My name is Iris. Since 17 November 2010 I’ve been a US Veterans Affairs Service Dog

My Name is Iris

William H. Northacker

Lieutenant Colonel, Special Forces. US Army, Retired and Iris’s Team Mate

My name is Iris. Since 17 November 2010 I’ve been a US Veterans Affairs Service Dog. Yep, I’m a card-carrying Fed, born and bred. Those of us who are truly service dogs have a certification card from our Assistance Dogs International (ADI) certified schools and in my case have one from the sheriff’s department as well and passed three public access tests over three years just make sure we’re fully competent. Just so you know, my team mate Bill also has to pass public access tests along with me just to make sure he’s spot on as well. We both have to be fully competent.

Just so you know, I’m not “qualified in submarines” although I’d like to be. No not a US Naval Academy grad either. My life began at Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities (ECAD) as a young Golden Retriever pup and suddenly, at 8 weeks of age I found myself in the ECAD training school. No time for fun on the run. Time to learn. And, so I did. Our first exercises were with school children on a farm where we learned how to listen and then do, when to eat, where to relieve ourselves on command, what treats are all about, and how to work towards our future helping a US military veteran with his or her mobility. Until 17 months old I went through three levels of training with school children teaching and coaching me every day, reinforcing the prior day and the prior experiences in training until my name, a command and execution of the task became an every-day event. Although I was born in Connecticut, my final training was in New York at the ECAD facility in the “Children’s Village” in Dobbs Ferry along the Hudson River in Westchester County, just north of New York City.

Then, one day I met four veterans and my classmate Golden Retrievers and I ran around a training room then stopped by each of the four veterans. Some veterans had two or three dogs stop. I stopped by Bill and was joined by my classmate Lilly. Wassabe (name of a green Sushi spice), a black short haired Labrador Retriever stopped by a veteran from Nevada. Wassabe was a sweet girl and much smaller than the Golden Retrievers. Another interesting classmate, Valor, a Great Dane/black short hair Labrador Retriever mix already had a partner by prior arrangement but the “Goldens” stopped there as well. All four veterans now stood, not moving, with dogs hanging out in a “pregnant pause” of sorts. We all waited for what would come next.

Let’s talk about the four veterans. I won’t use their names as they should remain anonymous, except for my partner, Bill. To keep it simple I’ll pair up dogs and veterans. Arkansas and Stutz, a large Golden Retriever male. Nevada and Wassabe. Valor and “The Bronx”. Bill and me. All the veterans are 100% disabled. Ruff Ruff, ‘Nuff said on that. Arkansas spent six tours in combat in the Middle East starting with the Gulf War. Nevada served in the Gulf War. “The Bronx” served in Iraq during the early days. Bill had the most time in service, 38 years, starting with service during the Vietnam War although not in South Vietnam. Rank is unimportant. We service dogs are proud of our team mates and work to help them, pay grades are irrelevant.

For the next two weeks we sat through classes and did practical exercises every day. The teammates also had to take written tests every day. They learned about canine physiology, canine psychology, veterinary care, and the 54 commands they had to master. We Service Dogs already knew them. Service Dogs don’t laugh when a team mate issues a bad command. We just sit there waiting for them to get it right. They eventually do. Then we show them how well we do our jobs. After a few days we all went into Dobbs Ferry to a pizza restaurant just to see how the team mates could work with us on stairs, sidewalks, and in public accommodations. It’s an art but they eventually get the hang of it. We walked through a large food store and visited a pet shop for accessories. Then Arkansas and Bill took us to a gun show in a local convention center. The aisles were tight and crammed with people but we did really well and Arkansas and Bill bought some nifty items. Bill walked away with a Civil War 1863 Springfield rifle and bayonet and other items. Then came the final written exam and the public access exam in a shopping mall with escalators and elevators. Golden Rule: No Barking. I slipped up a few times and my partner Bill named me “Ma Barker”. Yes, we have commands for doors, elevators and escalators. We also had to enter a bus and go to the seat with our partner. Commands for that as well. We all passed. But we all returned each year to go through public access again and again until we had done it three times over three years. Then we received permanent certification. Two weeks of training were finally done. Graduation was a major event with lots of guests, many from the surrounding towns who were philanthropists. We all appeared and addressed the crowd, one by one, very difficult for us because of the PTSD from which all four veterans suffered including their physical injuries and wounds. A special room was set aside for us to retreat to as PTSD makes public events difficult and can easily break a veteran down. The next day all of us bid goodbye and Bill drove me straight to the Kingston Animal Hospital for a thorough physical exam and all necessary vaccinations. Finally, I’m “on the job”.

