The Golden Bridge by Patty Dobbs Gross

Author:Patty Dobbs Gross
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Purdue University Press

Many people are expressing a growing concern about the assistance dog movement—are we being fair to the dogs we ask to take on this demanding role? Veterinarians and dog trainers are reporting physical and behavioral problems associated with stress in some assistance dogs. Digestive problems, skin disorders, lameness, obsessive/compulsive disorders and severe separation anxiety are just a few of the problems seen. There is no question that assistance dogs are expected to function at an extremely high level of reliability in surroundings that are very abnormal from a canine perspective. We ask them to disregard their genetic and evolutionary wiring: don’t touch food within easy reach; don’t run away from new or scary things; ignore enticing smells; don’t chase birds or squirrels; don’t bark or growl at someone who appears threatening. We place them in stressful environments foreign to the average dog—crowded shopping malls, noisy restaurants or concert halls, medical facilities filled with odors that must be overwhelming to sensitive canine noses.

Yet I truly believe that some dogs can live a happy and fulfilling life in the role of assistance animal. Wouldn’t most of our dogs love to be with us 24 hours a day, rather than home alone in the back yard? No one who has seen the joy with which a retriever proudly delivers a toy to his owner or who has watched an agility dog on course can doubt that many dogs revel in working with their human partners. The big question is: how can we nurture this enjoyment of the job and minimize the stress we place on assistance dogs?

I believe that there are three major components that need to be addressed to maintain a healthy, happy working dog. These are careful selection of assistance dog candidates, proper training for their future role, and appropriate education and training of the assistance dog partner.

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