessing to you, your family and friends may not agree. Not everyone likes dogs, or understands the part they can play in the management of your disability.

Below are a few off the things you may encounter:

Being accused of attention seeking.

Getting unsolicited advice, both about your health and your dog’s training and care.

Being asked why you are advertising you have a disability.

Not understanding or disbelief of how your dog helps you.

Not allowing you in their home with your assistance dog.

Not wanting your dog in their car.

Not wanting to go out with you and your assistance dog.

Treating your dog like a pet, even when they are working and wearing their harness or cape.

Not obeying the “rules” when you are out in public, i.e. patting your dog or feeding it under the table etc.

Wanting to use their own commands etc.

Attention

You will find that taking your dog in public will gain you more attention than you may be used to. People will be looking at you wherever you go, and you will overhear remarks, both good and bad, from “look mummy a doggie.” to “they don’t look disabled” and “dogs shouldn’t be allowed”.

People may stop you and ask about your dog, and their role in your life. They will often ask if they can pat your dog. You may even have people ask how they can get a dog for themselves or someone else. Sometimes people will just touch your dog without your permission. They may also start telling you of their dog who had recently passed away – I often find this quite confronting emotionally.

Some people have a fear of dogs, Cynophobia, and may react in unpredictable ways. You may need to be aware of people of different cultures and religions, they may feel differently about dogs than you do.

While, in my experience, most people are positive, there are some that are not. You may be yelled at; told to leave;or accused of breaking the law, just to name a few. Some people think they know better than you, and will give unsolicited advice, even though you are a stranger. A lot of these things come from ignorance, unfortunately education regarding assistance dogs in Australia is quite new.

I wish you all the best in your decision to acquire an assistance dog and hope the information about my experience can help you with that choice.

Jo Hilder.