My new home in the Catskill Mountains would make any dog, service or otherwise, go crazy for all the woods, trees and wild animals who considered the property theirs, until I arrived. Then they knew there was a new boss and all of it Bill gave to me. I never saw the inside of a portable kennel again. The 5.35 acres of woods, large grassy yard, and house became my new domain. First Bill walked me on a leash made up of 15 foot long parachute static lines. We started with 15 feet then extended slowly until I understood my boundaries at 90 feet of static line. After a week at that length I was free and never strayed from the property, although I combed every inch of it.

Inside the house there were absolutely no restrictions so I explored every room and sniffed everything until I knew every scent and every square inch. My two bowls in the kitchen were my feeding stations, one with water and the other dry food. This was the norm and I was never given table scraps. Bill was very strict about that. Well, almost. My first Thanksgiving he gave me turkey in my bowl, not from the table. Same with Christmas. I was never into toys because I had Mother Nature outdoors supplying sticks and our Frisbees that I would chew. No I did not catch them. Service Dogs are taught to pay attention to their partner and for them to look up at a moving target like a Frisbee or ball distracts them from their training. So I chewed Frisbees on the ground and was not really into balls although I chewed a few tennis balls now and then.

Travel really became a matter of entry and exit. We had a 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo so the rear seat became a challenge but I was young and spry and made it in and out without a problem. Our first big test was in the winter of 2011 around January for the start, and we drove across the entire United States and back. New Orleans was busy on Bourbon Street and a restaurant told Bill he’d have to tie me up outside as I was not allowed in the establishment. Bill explained public access under the Americans with Disabilities Act but the hostess refused. Then Bill said quite clearly, “Do you think your $10,000 a year job here is worth the $100,000.00 fine your restaurant owner will pay the US Department of Justice?” The girl retreated to the rear and then we were all made very welcome by someone else.

Now is a good time to discuss the law with regard to service dogs and what soldiers call “force security”. I’ll start with force security first because its will be short and sweet. Some may call it “force protection”. Once a service dog is united with his or her partner, the partner’s mind goes back through his or her military experience and their interpretation of “force protection”. Some partners with no combat time and working in rear or relatively safe areas may just simply admonish someone for distracting or attempting pet the service dog. Those with combat time and with extensive combat training with firearms, edged weapons and hand-to-hand combat may take a more offensive posture. Such was the case with Arkansas and my Bill. Even though we wear “SERVICE DOG” and “DO NOT PET” patches, people see a Golden Retriever and by nature want to talk with the dog, pet the dog or even rough up the dog as if it is their own. This is both wrong and can lead to altercations or even violence with the service dog partner. And, it is always possible that the service dog partner carries a concealed weapon they were comfortable with in combat. Bill normally carried his favorite combat knives and firearms when we traveled, all for my defense. In a Wendy’s store a Pit Bull charged me. Bill stepped in between the attacker and me, readied his revolver, and told the owner to control the dog or he’d shoot it. The man left the restaurant. There were other incidents as well. In every case there had to be an overt act presenting an physical immediate danger to me before Bill would revert to his old Army Special Forces self. He always said there are no rules of engagement for service dogs, just force protection.

Since there have been so many public access laws stemming from sections 510 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Most know these laws as the Americans with Disabilities Act. Remember, I am Service Dog not a lawyer so I’ll discuss these laws as they apply to service dogs. Why? So that you, the reader, will understand them and perhaps, if you know someone who may benefit from a service dog, explain the law to dispel the fears many prospective partners may have. First let’s recap my own abilities. I have 54 commands to obey. These commands are based on Bill’s needs. Other service dogs may have an entirely different set of commands but I’ll cover that later. For now the US Department of Justice (DOJ) guides most appropriate for people operating public accommodations are: The Americans with Disabilities Act Title III Technical Assistance Manual Covering Public Accommodations and Commercial Facilities (November 1993), Americans with Disabilities Act Title III Regulations Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability by Public Accommodations and in Commercial Facilities (USDOJ September 15, 2010).These are free for the asking. In addition, other DOJ brochures may be printed from the internet including: Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADA, ADA Update: A Primer for Small Businesses, ADA Requirements Service Animals.

