The image shows a golden retriever lying on a wooden deck. The dog is wearing a blue service vest with a patch that says "Paws With a Cause." The dog looks relaxed with its mouth open and tongue slightly out. To the right side of the image, there is a large red heart graphic outlined with small black paw prints. Inside the heart, white text reads:
“Awareness starts with you!” The overall theme of the image emphasizes service dog awareness and advocacy.

September is Service Dog Awareness Month

64 million adults and children have a disability in the United States but there are only an estimated 500,000 service dogs out of a population of 339,996,563 people nationwide (that means approximately .15% of service dogs compared to people) and the need for service dogs is growing. There’s no way to determine how many people with disabilities would need or want a service dog but assuming that even half the number of the disabled population would be eligible, that would mean there are 32,000,000 people that may need or want a service dog. By helping to spread service dog awareness you will not only be showing your support but you may motivate others to offer their support as well, maybe its in the form of a donation, or volunteering, or getting involved in another way!

September is the month that we remember,
the important jobs these dogs do,
and all the lives that they improve! – Brendan Madden

Genetics are very important to those who breed service dogs. While it is true that it is possible to purchase and train your own dog to become a service dog, the vast majority of these never go on to be fully functioning service dogs. Organizations, such as Canine Companions specifically breed their own dogs and look for particular traits like longevity and weed out genetic medical conditions like hip dysplasia.

Another important trait in service dogs is eye contact? It directly relates to whether or not the dog is going to pay attention to you. A dog is much more apt to follow your commands if you have their attention. A lot of communication occurs non-verbally through the eyes and, no, they will not be reading your mind, but a dog will be able to sense a certain intent. Also, a lot of service dogs need to be aware and provide an interruption to stop their person from any harmful behaviors or need to alert them to other medical needs, like low blood pressure, and eye contact helps them be more focused. This focus can also be helpful when training, not just for service dogs, but for any dog! A study also shows eye contact boosts levels of Oxytocin, the hormone associated with bonding and is known to reduce levels of stress, and reduces blood pressure. High levels of oxytocin, both in the human and dog, helps strengthen the team dynamic

Written by: Brendan Madden