Questions: Is a Service Dog for you?

Copy this page onto a blank document. Write in your answers to each question. These are not easy questions, and you may need some time to think about the answers and write them. These answers require more than a simple yes or no. Describe exactly how you will provide for the dog in answer to each question.

Participating in this exercise will help prepare you in the process of getting a service dog. Some of these questions will be asked by the source of your dog. These questions will help you to evaluate how well you can meet the criteria needed to get a service dog. Having the answers ready will make the process go more smoothly. Also, you will begin to think about the changes and adjustments you will need to make in having a service dog.

1. Have you been responsible for a pet or other type of animal in your life before? When?

2. What type of pet(s) have you been responsible for and what were your responsibilities in caring for this pet(s)?

3. Have you lived with a dog in the past? What type of dog, and how long was s/he with you?

4. Who took care of the dog, and where did s/he live? Where did the dog sleep? Where did the dog stay when you were gone? Did the dog go places with you? Where?

6. Do you feel that you can be completely responsible for the care of a dog? Describe a day in your life if you had a service dog. What would your daily responsibilities be in caring for the dog?

7. Do you feel that you can make a place in your life for a dog to be with you all of the time? Do you have the extra time in your life that having a dog will require on a daily basis? Describe the amount of time you believe you would need to spend in a day in your life if you had a service dog.

8. Can you adjust your budget to allow for the necessary funding needed to care for a dog? Describe the amount of funding you believe you would need to spend in a month on the dog if you had a service dog.

9. Do you feel prepared to learn how to keep a dog safe and healthy? You will need to have the dog in your sight or know exactly where the dog is, at all times. How will you do this?

10. Do you feel able to provide the extra cleaning necessary: vaccuming of hair the dog sheds in your living quarters, water sloshed on the floor from the dog drinking, dirt and mud from the dog's feet after going outside? How would you do this?

11. Can you arrange transportation to take the dog to a veterinarian for regular check-ups and health emergencies? How would you do this?

12. Can you find a place and a way to give the dog baths at least twice a month, or more often when necessary? How would you do this?

13. Are you able to make sure that other people in your life will not feed your dog extra treats or leave the door open? Can you tell people about why you have a service dog and what the dog does for you? What would you say?

14. Will other people who are in your life (family, spouse, children, roomates, attendants), be supportive of you having a service dog? Who is in your life that would be affected? Have you talked to each one of them about your desire to get a service dog? What were the responses of each of these people about you wanting to get a service dog?

15. Describe your living quarters. Where will you take the dog for elimination needs? How will you clean up waste from your dog?

16. Do you have a park, or other area nearby where you can take the dog for exercise? Where is this in relation to your living quarters? How will you get there?

17. Are you prepared to go outside to take the dog for elimination needs and exercise when the weather is rainy, snowy, or cold? How will you do this?

18. What are some things these questions brought to your mind that you had not considered about getting a service dog?

19. What is the most helpful thing you discovered about yourself in answering these questions?