While there are no public brochures available from the US Department of Veteran Affairs at this time, the VA publishes its opinions, rules and general information on the internet site but you must work at it to arrive at the correct location. You can access their site at http://www.va,govor go to http://www.va.gov/healthand then look up Rehabilitation and Prosthetic Services for Guide and Service Dogs. They also offer “Service Dog Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)”. Service dogs are considered to be prosthetics by the VA.

All rules and regulations are subject to change. Sometime for the better and sometimes to make issues more difficult. State may offer their own versions of the federal laws so it is always good practice to check state regulations via their ADA sources prior to accepting a dog or when traveling. Same with foreign nations which will be covered later based on my own experiences as a VA Service Dog overseas.

Speaking of travel, especially by air, ship, bus and train, it is best to contact the US Department of Transportation. For air travel, the regulations concerned with service animals may be found in the: Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, the latest being September 19, 2019, Title 14 Chapter II Subchapter D, Part 382. Scrolling down go to Subpart H Services on Aircraft 382.117 “Must Carriers Permit Passengers with a Disability to Travel with Service Animals”.

How about military bases. Let’s say you’ve decided to travel and to stay in Armed Forces Lodging. You need to call ahead to determine if that military base honors the public accommodations criteria for overnight stays by service dogs. Rules are subject to the discretion of the base and its overnight facilities, movie theatres, service clubs and exchanges or commissaries.

Certification and certification organizations can be confusing. I graduated from Educated Canines helping with Disabilities (ECAD). Their certification is by Assistance Dogs International (ADI). Other organizations exist but ADI is known for setting very high standards to ensure the participating schools train the dogs to correctly support the team member’s needs. That includes my own training and high standards and the resulting service functions necessary to support my team mate. In this case Bill. Schools, just like secondary private schools and higher education institutions must be accredited. My own school, ECAD, goes through a re-accreditation process every five years. So do the other ADI member schools. You just can’t start a school and be accredited. There are lots of requirements and start-up schools are, upon program entry, are called Candidates. That’s their status. Time and a proven track record will elevate them to full accreditation if they meet the standards. The accreditation committee reviews all evaluations and standards that must be met before accrediting a school. And, in all cases, training facilities must be not-for-profit.

Now that I’ve covered all the administrative sides of service dog programs, the big question is how does a disabled person obtain a service dog? That’s a big field and to make it simple consider two types of candidates. The first is a US Veteran. Go to the nearest VA Medical Center and contact the prosthetics department. Every VA is a stand-alone operation so every medical center will have its own ladder to ownership. In my partner’s case, it took 14 months of paperwork. Bill pressed hard in every direction to be approved. So because every VA is a stand-alone facility, each one will have its own program for service dogs. That’s why I say start with prosthetics because on the national level prosthetics manages the program. The veteran will likely need to be evaluated for physical mobility and mental wellness. The dog may or may not be allocated as not everyone is eligible. Bill is a 100% disabled veteran and he and I met because of his mobility issues from service injuries and PTSD. Recommendations endorsing a service dog will be solicited from specialists within the VA medical facility. A failed first try should not be taken as a forever “no” and the veteran should continue to press for a dog. Now this is for a veteran.

Whether you are a veteran or not a veteran and need a service dog you can apply to any number of organizations but if they are schools make sure they are certified by Assistance Dogs International. Some schools may have trust funds that reduce the cost of obtaining a dog and to attend service dog school. My school had such programs. A certified school may also provide a contact with a philanthropic organization that can provide both the dog and training school for the prospective team mate.

