Service Dogs are NOT Protection Dogs.
A service dog is expected to be well-mannered with no signs of aggressive behavior.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a service animal as any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability; including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual or other mental disability.
The ADA guides us that the work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.
The American Disability Act protects service dogs from harassment and discrimination from those who are uneducated about the purpose of service dogs. However, businesses can remove service dogs and their handler if their service dog displays any uncontrolled behaviors or aggression.
Service dogs are not meant to be protection dogs, and here’s why:
Protection dogs possess different qualities and traits than service dogs, and that’s what makes them good at their jobs! Service dogs are selected for a much different set of jobs, which requires a much different set of qualities, and that makes them also good at their job. Sure, there could be qualities and traits that overlap but ultimately these are two vastly different types of dogs.
A home protection dog is a highly trained animal to stop a would-be attacker. These dogs are very obedient and loyal to their owner. They have a place in a person's life with the need for home protection. The key word is “home,” not in public. At the end of the day we have such high expectations for all of our working dogs, no matter what kind of work they perform, but we must remember, they are dogs. Nothing can ever be 100% percent, 100 percent of the time.
We believe that trainers and companies who do put protection work on service dogs open themselves to civil liability in the event a home protection dog has an accidental bite. They also risk criminal charges, which courts can order the dog euthanized in some cases.
Some will say a service dog can bite someone. we agree with you. Nothing can be 100 percent, 100 percent of the time. HOWEVER a service dog should be hand selected by a professional trainer that is experienced in dog selection. It is important to research your breeds, and be prepared to work with natural assets of that breed, not against it.
The American Disabilities Act does not require a service dog to be professionally trained. We have found those who do not seek professional training find themselves up against bigger challenges.
Protection dogs serve a very important purpose in the dog world, and Service dogs share an equally important purpose in the dog world, but they should never be mistaken for one in the same.
