Service Dogs
Application: PART TWO: DISABILITY INFORMATION
Service Dogs
What Service Dogs Do
Is a Service Dog for You
How to Get a Service Dog
The Right Dog
The Right Source
The Right Trainer
The Right Training
Your Goals
Your Resources
Getting Ready for a Service Dog
Equipment
Health Care
When You Get a Service Dog
Working in Public

A provider organization or private trainer will need to know about your personal challenges.  When interviewing a potential provider organization or private trainer, you will want to know that s/he understands and has experience with your specific conditions.  Ask for names and phone numbers of persons with the same disabilities as yours with whom s/he has placed dogs.  If an organization or trainer seems unfamiliar with your condition, they are not the right place for you to pursue getting a helper dog from or with.  You do not need to provide a learning experience for them.
 
On the application, you will always find a section about your disabilities or challenges.  If you have questions about whether you are disabled enough to qualify, the application for certification by Assistance Dogs of America is very specific about this and provides additional links.  Some of the discussion groups speak about this topic at length. 
 
Most of these questions will be familiar to you.  You have already answered many of them in the "What a Service Dog can do for You" section.  Find your Homework from that section and copy the answers over into this part.  You may want to edit your answers by adding or changing them.
 
Answer the questions in this section as specifically and in as much detail as possible.  Selection of the right dog for a person and the matching process is dependant on the combination of what tasks and exercises a person needs, and which ones a particular dog performs best at and prefers.  If you forget to ask for a dog that goes to get help or some other exercise important to you, the dog you get matched with may not be strong on this particular exercise.

Homework
Copy this page onto a blank document.  Write in your answers to each question.  SAVE your answers.  Most of this information can go directly onto a provider organization application. 
 
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.  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.
 

Sample Application

PART TWO: DISABILITY INFORMATION

What is (are) your disability(ies)?

At what age did you develop this/these disability(ies)?

How long have you been physically challenged?

What caused your impairments?

In what ways are you limited or challenged by this?

What areas of your life are affected by this?

How do you believe a service dog will benefit you?

What exercises and tasks could a service dog do to enhance your life?

Where and how would a service dog be most useful for you? (Work, home, school).

Describe adaptations you need to make because of your disability(ies) to facilitate your activities of daily living.

Describe how you think a service dog could be involved in each of the activities you have mentioned in the previous question.

Do people have difficulty understanding you when you speak?

If Yes: Do you use a computer voice assistive device or communication board?

Please list all equipment used to manage your disability:

Do you need help with participating in your normal activities of dailiy living, if so, what type of help, and who helps you?

Is there any other information that you think may help with the selection of the right dog for you:

If you are a person visiting this site who has information, comments, stories, opinions or other input on this topic that would be helpful and could be included on the Comments and Input page for this topic, please email:

Education and Support for People and Service Dogs