Service dogs can be incredibly helpful for people in need of physical, mental, or emotional assistance. There are three main types of service dogs: medical assistance dogs, therapeutic assistance dogs, and emotional support dogs. Each type has its own set of skills uniquely suited for helping people with varying needs.
Let’s take a look at the different types of service dogs.
Medical Assistance Dogs
Medical assistance dogs are specially trained to help people with physical disabilities or chronic illnesses. They assist their owners with everyday tasks, for example, helping a person that uses a wheelchair by opening doors or retrieving items that are out of reach.
Medical assistance dogs can also alert caregivers or guardians when the person being assisted has a medical emergency. They can even be trained to detect seizures before they occur, allowing them to get the person to a safer position to minimize injuries, and alert caregivers. This can give caregivers extra time to prepare for an emergency while also providing comfort and security to the person with the disability.
Asher, a recipient of a Good Dogg scholarship, has suspected Mitochondrial Disease. She was able to complete her match with her service dog, Gatsby, through Canines for Disabled Kids. Gatsby, a trained medical alert and response service dog assists Asher with mobility, alerts to oncoming nausea and pain spikes, provides pain-relieving pressure, and retrieves medications and assistance in the event of an emergency.
Therapeutic Assistance Dogs
Therapeutic assistance dogs are trained to provide comfort and companionship for children who suffer from mental health issues such as anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or autism spectrum disorder (ASD). These service dogs can help reduce stress in difficult situations and can even provide soothing touches like gentle hugs or paw massages.
The presence of a loyal companion often helps the owner become more engaged with their environment and open up to new experiences—something that could be extremely beneficial for their overall development.
Therapeutic assistance dogs are often small breeds, making them easier for children to handle and control.
Emotional Support Dogs
Emotional support dogs are specifically trained to provide emotional comfort and companionship for people who may feel anxious, depressed, or stressed out due to various life events or circumstances. These dogs offer unconditional love and acceptance without judgment, which helps the owners feel safe and secure when facing difficult emotions or life experiences.
Emotional support dogs are typically medium-sized breeds that are gentle and affectionate, perfect for providing support and comfort.
Difficulties For Families To Receive The Help They Deserve
Each type of service dog requires intensive training, so they can be fully equipped to assist their owner. Pairing a service dog with a child can be costly and time-consuming, and requires considerable resources.
The estimated cost of a service dog is usually between $15,000 to $30,000, and sometimes more! These dogs are not covered by insurance; it can take 2-3 years to breed, socialize, and train a service dog adequately. They also require frequent upkeep training throughout their life to maintain service quality.
Service dogs are invaluable to those they serve; however, the financial costs and time commitment associated with service dog ownership often prevents families from accessing this type of care.
The Good Dogg Difference
This is where Good Dogg comes in! We were founded with a purpose, and that is to give back from the very beginning. We at Good Dogg have seen service dogs’ significant impact on children with rare diseases and the difficulties families face when acquiring service dogs. Our mission is to provide resources and support to families in need, so they can worry less about the financial burdens and spend more time with each other in the here and now. Through our philanthropic program, Leverage The Beverage™, we aim to better the lives of these families.
This is where YOU come in! Whenever you buy our seltzer or sport our merch, you are helping us make a tangible difference in the lives of others. With each purchase, a portion will be donated to our philanthropic partners to help increase the availability of service dogs. This premium case, paired with a premium hard seltzer, makes for the perfect difference maker!
To follow the service dogs that we have sponsored through this program, check us out on Instagram, @gooddogseltzer
Learn More…
If you are interested in learning more about our philanthropic mission, our news/activations, and our charity partnerships, click the links below:
