On August 5-11, 2012, the world elebrated International Service Dog Week. ISDW was started several years ago by author and public advocate, Marcie Davis, in recognition of service dogs everywhere. The goal of ISDW is to raise awareness of what service dogs do for their owners, as well as to honor those puppy raisers and trainers who commit the time and effort in raising and training the puppies who will one day wear the service dog harness.

 Joan Froling's dog carries her purchases.

Service dogs are slowly gaining recognition in our society, but there is still much confusion about what a service dog does. Recently the news media reported that some people are buying service dog jackets and other identification so they can "impersonate" a service dog in order to get their pooch into restaurants, stores, and other public places. This is truly unfortunate. A trained Service Dog can save a life by alerting a person to an oncoming seizure or by keeping a deaf or blind person out of harm’s way. They might open the door or pick up a dropped object for a disabled person, help their owner to stand or assist them onto the bus, or they might prevent an autistic child from wandering away from home. Service dogs make it possible for a wheelchair-bound business person like Davis to travel the world or simply go to work every day. For the person who truly needs one, the Service Dog can make the difference between a life filled with limitations and a life of enjoyment and normal activity.

Davis’ book, Working Like Dogs: The Service Dog Guidebook, answers questions for both potential service dog recipients and people who work with the public where they come in contact with service dogs. Writing from first-hand experience, Marcie covers all aspects of the service (assistance) dog: the various types of assistance dogs, legal aspects, bringing a service dog into your life, taking care of the dog, and facing the final good-bye and a possible successor. Throughout the book she shares many personal stories from herself as well as others who have been touched by a service dog.