Nowadays, since cocker spaniels and many other dogs are being trained to help with a wide range of conditions, more people are incorporating a service dog into their lives. Some service cocker spaniels offer emotional support, while others provide lifesaving help by alerting an individual when their blood sugar level drops or reminding them to take their medicine. Dogs can be trained to assist us but there’re misconceptions too. In this blog, we have listed some common service cocker spaniel myths.
Even though dogs have many life-saving abilities, service dogs and their owners bear the burden of some misconceptions. People often assume things, such as emotional support animals, service dogs, and therapy animals, are the same things.
Service Cocker Spaniel Myths: Common Service Dog Misconceptions
Dogs can be trained to assist us but there’re misconceptions about these service dogs. In this blog we are going to put some of the common myth about service cocker spaniel to rest.
Emotional Support Dogs and Service Dogs are the Same
Many believe that the two are the same. However, there is a stark difference between them. You should not confuse them with each other.
An emotional cocker spaniel support dog is an untrained pet that emotionally supports his/her handler. If you have a special note from a doctor, support dogs are let inside the flight cabin of an aircraft without any charges. These service dog also used in a courtroom as a facility service dog to support crime victims.
A service dog, on the other hand, is medical equipment. They are primarily trained to do a task or work associated with alleviating the disability of a person.
Service and emotional support dogs carry out important tasks, but their purposes are largely different.
Training of Service Dogs Only Takes a Few Months
Practically, the training of service dogs isn’t ever over. They should learn new things and adapt to the requirements of the handlers as they might change with time.
Moreover, it isn’t unusual for a fully trained dog to require a little touch-up on things they have already learned before. Usually, from beginning to end, it takes about 2 years to train a service dog. Choosing the right puppy as a service dog also signifies the duration to become a service dog. It is time-consuming and expensive. However, the training given will be worth it.
Service Cocker Spaniels are Registered or Certified After Training is Done
There is a common misconception that service dogs like cocker spaniels are registered or certified online after they complete their training. It is mainly because there are many websites over the internet that sells registered and certified service dogs.
However, you should know that service dogs don’t have to be registered. In fact, they don’t even require proof of training. It is a common misconception that exists mainly because of scam sites.
Service Dogs are Just for the Deaf or Blind
It used to be the case several years ago. But, with time, trainers have come to realize that cocker spaniel service dogs can help people with different types of disabilities. Presently, people with autism, diabetes, mental illnesses, and various other conditions are using service dogs. There are many benefits of autism support dogs; Cocker Spaniel is one of them which can support autistic children. The four-legged animals prove to be helpful in different circumstances.
A Service Dogs from a Training Program Bonds with the Handler Immediately
If a cocker spaniel is coming from a training program, people assume that they are going to bond with the handler instantly. Nonetheless, this is not the case. Just as any other relationship, one between the handler and the cocker spaniel service dog will take effort and time to grow. At times, people might expect their service dogs to bond immediately or want their behavior to be flawless. But regardless of the training method or organization the dog is from, it will take time and effort for a dog to bond with its handler.
It doesn’t mean that instant bonding doesn’t ever happen, but it is rare. Most of the time than not, it requires you to be patient. You must keep in mind that dogs aren’t robots, they have emotions, too.
Service Dogs Don’t Get to Be Normal Dogs
Service animals live incredible lives and are also cared for by the people around them. They are animals that are trained impeccably and wonderful at their jobs. However, they are still dogs. Simply because they are working animals doesn’t mean that they don’t get to be normal dogs. As a matter of fact, when they are off duty, it is mandatory that the cocker spaniels get to relax. This ensures that they are better at what they are doing. When they are not working, they are regular pets. So, they play, run, and relax.
Service dogs find their work engaging and energizing. Thus, their training and work keep them mentally refreshed.
Service Dogs Can Carry Out Incredible Tasks
There is an increasing number of tasks that dogs can perform. There are seizure-alert dogs, psychiatric service dogs, hearing-alert dogs, and many more. As you get to know about the incredible things that service cocker spaniels can do, they become more and more visible.
However, when you are getting a service cocker spaniel, you need to know about the fake services. In case the dog is not trained, and you don’t have a disability, the dog isn’t a service dog. Many fake services are posing a threat to the disabled community. An untrained dog might attack or distract an actual service dog team leading to death or injury to the service dog or their handler.
Remember, service dog fraud is recognized as a federal crime. If you are caught, you will have to pay a hefty fine. In case your dog causes an injury to someone, you are going to be held liable. Keeping a service cocker spaniel isn’t a convenience. A service dog serves as assistance or a tool for a disabled person who cannot be independent otherwise.
Whether you own a service dog or know an individual who does, make sure you keep them hydrated and healthy. It should be your priority when handling a service dog. Remember, they can protect their handler only when they are healthy.
Most importantly, like various other things, assumptions are not always true. It is also the case with service dogs. We tried to analyze some common service cocker spaniel myths. If you keep reading about them, you will get to know many facts about service cocker spaniel dogs.
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