Upkeep is the team mate’s responsibility. This means etiquette in public in all respects. If I have to urinate or poop you should know the signs I’ll communicate and be ready. Keep poop disposal bags everywhere. Pants pocket, jacket pocket, purse, car, baby carriage, anywhere I might be at any given time. I use grass not sidewalks, streets and parking lots and definitely not in buildings. So make sure I’m empty before visiting the veterinarian or entering buildings. What about airplane rides. Don’t feed me for 12 hours before a long flight so my bowels will totally evacuate and keep walking me until the last minute. I’ve flown to Europe twice and guess what, the Europeans are short on grass at connecting flight airports. In fact all connecting flight airports are short on time and grass so you must make sure I’m as dry as the Mohave Desert in the summer. Cruise ships are another means of transport but don’t believe the travel agent when he or she says there are dog parks to walk dogs. Whoaaaaaaa Nelly!!! On my ship, cruise line not to be mentioned although I remember a crown as part of the logo, Bill was promised there would be a dog park. There was not. For this 12 day Caribbean Cruise the crew built a 1 foot by 1 foot square of plywood with wood shavings on top. Now I’m a Golden Retriever, not an A-6 bombardier with precision bombing guidance systems. So not only was this 1 foot square too small, it was at the rear of the 4^thdeck, a weather deck, with the engine exhaust tubes running exhaust up to the stacks. Noisy and windy and at 20 knots the wood shavings disappeared when we left New York Harbor. Now it was a 12 inch shingle. Bill leaned on the customer service desk and ordered them to take immediate action before there was a sanitation issue. They promised to build his design which was 1 meter by 1 meter with edging to prevent urine leakage onto the deck. So Bill tried getting me to relieve myself on the stateroom balcony for two days. Did not work because I use grass. Finally, after two days at sea the project had been completed and installed and my world got much more comfortable although the noise from the engines and exhaust was irritating. There was another dog onboard but it was one of those small yapping curly hair types that looked like it was battery operated. In fact Bill asked the lady where she inserted the batteries. Bill can be caustic at times. Sometimes I think I should pin a Class 8 HAZMAT placard on his back when we are in public; and other times, with force protection, a Class 1 HAZMAT placard.

Speaking of travel, how do I legally enter a country and legally return to the United States. Remember I’m a US VA Service dog so you’d think no problem. Well, there is a problem and it can take a few dollars and lots of driving as well as calls to consulates who not only cannot converse in English but cannot understand what a service dog is.

Germany required a US Department of Agriculture (USDA) certified veterinarian to examine me and my shot records within 5 days of arriving in Germany using their paperwork. So first you call the consulate then get their web info for dogs and then print it. Fill it out and drive to the nearest USDA vet for his exam, his fee, and shots, and then his official USDA vet stamp. Our USDA vet was and hour’s drive away on a highway. Then you quickly drive to the nearest USDA field office, at an airport, and have them stamp and sign their document. That drive was 2.5 hours one way. Well now all we had to do was land in Germany within 5 days of the USDA vet stamp date. And naturally their immigration and customs people did not check the documentation. So why did we have to go to the USDA airport office. Good question. It is because when I return to the USA I am considered an import. Again, upon return, no paperwork was requested. Same for cruises except you have to deal with very small nation consulates who are quite useless and you may need many calls and talk to many people or even call their embassy in Washington, which Bill had to do for every tropical island we visited—except one island was off limits. Bill wanted a t-shirt for my vet since he attended vet school on the island. They said the ship had not sent copies of the paperwork to immigration and customs prior to the hour and a half landing deadline. We walked the length of two cruise ships to be turned away by immigration and customs on this island. I pinned three HAZMAT placards on Bill’s back that morning Class 1, Class 3, and Class 8. Like when Molotov chided Truman for dressing him down saying he had never been talked to like that before, same was true with the island’s customs and immigration people who apparently felt threatened and called out all hands. We never took a cruise again. Bill was particularly irritated when they confiscated his Swiss Army knife in Bayonne during security screening then told security they were nuts because there were fire axes every 50 to 100 feet onboard and that their dinner knives could be turned into weapons by honing them on the stateroom balcony rails and deck. He got the knife back 12 days later when we returned to port. Meanwhile he made a dagger out of a dinner knife to prove the point.

