Greetings from Fisher!!!

A service dog is a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks specifically for a person with a disability. 

The work or task(s) that the dog performs must be directly related to mitigating some aspect of that person's specific disability.  Basically, a service dog actively performs a trained task or work to do something that the owner cannot do for themselves, which lessens the effect of their handlers disability, and heightens their handler's ability to function in other major life areas.   

More information on the definition of a service dog may be found at the Americans with Disabilities (ADA) FAQ. Please also note that dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.

Fisher has been specifically trained to provide several tasks that mitigate my disabilities, which include Type 1 diabetes and some mobility resulting from physical injury. Some of Fisher's trained tasks include:

• Low blood glucose signal/alert (<100mg/dL)
• High blood glucose signal/alert (>160 mg/dL)
• Blood and urine ketone alert
• Medical response (e.g., notifying my spouse of a medical emergency, fetching emergency supplies to treat an insulin reaction, etc.)
• Mobility assistance (e.g., counterbalance, momentum pull, retrieval, etc.)
• Guide to safe locations to treat a low or high blood glucose

Fisher was scent-trained from birth on low and high blood sugar scent collected from several Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics. 

How is scent collected? From saliva! Every living person breathes and saliva is the first indicator that diabetic alert dogs (DADs) are trained on as puppies. A dog's nose is 10,000 to 100,000 more acute than a human's nose.  A dogs' sense of smell is powerful enough to detect substances at concentrations of one part per trillion, meaning a single drop of liquid in 20 Olympic-size swimming pools. WOW!!! 

A well-trained DAD can detect miniscule blood sugar variations up to 30 minutes faster than a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) or a diabetic's physical response ("feeling"). They can even be trained to understand the relationship between blood sugar and insulin (which drops the blood sugar) that is already in the body!

Fisher was trained for diabetic alert and response by Tattle Tail Scent Dogs, LLC in Salt Lake City, Utah. His guide and mobility tasks were trained by Bravo's Kindred Canines, a  501(c)3 not-for-profit organization that specializes in training service dogs for other invisible disabilities.

Fisher was in training for two years before he was considered a fully-trained service dog. That said, training never stops. Like any skill set we work hard to acquire, if not practiced regularly, the dog can get out of practice and that lack of practice can make a service dog less than useful. For this reason, training continues for the life of the service dog.   

This question really depends on the trained work or tasks needed by the disabled individual. In general, the cost to train service dogs varies between $15,000 and $50,000. Costs are also dependent on whether the dog is trained by an experienced or new owner-trainer (closer to $10-$25k) or a professional service dog training organization ($25-$50k).

Yes and no. In the United States, any BREED of dog can be a service dog, but not every dog has the stable temperament, socialization, habituation, high level of training, size, structural conformation, endurance, or skill set to become a service dog. Service dogs are not "average" dogs and they are absolutely, 100%, not pets. They are highly trained, exceptionally stable, living, medical equipment that are specifically trained to do something (or many things) that their disabled handler cannot do for themselves.

Approximately 50-70% of dogs being trained for service work by an well-established program complete the training program and become working service dogs. Owner-trainer statistics are less studied, but it is estimated that 80-90% of owner-trained service dogs do not complete their training and are "washed" from training well before they become working service dogs.

Absolutely!

Fisher is a living, breathing being with his own personality, and physical and mental needs. He is a dear member of our family. He is exercised daily, enjoys high quality fresh foods, and he loves to play ball and swim, hunt and retrieve ducks and upland birds, and run and chase his older (canine) brother, Bowie, around the field. He spends tons of time cuddling with Sonia and the rest of his family. 

The answer to this question is 100%, unequivocally, absolutely, "NO."

There are plenty of pet-friendly places that you can bring your pet dog. Most of these places include outdoor malls, pet stores, some hardware stores, some farmers markets, the downtown sidewalks, public parks, dog parks, etc. There are even pet-friendly hotels, usually for a fee, where your dog can stay with you while you travel. You can even pay a fee for small pets to travel in cabin or larger pets to fly in cargo on airplanes.

It is a misdemeanor in most US States to "fake" a service dog to gain access to a non-pet friendly public place or to take advantage of perceived "benefits" of service dog handlers. Those things a non-disabled person may see as "benefits" are not truly benefits to a person with a disability. They provide people with disabilities equal access to the same areas, activities, and experiences that a non-disabled person has. 

NEVER bring pets into non-pet friendly public places and NEVER represent a pet dog, even if it's well trained, as a service dog. This isn't about whether you or your dog will cause problems for service dog teams, it's about whether you or your dog's behavior will encourage others to do the same with their poorly trained dogs.

Fisher is wearing boots for the same reason you and I wear shoes: to protect his feet!

Concrete, asphalt, sharp gravel, sand, etc. are hard on a dog's feet and can become very dangerous, very quickly, especially for working service dogs. The concrete and asphalt temperature can reach over 135 degrees F with an air temperature of 85 degrees F. A dog's feet can blister and crack on pavement in just 20 seconds at 77 degrees F outside. Imagine walking around Disney World during the heat of the summer for a week!  

As a service dog does a lot of walking with his handler, it's important to protect his feet!

Yes! Fisher and Sonia LOVE to exhibit (compete) at dog events throughout the US!

Fisher's training as a service dog has given him a "leg up" in Obedience (strict obedience) and Rally (teamwork obedience). Fisher holds the titles of Companion Dog Excellent (CDX) and Rally Champion (RACH). He even scored in the top 1/3 of exhibitors in the 2021 American Kennel Club (AKC) Rally National Championship and received an invitation to exhibit at the AKC Obedience Classic in December 2021. 

