International Assistance Dog Week!
- Traci Wilkerson Steckel
- Aug 6
- 5 min read
This week is International Assistance Dog Week!
We've had to update our 2020 International Assistance Dog Week blog because a lot of changes have taken place since, like me getting diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, and our sweet girl Emee the Chi, passing away.
Emee was a full-time Emotional Support Dog and part-time Migraine Alert Dog from 2019 to 2020. She was on track with the migraine alerts, and I worked with her, but I was prescribed a medication that worked so well and her need for alerting to migraine attacks was unnecessary, thank goodness! So at that point, she went to just being an Emotional Support Dog.
But interestingly enough, a few years later, she started licking me like crazy. She'd come up to me and start licking whatever she could touch. It was similar to how dogs lick us when we get sweaty after a workout or a good run. I thought it was annoying and my husband and I didn't think twice about it, until I got diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. I had to start doing a finger prick to check my glucose, and we discovered that it was always high when Emee would start super-licking me. Eventually, I got a CGM, and by darned if Emee didn't start her super-lick before it went off! Emee was such a smart little girl and very attached to me which made it easier.
Of course, she still had her role as an Emotional Support Animal, helping me with some high-stress situations, like flying and public speaking engagements, but she didn't need formal training for that. Just basic commands to ensure she behaved well in public, which she was a natural at! But now, she had an even more special role, and a job, and while it came naturally to her, I began working with her just as I had with migraine alerting. If my glucose was over a specific number, I'd run a cotton ball over my skin and put it in a jar in the freezer. If it were in range, I'd do the same. Luckily, she was already doing this consistently, and it didn't take a lot of training, just upkeep.
But getting back to our main Traci's Paws' Paws Spot, topic, it is International Assistance Dog Week! This week was established thanks to the outstanding efforts of Marcie Davis! Marcie had paraplegia for over 35 years, living in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Assistance dogs include a diverse group of K-9 workers that go well beyond just providing sight to people who are blind. Assistance dogs include Guide Dogs, Hearing Alert Dogs, Medical Alert Dogs, Seizure Alert Dogs, and Service Dogs, all of which are loving animals who give people with mental and physical disabilities a second chance at life.
"We recognize and honor the hardworking assistance dogs; raise awareness and educate the public about how these specially trained animals are aiding so many people in our communities; honor the puppy raisers and trainers of assistance dogs, and recognize heroic deeds performed by assistance dogs in our communities. The celebration takes place each year, starting on the first Sunday of August. Read more about Marie and International Assistance Dog Week here.
Although many of the assistance dogs we see are Golden Retrievers and Labradors, thanks to the countless advocates working on the front lines to end pet overpopulation, we see more and more shelter dogs take on this role, thanks to organizations like Pets for Vets and Merlin's Kids.
Not only does this save a homeless dog's life, but it also provides a fantastic companion and working animal that will change the life of someone with a mental or physical disability.
So, what does it take to be an assistance dog? Well, first off, it takes a dog with a great personality that responds well to positive reinforcement, whether it's a treat or a toy. Happy dogs that love to work make the best candidates. A pup that can pay attention and learn commands well is also needed to take on a specific role to help its human. Since we see more shelter dogs being trained, it doesn't require being a puppy, although it's always best when you can start them young. But finding a dog that already has a behavior that can be applied to the job and continues building upon it is a great find when it comes to working with an older dog.
Whether it is to guide a person who is blind, assist someone with carrying or retrieving things around the home, or alert someone about to have a seizure. Does size matter? Most assistance dogs are medium to large-sized, so they can physically do the work that is needed to aid their humans, like helping with household chores. Smaller dogs such as Chihuahuas are used as Emotional Support dogs instead. Assistance Dogs are not only confined to working inside the home. According to the American Disabilities Act, Assistance Dogs are allowed to go anywhere the general public would usually go; they are not allowed to be turned away.
Please visit this link for a complete set of questions and answers on the Americans with Disabilities Act website: ADA Revised Regulations for Service Animals.
Unfortunately, we have seen a lot of people abuse the label "Assistance Dog." Since including emotional support as a form of service performed by assistance dogs, we have seen a growing number of people producing fake documentation and fake vests. When fake assistance dogs are out in public and cannot be controlled or act out, this has a huge negative impression on these dogs with the general public, making it very difficult for people with disabilities to be accepted well when they are out with their trained assistance dogs.
I admit that I have anxiety when I'm in certain situations, like traveling, especially if I'm having a migraine, which still occurs while traveling, even while on my amazing medication. Thankfully, I was able to take Emee everywhere, and because she was well-behaved and had a job, she was allowed to be there. If I hadn't started relying on her to alert me to high glucose, she would have had to follow the Emotional Support Dog rules of the establishment or airline.
There are many wonderful organizations in the United States and beyond that raise and train assistance dogs with continued support. If you or someone you know requires an assistance dog, you may contact the Assistance Dog Regional office or visit the site below for a list of participating chapters with organizations that help others regain control of their lives: Assistance Dog Regional Chapters.
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