archangelboxers.com - ArchAngel Assistance Animals

ArchAngel Assistance Animals

I proudly provide Boxers to be Trained as Service Animals for the Disabled.

ArchAngels Neurotyc Omynn Of Honor SDIT
"Omynn" is being trained as a Medical Alert & Mobility K-9! Pictured on is 1st offical day of training at 16wks & 35lbs! I'm SO proud of you!

Kissed By Angels SD, CGC
"Angel" is part of the Psychiatric Service Dog Society's Power Point Presentation who's brochure can be viewed on their websight www.psychdog.org Angel is now learning how to be a Hearing Dog on top of the PSD & Medical Alert work she has already been trained for by ArchAngel Boxers. She can be seen working with her handler in the Florida Panhandle.

A service dog is a type of assistance dog that is specially trained to help people who have disabilities other than visual or hearing impairment. Examples of these include Psychiatric service dogs, mobility assistance dogs, and seizure alert dogs. Service dogs are sometimes trained and bred by private organizations. In other cases, the disabled handler may train their dog themselves with the aid of a private trainer. While the law does not require any special labeling of these dogs, many service dogs can be identified by the cape, jacket, or harness they wear.
Among other things, service dogs are trained how to pick up objects, open and close doors, and operate light switches. Some service dogs are trained to pull individuals in wheelchairs. During their training, the dogs usually spend a year or more with a host family to become acquainted with working around people. Many service dogs continue their training after they are formally placed with a person, usually on a yearly basis.
The process of obtaining a service dog varies by each organization. Normally, an application must be submitted, and a waiting list is usually involved. The costs for a service dog also vary, however financial assistance may be available. This is one reason many handlers choose to train their own assistance animal.
Patience and repetition are critical components of successful animal training for service dogs. In the United States, use of selected inmates in prisons as animal trainers has proved a valuable resource to service animal agencies. In addition to teaching the dogs basic obedience and other skills needed to prepare them for their future careers and thereby adding to the short-supply of service animals, such programs in correctional centers have proved to be mutually beneficial relationships. Often, the inmates develop improved socialization skills and behavior as a result of their work with the dogs.
Service dogs and their handlers have protection under the U.S. Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which gives them equal access to All public facilities, such as restaurants, parks, taxis, airplanes, shopping centers, Dr. Offices, Hospitals, & Zoos.

What Is a Service Dog?

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA, 1990), a dog is considered a "service dog" if it has been "individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability."

Also according to the ADA, a "disability" is a "mental or physical condition which substantially limits a major life activity" such as:

caring for one's self
performing manual tasks
walking
seeing
hearing
speaking
breathing
learning
working

Some disabilities may not be visible, such as:

deafness
epilepsy
psychiatric conditions

To be considered a service dog, the dog must be trained to perform TASKS directly related to the person's disability.

If the animal does not do (a verb, an action word, meaning to perform or execute) work (noun meaning something on which exertion or labor is expended, a task or undertaking, productive or operative activity, the result/product of exertion or labor or activity, a deed or performance) or perform (verb meaning to carry out, execute, do) tasks (noun meaning a matter of considerable labor or difficulty, duty, any piece of work) that it has been trained (verb meaning to coach or accustom to a mode of behaviour or performance, to make proficient with specialized instruction and practice) to do, it is not a service (adjective meaning of service - noun meaning an act of helpful activity) animal.

Other Terms Used to Refer to Service DogsTo be consistent with the legal definition in the ADA, Delta Society uses the following terms:

Service animal describes any animal that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability. This can be a Dog, Cat, Miniature Horse, Monkey ect.
Service dog, adapted from the term service animal, is a species-specific term to generically describe any dog in the role of service animal.

Because people are more familiar with dogs as service animals, this web site uses "service dog" instead of "service animal" to make it easier for people to find the information they're looking for. Most of the time, the information that refers to "service dogs" also applies to service animals.

While the term "service animal" is legally defined, some organizations use the term "assistance animal" or "assistance dog."

The terminology used to label specific types of work dogs perform for people with disabilities has not been standardized. For example, a dog trained to help a person walk might be referred to by different sources as a "mobility dog", a "walker dog", or a "support dog." In addition to the wide variety of terms used, many service dogs are cross-trained to perform more than one category of work (such as guide and mobility for a person who is blind and has severe arthritis) and labeling them by the work they do becomes cumbersome.

Many individuals choose to identify their service animal generically (as "service animals", "service dogs", "service cats," etc.) because it identifies the roles of the animals without disclosing the nature of the persons' disabilities, and it is consistent with the terminology of the laws that protect them. The Difference between Service Animals, Therapy Animals, Companion Animals and "Social/therapy" Animals.
Service animals are legally defined (Americans With Disabilities Act, 1990) and are trained to meet the disability-related needs of their handlers who have disabilities. Federal laws protect the rights of individuals with disabilities to be accompanied by their service animals in public places. Service animals are not considered "pets."
Therapy animals are not legally defined by federal law, but some states have laws defining therapy animals. They provide people with contact to animals, but are not limited to working with people who have disabilities. They are usually the personal pets of their handlers, and work with their handlers to provide services to others. Federal laws have no provisions for people to be accompanied by therapy animals in places of public accommodation that have "no pets" policies. Therapy animals are NOT service animals unless they are also individually trained to preform tasks for their disabled handler.

Companion animal is not legally defined, but is accepted as another term for pet.

"Social/therapy" animals likewise have no legal definition. They often are animals that did not complete service animal or service dog training due to health, disposition, trainability, or other factors, and are made available as pets for people who have disabilities. These animals might or might not meet the definition of service animals.

Service Dog Manners

When you meet a person with a service animal, PLEASE remember that the animal is working. Don't do anything to interrupt the service animal while it is performing its tasks.

Some Rules for Interacting with People with Service Animals.

Speak to the person first. Do not aim distracting or rude noises at the dog .
Do not touch the service animal without asking for, and receiving, permission.
Do not offer food to the service animal.
Do not ask personal questions about the handler's disability, or otherwise intrude on his or her privacy.
Don't be offended if the handler does not wish to chat about the service animal.

What if you don't like dogs or are afraid of dogs?

Place yourself away from the service dog. If you are a business person, discreetly arrange for someone else to wait on the person. You may ask the person to have the service dog lie down if it does not interfere with its work.

What if the service dog barks, growls, or otherwise forgets its manners?

Find out what happened before taking action. Was the service dog stepped on, poked, asleep and dreaming, performing its job (some alert their owners to oncoming seizures by barking once or twice)? If the dog's behavior is disruptive or destructive, you may ask the person to remove it from the premises.

What if other people complain about the dog being present?

Explain that the service dog is medically necessary and that federal law protects the right of the person to be accompanied by the service dog in public places.

If you have been Denied Access Contact the
US DEPT. Of JUSTICE
950 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Civil Rights Devision
Disability Rights Section-NYAV
Washington, DC
20530