Thinking About Getting a Service Dog?

08-30-2024 Blog Entry 3: Thinking About Getting a Service Dog?

So, you are thinking about getting a service dog. There are so many factors to consider—whether to go with an accredited organization, a private trainer, or owner training. How a service dog may change your life, the type of dog, your individual needs, are other important considerations. At the end of the day, it is your decision to add this new family member to your life. Service dogs do wonderful work; they are empowering. I hope that I can share some of my perspectives with you.

The Community: Helpful or Harmful?

The first thing I want to discuss is the service dog community. There is an online world out there with a lot of support, information, and opinions. That community can offer a lot of positives, but keep in mind that not all support is good support. With information comes misinformation, and with opinions comes judgment. It can be challenging to navigate the initial phases of getting a service dog. These online communities have many helpful people with so much experience but they can also prey on vulnerability.

If you are anything like me when I started my journey—a lonely youth in desperate need of validation—please be mindful of not falling into the competition. There are going to be a lot of mean people. If you are already struggling with mental illness, keep in mind that other psychiatric service dog handlers have their own challenges. This may keep them from being objective sources of information. Other individuals will be incredibly helpful. I say this all with love.

Finding a Trainer that Aligns with Your Values:

When I was starting out, I got a lot of advice from trainers. Not all of it was good. Some trainers were not equipped to work with vulnerable people. They enabled co-dependent behaviors or gave unsound advice that took a long time to unlearn. Some of the trainers I worked with were wonderful supports and are lifelong friends to this day. You really need to find the route that feels right for you.

To assist someone with training their own service dog, you are going to reach vulnerable moments where you need to confront some deep insecurities. If you do this with people who are unequipped to help you through a socially healthy lens, it can be harmful.

I’m not trying to scare you away from owner training or working with a private trainer—however, I am cautioning you. Find mentors who are living a lifestyle you would want for yourself. They should have experience under their belt—more than just a year or two. If they are newer, they may have a lot of talent, but they should be transparent about the services they offer. It is vital that you continue to access mental health services along your journey.

Service Dogs for Mental Health:

When I first got Spirit, and even before I got her, I faced a lot of ableism, discrimination, and gaslighting about my mental health. I did have support from mental health professionals, but they were convinced I was doing better than I was, and I really felt that my concerns were not taken seriously. Looking back on it, I spent a lot of years afraid that if I got better, all my supports would be taken away from me. Ableism such as people saying things like "You don’t really need that dog, do you? You’re just stressed. You’re just attention-seeking" contributed to my unstable self image in a real way.

So, if you are looking to get a service dog for mental health, own that decision. The goal should always be to live a higher quality of life. You should still be working in therapy and allowing yourself to get healthier. You do not need to get sicker to be worthy of help and love. Some people may disagree with me and say that then it is just an emotional support animal, or you are just trying to create problems. I really don’t care. The goal for everyone should be health and happiness. Do not base your choice to get a service dog on others’ perceptions. I have since stopped sharing what Spirit is for, what she does, or why I got her. She is in my life, she has undergone the training and she is here to stay. If you don’t like it, you can get out of my way.

Now, if you’ve made it this far and you're still in, here are some other things to consider. Service dogs are life-changing. Spirit has helped me in more ways than I can say. Just be aware that no matter what ability or disability you have, you may need additional supports beyond the dog. Even the best-trained dogs have a margin of error—they make mistakes—and a dog may not be able to attend every event, even a service dog. They can have very real limitations around weather, safety, and logistics. It's not impossible, but you need to plan ahead.

Before you decide on bringing home a service dog, ask yourself: can you care for a dog, period?

Can you or another person commit to the regular grooming, exercise, and affection an animal needs to thrive? If your health gets really bad, do you have supports in place to take care of them? It is best to answer these questions before bringing home your four-pawed partner. Reach out to some people, find out who in your circle can be supports. If you need to go somewhere or are hospitalized, do you have someone who can help?

All those warnings aside, getting and training my own service dog has been an amazing experience. All the struggles made me resilient. The lessons learned have made me a better person. Spirit has given me the confidence to be myself and to think outside of the box.

I have seen some handlers who have become angrier, more guarded, and more unhappy with the world. I think that if you get a service dog and view the challenges with optimism, you will get a lot more out of it.

People will try to pet your dog—this is the perfect opportunity to practice being calm and assertive in setting your boundaries. If you struggle with social anxiety, these interactions can be great practice to build confidence. You will also face people with dog phobias. You can get offended, or it can be an opportunity to practice being empathetic. I like to find cooperative solutions.

All of my best memories with Spirit in public have been when I was faced with a challenge. I used it as a moment to rise. If having Spirit means that I get the opportunity to make the world a little bit kinder, gentler, and more compassionate—sign me up.

So before you get your service dog, make sure you are working with people who you admire. Set up a support system. Surround yourself with people who love you, who you trust—start seeking out those people if you don’t have them yet. Building community is hard, but so worth it. Be prepared to make sacrifices. Most importantly, commit to keeping an optimistic outlook as you work through the challenges of life. There are tough days, but you are tougher.

After all, this is your life, and only you can live it for you.

— Julia & Spirit