Service dogs are wonderful companions, and these pups are able to help with a wide range of disabilities thanks to their calm, caring, and comforting nature.
Disabilities like stuttering can benefit from the help and presence of a service dog, and if this is the first time you are hearing of this, don’t worry. Our article will help you understand more about how a service dog helps with someone’s stutter, and how you might be able to bring a service dog for stutter into your own life if needed.
What Is a Service Dog?
A service dog is an animal that, according to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), is trained to complete a specific task or skill that helps alleviate the symptoms of an individual’s disability.
To be defined as a service dog and granted protected public access rights, service dogs must be trained to perform tasks that have a direct impact on supporting a disabled individual. There are several different types of service dogs, such as psychiatric service dogs, medical alert service dogs, and mobility or guidance service dogs.
The tasks that service dogs perform are varied and generally tailored to help an individual specifically. For many individuals with disabilities, service dogs are an essential companion that helps them make their way through daily life easier and with less stress.
Can a Service Dog Help Someone With a Stutter?
Many individuals might not know this, but service dogs are incredibly helpful when an individual is dealing with a stutter.
Individuals that suffer from stutters often experience extreme stress and anxiety, including social anxiety, when it comes to speaking in public and interacting with others.
Service dogs help comfort and provide support to these individuals during their public interactions. Many service dogs for stutter are trained to help deescalate panic attacks, guide their owner away from stressful situations, and provide a distraction so the individual can refocus.
Of course, every individual is different and may have different needs for their service dog’s support in relation to their stutter. However, as long as the dog is trained to perform a task that helps with the individual’s disability, they are considered a service dog and a valuable companion to have.
Tasks That a Service Dog for Stutter Might Perform
The following tasks are examples of how a service dog might help someone with a stutter.
- Accompanying their owner into public to provide comfort and support.
- Identifying when their owner is suffering from anxiety, stress, or panic, and helping them to safely exit the situation.
- Providing deep pressure therapy or other comforting therapy techniques to help deescalate panic attacks or other stress and anxiety issues.
- Guiding their owner to safe spaces as needed.
- Retrieving items for their owner such as water, phones, remotes, and medication.
- Providing a distraction when their owner is overwhelmed and needs to refocus by providing care for their dog or simply sitting with their dog for comfort.
As you review these tasks, it’s important to keep in mind that all individuals are different. Service dogs may have different asks that help their owners in a variety of ways, including ways that are not on this list.
How Can I Obtain a Service Dog for Stutter?
If you’ve read this article and decided that you can benefit from adding a service dog to your life, you might be wondering how you can bring a service dog for a stutter into your care plan.
Many individuals with a stutter will work with a therapist or medical professional, depending on their specific situation. Speaking with a trusted doctor or therapist is your first step in obtaining a service dog.
After you and your therapist or doctor have decided that a service dog for stutter will be a positive thing to add to your daily life, you can research local or national organizations that train service dogs.
Make a list of the tasks that you might need help with and consult with these organizations about what their dogs are specifically trained to do. In most cases, additional training to prepare a dog to help with your specific situation is provided.
If you find the process of adopting a fully trained service dog for stutter cost-prohibitive, don’t hesitate to research financial aid, scholarships, and insurance costs to help you with this.
Alternatively, you can train your own service dog by adopting a pup and working with them. With training, they can complete the tasks you need to help with certain symptoms of your disability.
Supportive Service Dogs for Stutter
Service dogs for stutter are something that isn’t as commonly seen, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to bring a service dog into your life to help with this condition. Service dogs for stutter provide support, comfort, and help to decrease the stress and anxiety many individuals with a stutter feel when they are out in public and interacting with others.
If you feel that a service dog for stutter can benefit your life, don’t hesitate to call a trusted medical professional today to discuss it as a potential treatment plan option.