Now I’m overseas with Bill, have my service dog cape multiple ID cards including dog school permanent certification one with a wheelchair issued by the Delaware County Sheriff showing USVA Service Dog Team with our photos and the notation “100% disabled” so I’m good to go. Not so in Germany. According to the head of Germany’s equivalent of the ADA program, who talked with my life partner Dorit, Germany signed the UN convention on service animals but neither practices nor enforces the law. Even seeing-eye dogs can be excluded from banks and food stores or restaurants. Bill is fluent in German and left no words out during confrontations over me having public access. So beware when traveling with a service dog. You may be excluded from every type of business, restaurants, tour busses, theatres, stores, museums and so on. Best to check ahead. On the other hand we were permitted to enter former concentration camps without issues of any kind. In the Caribbean, I was not welcome and you may be asked to leave or sit outside. HAZMAT placard time again. One man at a boat dock for yachts locked me in a grassy spot and Bill had to lift my harness to swing me around a piling so I was free. Then he did the same and I pinned a HAZMAT Class 1 placard on his back when he reached the man’s office.

Veterinarian visits and special food makes me healthy and capable of performing my duties. At the slightest sign of something just not right, and a good partner will notice immediately, it’s off the veterinarian for tests to make sure I’m health and if not get the right prescription to fix the problem. Sometimes anomalies will require more advance treatment with a board certified specialist. You’ll find out later why this is important. Bill noticed I would retract my right hind leg in cold weather and I did not at all like wearing the leather harness with handle to support Bill while walking or climbing stairs. He took me to a board certified orthopedist and with x-rays and a CT scan found that I had a spinal deformity and the junction of the lower lumbar spine and the sacrum. This created sciatica. Bill had a lot of spine surgical work from military injuries and did not want me to go through them so I was given a pain med. Not too long after the general practitioner vet noticed a heart murmur. So we returned to the specialist clinic and received every known test for the heart such as an echocardiogram, ultrasound and x-ray. Others as well but it shows that we are people, too, and get the best care. The diagnosis was not a happy one but I was now taking that rotten fish oil every day. Ahoy, I’m canine not feline. When I turned 8 years old Bill took me to a well-known veterinarian ophthalmologist, all these trips taking well over two hours one way. She confirmed Bill’s own belief that I may be growing cataracts. Well, I was but the first check showed everything was okay for the present. Just before Bill went for another spinal surgery he noticed some opaqueness in my right eye. So long before the back was healed we drove back to the ophthalmologist who said that the cataract had matured. We decided to do the surgery as soon as possible. This is a four week time frame as there must first be a regular vet clearance, next cleaning the teeth to prevent bacterial infection, another visit to the ophthalmologist to confirm a go-ahead for surgery then the surgery a week later. Every instrument is the same as for humans except that they are hand-held. Bill had both his eyes operated on for cataracts so he knew the drill especially all the rapid-fire daily follow-up visits and all the eye drops at specific scheduled intervals. That was in the spring and summer of 2018. My eyes were great although I could not see well close up with the right eye. However, rabbits never escaped my attention so Bill knew the new lens was just fine. After four months of drops we were done and my new right eye lens me feel like the $6,000,000 service dog. Then our rejoicing came to a fast stop with air brakes. More on that later. By age ten years and just shy of 6 months my three medical folders had grown to a thickness of five inches.

Let’s talk about nutrition. Dog schools may have special deals with food manufacturers by way of reduced price, testing free samples, or by donation. The key is quality and while I’m neither a nutritionist nor chemist I can recommend looking up the Tufts University Veterinarian School list of foods and their contents. Other vet schools may have similar documents. In my case, after examination by the cardiologist, my food was changed so it had less sodium per serving. So check with your vet as he or she may have a breed-specific food recommendation and if it is not acceptable to your service dog, change it and toss the rest out or give it to an animal shelter. Every time we changed foods Bill gave the old food to a shelter. So who doesn’t like treats? Give me a treat anytime. Well, maybe not. Treats have canine calories and the vet will tell you how many I can have per day. Keep feeding your service dog treats and it’s like sitting down with a box of chocolates for a human. Speaking of chocolate. Never give a dog chocolate. In fact there are a lot of very tasty human foods that can make me sick or kill me. Your vet will have a chart and you can look them up on the internet. Some may surprise you. If you obtain a VA Service Dog you will be responsible for food and treats. Harnesses and leashes as well.

