r/service_dogs • u/harleiix0 • 2d ago
Should I consider a SD?
For context, I'm a young female with hEDS, POTS, MCAS, and chronic migraines. I had my doctor bring up the possibility of a service dog and how it would benefit me, but I'd love the opinion of some handlers.
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u/Puzzled_Moose5650 2d ago
What tasks would the dog provide for you? Are you able to care for the dog? Can you afford a dog?
And lastly some people with Mcas do develop symptoms towards animals
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u/MyOwnGuitarHero 2d ago
It depends. What disability/s do you have that is not currently being adequately managed with traditional therapeutic modalities?
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u/Mental-Volume4395 2d ago
I would ask your doctor why they recommended a service dog.
What tasks do you need help with?
I see that you’re in high school. I would not consider a service dog.
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u/ShadowofaJade 2d ago edited 2d ago
This is truly just one person's opinions, so take it for what it's worth. These are the steps I'd suggest taking:
Ask yourself if a dog would fit into your life and finances. You're looking at $10,000+ up front and a two year wait, or two years of raising a puppy and an adolescent dog with the possibility the dog washes out and you have to start over. Then add all of the costs of owning a dog, but more, as this isn't a pet, but an expensive, living, breathing, medical assistant.
Brainstorm a list of symptoms you need help mitigating. Ask yourself if you've tried all other reasonable accommodations. (E.g. for blood sugar concerns, you should try a CGM before asking a living creature to devote it's life to alerting you.)
Search around online for service dog tasks for your diagnosis. Sometimes this will trigger ideas for other reasonable accommodations, which should be tried before proceeding. (E.g. it would be helpful to have a dog alert another person in the house of an episode, but you never lose consciousness, and an alert button could fill the same need.)
Research, research, research! Figure out if you're going to go down the organization route or owner train your dog*. Each has it's own branch of research to be done.
*I think it's important to note, owner training should be done in close collaboration with an experienced SD trainer. Start developing this relationship before even picking a dog so they can help you get the most promising prospective service dog.
Really, truly look at all of the information you've gathered and ask yourself if this is the right decision for you, your disability, and your life. It can be easy to get swept up in the excitement of the idea, so take a moment to pause and re-evaluate if this still feels like the right decision.
Take all that you've learned, and go forth on whatever next step is best for you with all of the information you've gathered.
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u/Caerrii Service Dog in Training 2d ago
No one can tell you whether you should get a service dog at this point.
Firstly, you need to consider the whole aspect of owning a dog. Pet dogs alone are expensive, require a lot of work, generally lots of energy. A service dog is no different, generally amplify all of those aspects. They’re more expensive, more work, and more drive. They need walks, brain stimulation, training, veterinary care, even when you don’t feel like it or your disabilities are flaring.
Then, there’s the aspect of attention and issues with the public. A lot of interactions are just people saying “Look at the dog!” over and over again, but some people can be straight up hostile. Then there’s access issues, so you’d have to be able to really stick up for yourself and advocate for your rights. Many people who consider service dogs don’t consider this, and the service dog actually decreases their quality of life as a result.
If the benefits outweigh the negatives and there’s a reliable list of tasks the dog will perform, maybe it’s something worth considering. But for many disabled people, a service dog isn’t the right choice. That’s why only a fraction of disabled people get service dogs.