Service dogs are wonderful companions for individuals with varying disabilities. These highly trained working pups can change someone’s life and allow them to better access public spaces or complete their daily tasks. If you are considering adding a service dog to your treatment plan or researching service dogs for a loved one, you are almost certainly wondering how much it costs.
Our article gives you an overview of service dogs and details on the average costs of a trained service dog. We will also give you helpful information on lower-cost ways you may be able to add a service dog to your life.
How Do Service Dogs Help?
When people think of service dogs, they typically think of guide dogs that are trained to help individuals who may be visually or hearing impaired. However, service dogs can provide assistance for a number of disabilities, including mental health conditions or physical disabilities.
Service dogs may complete tasks for their owners that include retrieving items and medication, bringing water or phones to their handler, interrupting negative behaviors or providing distractions, and alerting their owners to the onset of medical conditions like seizures or changes in blood pressure or blood sugar. Service dogs also provide guidance, mobility, and balance support to their owners as needed.
The Average Cost of a Trained Service Dog
Due to the rigorous and lengthy training that most service dogs receive as puppies and the fact that the majority of service dogs come from purebred lines, such as golden retrievers or German shepherds, the average cost of a fully trained service dog can be fairly high.
In most situations, you can expect to spend between $15,000 and $30,000 upfront. This cost covers the dog’s training and care up until the time you adopt them, and it generally includes the final stages of training where you participate in learning commands and start forming a bond with your dog.
Every organization and service dog training foundation has varying fees, and they may train dogs with different commands based on your needs. It’s important to do some research before reaching out to an organization or starting your application to ensure that the service dog will meet your specific needs.
It is also important to take into account the yearly cost of caring for your dog. Even though your service dog will be a working companion, they still need to receive regular veterinary visits, eat a healthy diet, and have toys, beds, and comfort items when they are not working at your side.
To be approved for a service dog, you will need to be able to physically care for and financially support your dog, which many individuals are able to do even if they cannot meet the upfront cost of a service dog.
Will Insurance Pay for My Service Dog?
Whether or not your health insurance pays for your service dog depends on your specific insurance plan. Many health insurance companies don’t cover the cost of adopting a service dog, though some plans consider service animals necessary medical equipment and may cover all or part of the cost.
It’s important to review the specifics of your health plan and speak with a representative from your health insurance company to determine whether or not your insurance will help you with the cost of adopting a service dog to assist with your disability.
How Can I Get a Service Dog for Free?
In some cases, it may be possible to get a service dog for free or at a lower cost. Many national and local organizations provide service dogs to individuals in need who can otherwise care for a service dog but would be unable to provide the upfront cost. It’s important to note that many of these organizations and foundations are specific to certain types of disabilities, such as PTSD service dogs for veterans or guide dogs for the mobility or visually impaired. It’s important to find an organization that meets your needs for the best chance of receiving a service dog.
If you are having trouble finding an organization that might provide you with a service dog at no or a lower cost, you can also use funding methods such as crowdfunding, personal loans, or state and federal grants to cover the cost of adopting a service dog.
Can I Train My Own Service Dog?
Training your own service dog is a valid option, and many individuals opt for this route as a way to avoid paying the upfront cost for a fully trained dog and to skip waiting lists for service dogs, which can often be lengthy.
It’s important to note that training your own service dog does require a much greater time commitment and lots of patience, as consistent training starting with the basic skills and working towards complex and advanced tasks is necessary. However, training your own service dog can increase the bond between you and your pup, and you will be able to train your dog with the very specific tasks you might need help with.
If you do opt to train your own service dog and need assistance with training, you can also involve a professional dog trainer. Professional trainers charge between $50 and $250 an hour depending on their experience and the tasks you need help with. Many individuals find this investment worth it to help their dog learn more complex service dog skills.
FAQs About Service Dogs
Service dogs can be a confusing topic. Our answers to frequently asked questions about service dogs, found below, can help you understand more about these service animals so you’re prepared to add one into your life.
What Are My Rights With My Service Dog?
Once you have a service dog in your care, you will have certain rights that pertain to public access with your dog. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, you have the right to enter virtually any space with your service dog, including those that don’t typically accept animals, such as restaurants or retail stores. Religious buildings may be an exception to the Americans with Disabilities Act, so be sure to check ahead of time if you are able to enter this type of space with your service animal.
Federal regulations also protect your right to live alongside your service animal without paying any extra fees or adhering to pet and breed restrictions.
Additionally, you will be able to travel with your service animal in the cabin of airplanes if air travel is required.
Does My Service Dog Need Registration?
Your service dog doesn’t need official registration, as the Americans with Disabilities Act doesn’t require this. However, many individuals choose to register their dog online or in a database to ensure that they have an easily accessible source of information about their dog and to provide them with identification cards or certificates should something happen to their service dog. Ultimately, registering your service dog is a personal choice.
Do I Need to Identify My Service Dog?
Much like with registering your service dog, you are not required to identify your service dog via marked harnesses, leashes, or vests. The Americans with Disabilities Act only requires that your service dog is trained to complete tasks related to your disability. You won’t need to demonstrate or prove this, nor are you required to elaborate on your service dog’s skills.
The only questions that you will need to answer about your service dog include the following:
- Is this dog a service animal?
- What work or tasks has this dog been trained to perform?
Review the Americans with Disabilities Act for more details on identifying your service dog and what is or is not allowed to be asked.
Does My Service Dog Need to Be a Specific Breed?
Service dogs don’t need to be a specific breed, age, or size. However, they must be physically able to complete the tasks you need assistance with, and they must have the right temperament. Your service dog should be well-socialized, well-behaved, and non-aggressive, and they must be under your control at all times.
If your service dog appears to be untrained, dangerous, or destructive, businesses and landlords are allowed to deny accommodations for you and your service dog.
How Do I Get a Service Dog?
If you think that you could benefit from the addition of a service dog to your treatment or disability care plan, your first step is to speak with your doctor, mental healthcare provider, or other medical professional. They will be able to evaluate your condition and ability to care for a service dog before approving you for one. Once you have been approved to add a service dog to your treatment plan, you can start the process of finding an organization to adopt from or training your own service dog.
Where Can I Adopt a Service Dog?
When adopting a fully trained service dog, there are many national, state, and local-level organizations you may be able to adopt from. You will need to find one that trains service dogs for your specific disability or that is able to connect you with an organization that provides service dogs to those in need.
If you are looking to adopt a dog and train them yourself, you can start your search at local shelters or rescue organizations. Make sure when adopting a service dog that you choose one with the right temperament for service dog work, the size or strength to help you with your tasks, and an intelligent nature so that training is as easy as possible.
Managing the Cost of a Service Dog
Service dogs are necessary for many individuals, and these working pups are highly trained to provide assistance for a variety of disabilities. Service dogs can be costly because of all the training they receive, and many individuals may not be able to afford the upfront cost of adding a service dog to their treatment plan.
You can manage the cost of a service dog by contacting local or national organizations that can help provide no-cost or lower-cost service animals to individuals in need. Speak with your medical or mental healthcare provider if you need assistance getting connected with the right organizations in your area.