Ahhhhhhh—table scraps. MMmmmmmmm good. But, they add lots of calories and may have spice, salt, and fat that can make me sick or even develop conditions similar to humans. Sweets can lead to diabetes with possible blindness and in dogs that’s a major problem. They are smaller than humans and can quickly develop problems requiring multiple shots per day and blindness. So don’t feed me from the table although a slice of Thanksgiving turkey is always appreciated.

Traveling can be a lot of fun. I usually found a comfortable position on the rear seat or floor depending on the car and would either sit and look out a side window, look directly through the front, or push my nose over Bill’s left should so I could see up front as well as get a steady stream of air from the vent. Now sometimes you’ll see dogs with their heads outside the window of the car or sitting on someone’s lap, such as the driver or a passenger. You would not allow a toddler to do that so please, do not do that with your dog. A dog’s head outside a car window is subject to ear, eye and nasal injuries by debris and the high speed air blowing along the side of the car. The biggest problems for service dogs when traveling is where and when to urinate and poop. I covered that with air travel and ships but it’s the same in a car. Let me out about every two hours to stretch my legs, sniff and relieve myself plus enjoy a bowl of water. While I never got carsick there are canines who do and your vet will be able to prescribe the right medicine. Just some of the places I enjoyed and we’ll move on. In Colorado between Grand Junction and Vail I found a sandy beach and slow moving flow of the Colorado River. Now this was still mountain winter but I enjoyed walking in the water, licking it as I walked then rolling in the sandstone sand. Made me look like a cinnamon donut. Bill wiped me off then I went back in the river and rolled in the sand again. We cleaned the back seat with a vacuum hose at the next gas station. Of course walking in the Pacific at Malibu Beach was fun and I had an accident at the Getty Museum which looks like an old Roman villa. Left a Weapon Alpha in their garden but then they had been nasty to us anyway.

My first real test was at the Hearst Castle. Now that was the first time my leather harness with handle was ever used for real. There were 150 steps and Bill’s injuries made me bear a lot of weight all the way. But once on top walking was a breeze and the trip down was easy as well. Tour boats were always fun whether on a river like New Orleans or on San Francisco Bay. Bill always enjoys a walk through an old ship and there was USS PAMPANITO (SS-383). He looked at me then handed me to Dorit, his life partner, and I watched Bill and his west coast daughter and son-in-law disappear for a good half hour. Later, while they ate ice cream at Ghiradelli’s I had another bowl of water.

We have been through so many states. An Alamo Ranger at the old Alamo was not happy when Bill tried to take me on the grass for a photo so we had to move to the sidewalk. However I did get to tour inside the old structure and Bill was presented a Texas flag and plaque marking the 175^thanniversary of the fall of the Alamo which happened to be on the day we visited. Then it was a cruise on a River Walk barge.

Tombstone experienced a major chill and even the school water pipes broke but the Gunfight at the OK Corral proceeded as usual. Blanks and regular firearms ammo upset me so Bill took me out of the demonstration area so the shots would not bother me then wrapped me in his Air Force flight jacket as I was really cold. Service dogs will do anything for their team mate but the team mate has to take care of us. Service dog or not, we cannot take care of ourselves. Once again the Class 8 HAZMAT placard came out as Bill, wearing just a t-shirt, yelled at the actors for going into a warming booth instead of baring cold between scenes like real western lawmen. Bill, as a child, was great fan of the TV western series “Tombstone Territory” so as we walked the wooden sidewalks in boots and western hat, his personal concealed arsenal was hot and in great numbers. Made him feel like a Tombstone cowboy from the 1880s. I have no weapons other than teeth but I’m trained to let my partner handle problems while I lie down and wait for a command.

In Yellowstone, from inside the Jeep, I studied the Bison and bears. Even saw Old Faithful. The Bison and bears were interesting but Mount Rushmore did nothing more than get my appetite up in the cafeteria where Bill and Dorit ate Bison chili. The aroma got to me so Bill handed me some treats as chili’s not on my menu.

Trying to think of all the states we visited at one time or another. Never saw Hawaii or Alaska but the lower 48 I’d say almost all of them. While rest stops are good for exercise, water, and relieving myself, some are actually dangerous. Out west we saw posted signs warning of rattlesnakes. So Bill kept a .357 Magnum loaded with snake shot, just in case, as he walked me on a leash. That’s force protection for you.

