A dog at work

EVERYWHERE — September is Service Dogs Awareness Month. Service dogs have been specially trained—for up to two years—to help people with disabilities.

Service dogs are working dogs. They need to be treated as the professionals they are.

What can a service dog do?

They can guide the blind and visually impaired, taking people around obstacles, warning their human partners about changes in elevation (so the humans don’t trip) and watching for traffic.

Service dogs can help people in wheelchairs up ramps or push buttons to open automatic doors. They can hit light switches, fetch a ringing phone or pick up some dropped items. 

If you’re able to walk, but your balance isn’t good, a dog can help brace you or keep you upright in a crowded space. 

For people with epilepsy, a service dog can alert you before a seizure or can get your medicine. 

Veterans with PTSD have specially trained service dogs who can help during an episode or create space if there’s a crowd. 

Service dogs can be recognized by their jackets or harnesses. Respect the dogs’ hard work and don’t pet them unless the owner gives permission. And respect the owner if they can’t stop and talk about their service dog. People with disabilities are busy too.

“A service dog is more than a pet. It becomes an extension of the person who has the disability,” according to a blog post at guidedogsofamerica.org. “The two become a team, and they rely on both verbal and non-verbal communication to live a full life.”

Information from Guide Dogs of America and www.usserviceanimals.org.