September is National Service Dog Month!
Pets are an important part of our well-being. Some go the extra mile to care for their humans as much as their humans care for them.
Here at Fetchadate, we love celebrating the good that pets bring to our lives. From a listening ear to a cuddle buddy to scoring us dates, our pets are our best friends and family. This month, we’re celebrating the dogs that go above and beyond for their humans every single day. National Service Dog Month is dedicated to raising awareness and showing appreciation to the service pups that do a fluffing amazing job!
Read: How Pets Get You Through Tough Times
To help raise awareness of the work that service dogs do and what it’s like to live with a Service Dog, we got help from mental health advocate and dog trainer Elana and her service pup Peanutbutter.
When to tell a match that you have a service dog
While FetchaDate is all about showing off your pet, sharing that you have a service dog can be a very personal subject. You don’t have to disclose that your pet is a service animal. But connecting with like-minded pet lovers can feel great. Plus, we know that finding a fellow pet lover is the secret sauce to a lasting relationship. Choose to include a picture of your service dog in or out of their gear, or choose a virtual pet.
“I personally wait a while before I casually tell them, ‘Hey I have limitations, boundaries, and I have a service dog,'” says Elana. “It gives [your date] a better understanding of who you are before you label yourself as disabled.”
Do you bring your service dog on every date?
“For the first couple of dates, I don’t bring Peanut,” explains Elana. “I thought he would be way too big of a distraction from the actual date itself.”
However, everyone’s needs are different, and this isn’t an option for everyone with a service dog. Elana encourages others with a service dog to not make excuses to leave them at home and to find the confidence to be exactly who you are.
If Elana does want Peanutbutter to join her on a date, she ensures her date is comfortable with Peanutbutter joining and that her date is familiar with some basic laws surrounding service dogs. With Fetchadate, you can be certain that your match will enjoy your WingPet’s company as much as you do!
How to bring a service dog to someone else’s house
Bringing any WingPet to someone else’s house should always come with extra care. Beyond making sure your WingPet or service dog is a welcomed guest, Elana goes above and beyond when it comes to Peanutbutter’s manners.
“I always want to be extra polite and cautious about what he’s doing, where he steps,” shares Elana. A few essentials when Elana and Peanutbutter are guests at someone’s house include a blanket to protect furniture from fur, wipes, and booties for the paws, and a tracking collar to know where Peanutbutter is at all times. Elana also ensures that Peanutbutter is freshly bathed and smelling his best!
Life with a partner and a service dog
“I am super thankful for my partner,” shares Elana. “That they have been so generous to let me be myself and share moments with Peanut.”
Seeing her partner play with and love Peanutbutter really was the secret sauce to their relationship.
“It makes you feel way more comfortable with a person, and it makes you feel more welcomed,” Elana says about sharing a relationship with a pet-loving partner.
No matter the circumstance of the owner, everyone should thank their pets for four-legged companionship.
