Partnership is a two-way street

[responsiblek9]

From the National MS society web site

Partnership is a two-way street
The next question is the obvious one: Do you like dogs, and do you and those with whom you live want to live with a dog? If an immaculately clean and fuzz-free home is one of your paramount needs, you might think twice! Dogs shed. Breeds vary in the amount and timing of shedding, but with only a few exceptions, fur is a fact of life. So is some level of ?slobber??again, dependent upon the breed. These factors might influence the choice of breed or the decision to have a dog at all.
 
   
  The next consideration is the partnership aspect. A service dog can provide wonderful assistance and loyal companionship, but he or she also has needs that must be met. A dog requires food, daily exercise, and care for bodily functions. A dog needs grooming, veterinary care, fun, affection, socialization with other dogs, and ongoing training. These take time, planning, energy, and money. Do you have or can you muster the funds, time, and personnel to meet a dog?s needs?

Do you have the ability to exercise your dog and clean up after him or her yourself? Whether you can or not, do you have a reliable person willing to do this when you can?t?come rain, snow, sleet, hail, summer heat, or an MS flare?
 
 
Do you have or can you raise funds to pay for regular veterinary care as well as food, accessories, and training aids? If your personal funds are tight, have you researched potential financial resources? (Help may be available.)
 
 
 
What is the legal status
of a ?service? animal?

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the primary requirement is that the animal be specially trained to mitigate the effects of disability for an individual. The law is silent on who must train the animal. People with disabilities who use service animals have the right to public access; in other words, they may have the animal with them in public places, even if animals are not normally permitted there.

Since the person has this right, it is imperative that the dog be trained well enough not only to do service tasks but to behave well in public even under adverse circumstances.
 
 Do you have the ability to be consistent in working with your dog and using the techniques you will learn? Can you put aside your frustration when a training routine is not going well, and figure out ways to turn it around?
Different paths
If you?ve decided that partnership with a service dog might be for you, how do you go about getting one?

The most common way is to acquire a dog that has been trained by a professional trainer, one who works for either a reputable profit or not-for-profit organization.