Have you heard the term ‘service dog’? Well, service dogs mean that the dogs can do a variety of functions where they may support a human as a physical companion or as a friend for mental peace, help you in crossing roads, hear noises or sounds for people with hearing problems, fect things for you, manage the wheelchair for people and many more.
According to Ada.gov, a service animal is a dog which has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. As we know that there are a lot of types of dogs. Now, the question is, can a Pit Bull be a service dog? Let’s find out the explanation about it here.
Pit Bull as a Service Dog
If you are curious whether a Pit Bull can be a service dog or not, the answer is yes. A Pit Bull can be a service dog. According to Epic Pet Club, there are some common breeds for service dogs including Pomeranian, Labradors, German Shepherd, Poodle, Golden Retrievers, and Pit Bull. The popular impression about Pit Bulls is that Pit Bulls are dangerous and fierce. However, they actually can be helpful and if they are trained, they are able to be a good service dog.
One of the reasons why Pit Bull can be a service dog is because it has a large size and is also strong. So, this dog will be easy to perform a lot of functions. To know more reasons about why pit bulls can be a service dog, you are able to read the explanation below.
The Reasons of Pit Bulls Can be a Service Dog
You may know that a lot of pit bulls are banned in America as service dogs. Nevertheless, there are a lot of organizations which train pit bulls to be able to accompany humans with mental or physical difficulties. According to Epic Pet Club, here are the reasons why pit bulls can be a service dog.
- Having a Large Size
Pit Bulls are categorized into large dogs. These dogs are around 18 to 20 inches tall and they weigh around 30 to 80 pounds. With this size, pit bulls can do tasks easily. They are also not scared of going out in the public. They can easily be found by people. For people who have difficulty in seeing, they can make this dog to guide you. Pit bulls can be trusted because they will show you the directions. They also will help you when you are crossing the roads. Since they are tall, they can reach the switch on the wall and they can fetch other items for you.
- Having Strength
Another reason why pit bulls are suitable to be a service dog is because they have strength. They are able to do tasks easily and it is different from smaller dogs. A heavy item can be lifted by a pit bull and with the strength that they have, it can prevent him from falling. The strength that they have also can be used to move wheelchairs without any difficulty. Let’s say that you are not able to walk or you are walking with the help of a stick or sitting on a wheelchair. So, pit bulls are able to help you in moving or walking.
- Friendly with Kids
Pit bulls are very friendly with kids. Let’s say that you have a small kid or a baby at home. Then, this dog can be a service dog where it can serve both the purposes. Pit bull will not only help you in all the physical activities, but also it will get along with kids at your home and it will take care of them. As a service dog, a pit bull will make your job easier as well where it will look after your kids and do other activities.
- Having Loyalty and Dedication
Pit bulls are loyal dogs and they have a natural instinct to protect their owner. Also, they are dedicated to serving their owners. As a service dog, they will take care of all your needs and they are very obedient. Besides, pit bulls also have a strong intuition. They can sense a possible threat or danger and they will protect their owner.
- Low Maintenance
Low maintenance is another reason why pit bulls can be a service dog. Pit bulls do not need a lot of grooming, care and pampering.
Several Downside of Pit Bulls as a Service Dog
There are some downsides of pit bulls as a service dog according to Epic Pet Club as you are able to see from the list below.
- There is a ban on pit bulls at homes. These dogs areĀ not able to be trained as service dogs because there are laws at certain places which ban the keeping of a pit bull as a pet at home. They are not permitted at homes because they have large size, energy and temperament.
- There are bans in certain places. There are a lot of public places which do not permit pit bulls to get into their areas even though you keep a pit bull at home.
- Pit bulls are reactive and they have temperament issues. When pit bulls are still a puppy, you will not be able to find the temper issues in it. However, when they are adults, they may be short-tempered and they may react aggressively to other humans or your family members.
- Pit bulls are independent. Sometimes, they may not react well to you when you are trying to look for help.
- Pit bulls are not able to be trained properly. Trainers have made an observation that it is hard to train a pit bull as a service dog if compared with other breeds such as golden retriever, labrador or a german shepherd.
Well, that’s the information about a pit bull as a service dog. Talking about having a dog at home, it is important for you that if you are a muslim, you are not allowed to have a dog. However, you can still do that if it is for hunting and guarding your crops and livestock.