Speaking of leashes, one of the biggest pet peeves a service dog has is people who use fishing reel leashes and don’t pay attention to their dogs as they wander around and cause trouble for us service dogs. We do not like to be sniffed or barked at much less attacked. And that happens almost every day.

Another is people who just walk right up to service dogs and start petting and distracting them or trying to rough their fur. Our capes and harnesses read “Service Dog Do Not Pet”. One day at a deli counter some woman roughed me up and Bill told her not to touch me. She got steamed and when we were shopping elsewhere in the store tried to hit me with her cart. Bill pulled me out of the way then threatened to call the police if he ever saw her try it again. Another peeve we have is people, who mean no harm, regress about their deceased Golden Retrievers or ask how long we are expected to live. Others ask about Bill’s disabilities. Well, he’s rated 100% disabled by the VA but does not like to talk about the military injuries. Quite frankly, someone with a service dog is disabled and the public should be smart enough not to ask medical histories. Then people ask about what kinds of “tricks” I can do or how I do my job. If these questions were asked once per month maybe it would be irritating but not make the partner boiling mad. That’s because we will be asked these questions at least several time in a large store and all day long when shopping at different locations. So when you see a service dog team, let them go about their business undisturbed.

We have lots of capabilities. Generally speaking there are three purposes for using assistance dogs. The most common in the past were guide dogs to help blind and visually impaired partners. The next category is service dogs who provide the assistance necessary to help a partner perform their normal tasks when their disabilities would otherwise prevent the performing of those tasks. Recently PTSD has been recognized as a disability when the partner needs the service dog to help with daily life which would otherwise be precluded by the PTSD. Leaving a residence to shop is a good example as some PTSD patients would otherwise stay in a room or refuse to go into the public. Crowds can be very difficult for those with certain aspects of PTSD. A third type of dog is a hearing assist dog who can respond to cues that a deaf or hearing impaired person may not be able to hear. In other cases dogs may be trained to detect imminent seizures, low sugar for diabetics, and help autistic patients.

The ADA rules do not require certification. No one may ask for papers nor may they ask to see the dog perform its commands. In fact, in public accommodations the business may as if the dog is required to help with the partner’s disabilities and what tasks the animal has been trained to perform. The animal must be fully housebroken and retained on a leash at all times. Hotels cannot shift a dog team to a “pet based” hotel room. The team has the right to stay in a regular room. No extra charges may be levied because of the service animal. A business does have the right to charge for damages caused by a service dog or exclude the dog if it cannot be fully controlled. The service dog must always be on the leash.

As the service dog ages more medical care will be required. Upon taking ownership of a service animal pet insurance is a vital investment as the veterinary costs for dogs can equal care for humans in a major hospital. The US Department of Veteran Affairs offers its service dog teams insurance at no cost to the veteran through Trupanion for the US Veterans Service Dog Program. The veteran will be issued a plastic identity card on which is printed the policy number, the veteran’s name, the dog’s name, the breed, and the date of birth for the dog. The flip side of the card Trupanion US Service Dog Program and instructions to the veterinarian hospital on claim submission, phone, fax, and email for the program at Trupanion. It also requests the vet not to bill the owner and that Trupanion with pay the veterinary hospital directly. This program works seamlessly and the employees at Trupanion love animals and will be among the nicest and most helpful people you will ever meet. If you are not a veteran seeking a VA service dog Trupanion is available for everyone and there are other pet insurers available. The relationship between Trupanion and the VA is strong one and the veteran will never have to pay a veterinarian bill.

Taking care of your service dog on a regular basis or if something seems not right will keep your service dog in top health. Exercise such as walks are always appreciated by service dogs and it keeps both the dog and team mate healthier than watching TV all day. Service dogs enjoy being outside so whenever possible allow your service dog some R&R so the animal can enjoy being a dog outside in snow, rain, running through mud puddles, barking at deer, bears, turkeys or whatever is on the property and exploring. They will find a favorite spot and that will be theirs for life. Proper food, diet and exercise and daily training of their skills are important.

