Quality of Life

The main reason people with disabilities get service dogs is to increase their independence. Without the dog they would have to rely much more heavily on those around them for help. Along with this obvious benefit of having a service dog there are some unexpected ones as well. Having a service dog can also benefit people with disabilities by making them feel better about themselves (Lane et al.1998) (Weiss 2002). It has also been found that having a service dog increases interaction with able-bodied strangers for people in wheelchairs. Without the dog strangers tended to look away or avoid the person in the wheelchair (Eddy et al. 1988). “You’ll find out soon enough that once you leave here with your dog, the first thing people will see will be the dog. Then they’ll see you directing the dog, and maybe third they’ll notice the wheelchair (Ogden 1992, p.58).” There are also possible benefits from the dog’s perspective. Some people believe giving a dog a job gives it purpose and prevents it from suffering from boredom (Ogden 1992). Since dogs are pack animals most do not particularly like being left alone and service dogs get to be with their owner at all times.