Navigating the Complicated World of Service Dogs

Scooby

As my aunt’s health deteriorated with no clear diagnosis, her dog became her lifeline. I remember her despair, her memory fading, and her handwriting showing signs of serious illness. Her dog, whom my son fondly called “the only good dog,” was her constant companion. She worried about him whenever we had to leave and fretted over who would care for him if she couldn’t.

Her dog was truly remarkable, well-behaved, and would sit on the couch, gazing out the window whenever she was away. As her condition worsened, she found it increasingly difficult to leave him behind. To ease her mind, I registered Scooby as a service dog and began taking him everywhere with us. I promised to take care of Scooby if anything happened to her. At her funeral, Scooby sat in the front row, behaving impeccably, even better than some people.

In the weeks that followed, I faced my own health challenges, including ocular migraines and the macular degeneration gene. I realized Scooby could be an invaluable service dog for me. He quickly learned commands and tasks, from simple ones like “in” and “out” to more complex ones like “find the car.” We’re even working on “find my husband” for when I need extra help.

I’ve been mindful about where I take Scooby, avoiding places like restaurants when I’m with my family. While I’m confident he would…