We’re pretty humble and just want to be loved and cared for. Do that and we will always be there for you. Our lives are dedicated to your assistance. If you know someone who could benefit from a service dog, guide dog, PTSD assistance dog, diabetes dog or seizure or autism specialty dog call the VA Prosthetics unit in your local VA medical center or if the prospective partner is not a veteran, call Assistance Dogs International at the numbers on their website https//:assistancedogsinternational.org.

Finally, there will be a time when your service dog dies either suddenly or induced by drugs at a veterinary hospital. Just remember, your pet health insurance or Trupanion through the VA will be with you all the way so there is no reason to give up when a dog’s life can be longer because of medical breakthroughs. But that final event, death, is something you will have to navigate. The loss of a service dog is devastating to the partner and likely the partner’s family. Like any other death your dog’s loss may prove too much. See help at the VA through the mental health department or through a local group which specializes in pet loss. If you are a veteran, the loss may be so overwhelming that medication and a hospital stay at the VA may be necessary as every nerve is impacted and that includes suicidal thoughts, deep depression, isolation, blowing money you can’t afford to lose, drinking, drugs and violence. Everything your service dog was there to help you with can go out the window in a flash. So if you are a veteran, when the end is coming for your dog, take time out for your own emotional health and safety with a visit to VA mental health. Some larger veterinarian hospitals have their own social workers. But, medication may be necessary so visit the VA. For non-veterans, talk with your family primary care physician. The loss of a service dog can be more devastating than the loss of a child, sibling or parent. If you owned a pet in the past, that’s pet’s loss will be nothing compared to the loss of a service dog.

The final stop. You may like to bury your service dog in your garden or in an animal cemetery. Or, you may use another option, cremation. This way you’ll find the service dog’s remains will be with you and that can be comforting, especially just after the death and subsequent months. Plus, if you move or decide to have the remains interred with you following your own death, the process can be easily handled. The cremation, out of respect, should be as immediately done as possible. Paw prints may be taken and fur shaved and placed in bags. A good crematorium that specializes in pets will treat the remains like a new born baby. You may want to stay with your service dog during cremation and then sort out metal and non-organic debris not consumed by the furnace prior to emulsification. This can be very comforting as you will be with your dog through every step and receive the urn and other items at the end. Your service dog will be with you and you’ll be listening for the dog or calling the dog in from the outside of the house, looking at food and water bowls, harnesses and leashes. There is no easy way to cope with the loss of a service dog. The VA or dog school may ask if you would like a replacement dog. It will be your decision to make. If you feel another dog will continue to help you, another dog may be what you need. There is no blame in your dog’s death. Like humans, dogs have life spans and even with the best medical care and food, love and training, they expire at different years some living into their late teens and others not reaching their tenth birthday. You will never forget your service dog nor the companionship, love and experiences. You were a team, working together as taught in dog training school. Your dog will give everything she or he has to give. Count on that. And, in turn, you must do the same for your dog as they cannot help themselves.

Epilogue

Iris Northacker

US Veterans Affairs Service Dog

16 February 2009-13 August 2019  On Eternal Patrol

Lymphoma, Stage 5, Lymph Nodes, Cancer of the Intestines

Given thirty days to live. Fought so valiantly to stay alive with the best oncology medical care in the northeast and lasted a year.

My last words to Iris before the drugs were administered were only those a paratrooper could understand. My last command was “Iris, on lap.” And she crawled onto my lap. A true VA Service Dog to her death.

“Iris, we’re approaching a night drop zone. The aircraft lights are on and it’s bright in here but outside the world looks black. When the green light comes on you’ll go out the door into the night. All will look black but then you’ll see the parachute canopy and objects on the ground. They won’t be bright and the night light is dull. You’ll see the objects and then the parachute will lower you gently to the ground and your new world where all is in dull and muted shades. No harm will ever come to you as it is your transition from life and light to eternity. There will be a dawn and that dawn will reveal your new paradise. One day you and I will meet and I will take you for walks and we’ll never be hungry or thirsty or feel any more pain. Love you my sweets, more than anything or anyone in my life. And our two energies that entered us when we were being conceived are now free to be with each other forever. I will join you soon. Taste your heaven and be with me forever when I make that last jump. Amen.”

William H. Northacker

Lieutenant Colonel, Special Forces

US Army, Retired and Iris’s Team Mate

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