Service Dog Academy class students during a training exercise at a local mall.
Mobility and independence are human qualities that we take for granted until we no longer have them. But when physical injury or illness or mental trauma or impairment strike, the associated loses also affect self-esteem, confidence, happiness and even safety.
Scientists can’t explain the human-dog bond but they do know that it circumvents the intelligence and goes straight to the heart of the matter.
Now service dogs more than ever are at the forefront of healing the stress of war ravaged veterans, unlocking the minds of children with autism, providing security to Alzheimer’s sufferers and offering companionship and mobility to those afflicted with multiple sclerosis, spinal cord and brain injuries and Parkinson’s.
The Service Dog Health Care Solution
Trained service dogs are becoming the alternative solution to putting a loved one in a nursing home or paying for caregivers. Although the initial costs of training a service dog can be high, the cost savings of independent living is enormous.
One study as reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that the need and cost for assisted care dropped by as much as 68% with the use of service dogs. Not reported however was that the improved quality of life benefits were priceless.
Service Dogs’ Gift of Independence
Services dogs have proven themselves effective in helping those with disabilities live independently in their own home, reduce their need for medication, become more social and return to school or employment.
Service dogs help those with physical handicaps live like able-bodied people again. A service dog to watch over a spouse or parent with Alzheimer’s or a child with diabetes can decrease family stress and reduce safety risks.
Studies show that persons given service dogs gain
functional independence and psychological
benefits within six months.
Research done at the College of Social Work, University of South Carolina, Columbia by the research team of Valentine, Kiddoo, LaFleur found that 90% of service dog owners reported feeling safer, less lonely and more independent.
The Service Dog Connection
Service dogs have the ability to help their owners physically and emotionally integrate back into the community with added mobility and confidence.
As reported in the Journal of Psychology, researchers J. Eddy and L.A. Hart discovered that people that used service dogs received fewer episodes of gaze aversion and path avoidance and significantly greater episodes of social acknowledgments.
Not only does a service dog allow its owner to reclaim a semblance of their former life, they allow the entire family to reclaim their lives and the time spent caring for their disabled loved one.
If you, a family member or friend suffers from a physically or mental disability, The Service Dog Academy can help with reclaiming lost lives. Our training methods are the most advanced in the industry. Our approach is non-violent, humane and highly effective.
Contact The Service Dog Academy today and discover how a service dog can bring independence, mobility, self-confidence and unconditional love.