Fisher is also the North American Diving Dogs (NADD) #1 distance diving Chesapeake Bay Retriever for 2019, 2020, and 2021 with a personal best of 29'9", which is also a world-record for Chesapeake Bay Retrievers. He takes diving seriously whether he's on a dock or out retrieving birds on a hunt test.

He completed the AKC 2021 year as the #9 ranked Chesapeake Bay Retriever in Conformation and received his Bronze Grand Champion (show dog) title in October 2021. Conformation, which is essentially if the dog meets the written body structure standard for its breed, is very important for service dogs, especially dogs that are used for mobility assist. 

Fisher is also titled in Trick Dog, Farm Dog, and Fast CAT (lure coursing) and is an Urban Canine Good Citizen, Virtual Home Manners, and American Chesapeake Club Working Dog (WD). He is also working on nosework, tracking, barn hunt, and hunt test titles. 

No. In the United States, there are no Federal laws that require service dogs to be certified. There are state laws that request registration, but all are optional, as states cannot overrule Federal law. 

All service dog registries are scams and should never be considered legitimate. If a person is using a service dog registry ID, they bought it online and are using it to represent their dog as a service dog, which causes problems for legitimate handlers who know and follow Federal law.

Gatekeepers (businesses) in the United States legally cannot ask for service dog registration papers, service dog identification cards, or any other type of ID to prove a dog is a service dog. They can legally ask two questions:  (1) is the dog a service animal required because of a disability, and (2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform. That is all. Service dog handlers must know the correct answers to these questions to gain access to a non-pet friendly place of business and the dog must meet the requirements outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

Fisher is an AKC- and UKC-registered Chesapeake Bay Retriever (CBR). 

CBRs, also called "Chessies," were developed along the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland to hunt and retrieve ducks and geese in the most adverse weather and water conditions. They often having to break ice to retrieve a downed bird. 

Chessies are not curly-haired Labs or Goldens. They are sometimes called the "4 x 4" of the retriever group and are not for the faint of heart. They do not stop for anything and are very powerful, smart, hard-working dogs that need jobs, not sofas. The Chesapeake has a very bright and happy disposition, high level of intelligence, quiet, good sense, and have an affectionate, but protective, nature. They also tend to be a little aloof with strangers, so don't take it personally if Fisher didn't hug you when you met.

Chessies can come in all color variations of brown, the most popular of which are brown, deadgrass (yes, the color of dead grass), or sedge (reddish brown). Fisher is considered "brown."

If you're interested in a Chesapeake Bay Retriever, please see the CBR Breed Standard and go to the American Chesapeake Club's website for more information.

Because an interaction with a service dog distracts them from their job. Distracting a service dog can be dangerous or even life-threatening to the handler.

I once had a group of people distract Fisher when he was young and still in training. During that time, I didn't realize that my blood glucose was "crashing" (extremely low), which became life-threatening for me. Because of that distraction, I nearly died. 

If you want to pet Fisher, or any other service dog, ALWAYS ask the handler first, without interacting with the dog. If the handler says "no," they're not trying to hurt your feelings, the dog may be working. Please don't take it personally or yell at the handler.

A service dog is not an attraction or spectacle. It is a piece of living medical equipment. Just as you would not touch a person's wheelchair or cane, please don't touch a service dog without asking and receiving permission from the handler. 

Please don't photograph service dogs without the permission of the handler and definitely NEVER post photos online without permission, either.

Photos make disabled handlers into entertainment for other people and can be very harmful for the handler or service dog. Please don't makes us feel MORE different than we already are.

If you want a photo, always ask the handler first. We may be able to oblige you with something even better than you would get from afar (like the trading card you received to get here)! 

We love this question, especially if we met you at Walt Disney World, Disneyland or California Adventure, Universal Studios, or any other theme park.

Fisher can ride any theme park ride that does not have a height requirement. This means you might see him board in your group at Haunted Mansion, Pirates or the Caribbean, the Na'vi River Journey, or the  Kilimanjaro Safaris.

Fisher absolutely loves these rides. He will jump into the car, boat, truck, etc. and lay at my feet. Depending on the time of day, he might sit and watch everything go by with us, or he might lay down and take a nap. 

The important thing is that he is in a "sit" or "down" position and under my control at all times.

When the ride has a height requirement, like Soarin' or Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, we have two options if I want to ride: 1) I can put Fisher in a crate in a side room under the watchful eye of a cast member (CM) or 2) my party and I can do something called "rider switch," where some or all of my party ride first and I stay outside with Fisher, then we switch and I hand off Fisher to my party so that I can ride the ride right after them. Each ride is different and I may make a choice depending on where the crate is located, who is or is not watching, and how big my party is.

Quick note: If you ever see a dog in a crate at a theme park, whether watched by a cast member or not, please leave it alone. The dog is waiting for it's faithful partner to return from the ride safely and, if the dog provides scent-based tasks, like Fisher does, it may still be working.  

A gatekeeper (worker) deny a service dog access under certain conditions. The most common of these conditions include the following:

• If the dog is not under the full control of the handler (e.g.,  harnessed, leashed, tethered, or voice, signal, or other effective controls if the first three options cannot be used by the handler).
• If the handler does not take effective action to control the dog 
• If the dog is not housebroken
• When the dog's behavior poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others (primarily humans, but can also include other service animals)
• When the dog fundamentally alters the nature of a business. For example, access to certain areas of a zoo might be denied due to stress on wild animals. Certain types of medical facilities may also deny access to a service dog for health and safety reasons.
• If the dog is not tethered (leashed) in public places, unless it is actively working/tasking or if the handler's disability prevents using a leash or tether (see first bullet point above)
• Religious facilities (i.e., churches) that are being used for religious purposes. 

It should be noted that, though a service dog can be denied access under some conditions, once removed, the handler should be permitted to access the public place without the dog. Of course, there are exemptions to this rule, but those do not apply to the service dog.