Who knew that the month of September also happens to be National Service Dog Month? This month, originally named, "National Guide Dog Month," was originated in 2008 by an actor and animal advocate, Dick Van Patten. The aim of this day is to recognize those dogs that dedicate, and sometimes risk, their lives in order to help the people in their care. In 2013, National Guide Dog Month expanded its awareness to those dogs who who risk their live on a daily basis in the military. These dogs have become an integral part, both on and off of the battlefield. On the battlefield, they are used to detect explosives, find contraband, and guard and protect the military posts. Off of the battlefield, they have been used to help wounded warriors with various physical and psychological conditions, which include mobility issues, traumatic brain injuries, and PTSD.
While service dogs are an important aspect in our military and the lives of our veterans, they also provide a great deal of help to us regular civilians. When we think of "guide dog," or "service dog," we tend to think about how they help the deaf and the blind. However, these trained dogs can provide assistance to a wide range of disabilities in order to help their human live a more independent life.
For example, these dogs are trained to help those with Autism by guiding them in overstimulating environments and providing physical pressure to interrupt self-harming behaviors. For those with Diabetes I, a service dog alerts their human when their blood sugar drops. A service dog also aids those with mobility conditions by retrieving out of reach objects, opening and closing doors, and even turning light switches on and off!
There are also service dogs that can be trained to help with a medical emergency. Their main job is to alert their human of an impending medical emergency, such as a seizure or a heart attack. They are also trained on helping their human handle their symptoms, such as retrieving their medications, proving mobility assistance, and even retrieving a phone so that the human call for assistance.When you think of a service dog, the main dogs that come into mind are German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, or Labradors. However, the size and breed of the dog are not of the utmost importance. There are many different roles that a service dog can take, and these roles can be filled by any size and breed if they have the appropriate temperament and aptitude to fill the position.
In conclusion, it really is amazing what these dogs can be trained to do. There are a lot of silly holidays dedicated to our pets that we acknowledge just for fun. However, I do believe that with this month, it is worth taking notice of our guide/service dogs, and that these dogs deserve our acknowledgment.
