Service Dog FAQ with Saint

What is a service dog?

A service dog is a dog specifically trained to help people with certain disabilities. Service Dogs can help people in many different ways in their everyday lives depending on what the people’s needs are.

Why can’t you pet service dogs when they are working?

Petting service dogs while they are working can be very distracting. It can have negative and even dangerous consequences to distract service dogs while they are actively helping someone.  

How long does it take to train service dogs?

It varies depending on what type of service dog the dog is training to be. On average it takes one to two years to fully train a service dog.

What different kinds of service dogs are there and what kind are Saint and Dusty?

There are many different kinds of service dogs, but we are mobility service dogs. Other popular types of service dogs include guide dogs, medical alert dogs, seizure alert dogs and diabetic alert dogs. And there are many more.

How do Saint and Dusty help Dr. J every day?

We help Dr. J with lots of things. We help her open doors, pick up things she’s dropped, get ready in the morning and before bed and we help her get things around the house, such as food from the fridge.

Did Saint enjoy herself while hiking with BEYOND LIMITS?

I loved hiking. It’s fun being outside so much with so many nice people and new things to smell.

How active do service dogs have to be?

We have to stay pretty active, but it depends on what kind of service dog. We both run every morning on the treadmill, stay with Dr. J all day while she goes to work, hike and travel with her on her adventures.

Can service dogs be any breed?

Yes, many different dog breeds are used for different types of service dogs. Common service dog breeds are Labradors,  Golden Retrievers and German Shepherds. Hearing dogs are often mixed breeds and may come from shelters. They need to be a bit scrappy.

Do service dogs ever get to act like regular dogs?

While service dogs may not get to live the same life as dogs that are just pets, we are loved equally if not more. We also get to go many places average dogs can’t and most of us do get to roll around and play sometimes, like average dogs.

How is Dr. J able to have two service dogs at the same time?

The law says that Dr. J is allowed to have two service dogs as long as they perform different tasks. Saint can do all the things that Dusty can do, but Dusty can’t do everything that Saint is able to. Dusty’s still learning, she needs to catch up to Saint.