History of Service Dogs: From Ancient Roots to Modern Times

The history of service dogs is a rich and fascinating one, spanning thousands of years. The earliest recorded use of dogs as service animals dates back to ancient Egypt around 2500 BC.

These dogs were not only companions but also performed tasks such as hunting and guarding. They were highly valued and often buried with their owners.

In ancient Greece and Rome, dogs were used for tasks like herding and hunting, but also for assistance with disabilities. The Greek physician Hippocrates is known to have used dogs to assist people with mobility issues.

The use of dogs as service animals continued through the Middle Ages, where they were used for tasks like guiding the blind and alerting the deaf.

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The earliest evidence of service dogs dates back to the first century A.D., with a mural discovered in the ancient Roman city of Herculaneum depicting a blind man led by his dog.

We may never know exactly who the first service dog was, but it's likely that it was a dog trained to help a human who was unable to see.

Dorothy Eustis was an American woman who learned about the new guide dog school for the blind and spent several months there, even writing an article about it for the Saturday Evening Post in 1927.

The five cents Morris Frank spent on a newspaper that included Eustis's article "bought an article that was worth more than a million dollars to me", he later said, as it changed his life.

Buddy, a German Shepherd, was trained by Eustis for Morris Frank, believed to be America's first guide dog.

The modern guide dog movement started during World War I, when a large number of soldiers became blind due to mustard gas and shrapnel.

A German doctor, Gerhard Stalling, was instrumental in developing guide dogs, and he opened a guide dog school for the blind in Germany in August 1916.

The school was a huge success, training up to 600 guide dogs a year for blind handlers, many of whom were ex-servicemen from across Europe, the Soviet Union, Canada, and the USA.

The school's work broke new ground in the training of guide dogs, and it was capable of accommodating around 100 dogs at a time and providing up to 12 fully-trained guide dogs a month.

Dorothy Eustis, an American woman, was inspired by the school's work and spent several months learning their training methods.

She later wrote an article about guide dogs for the Saturday Evening Post in America in October 1927, which would launch the guide dog movement internationally.

A blind American man, Morris Frank, was inspired by Eustis' article and went on to become one of the pioneers of guide dogs in the US.

Frank's guide dog, Buddy, was trained by Eustis and is believed to be America's first guide dog.

Frank's success with Buddy led to the launch of The Seeing Eye in New Jersey, which would go on to become a leading guide dog organization.

The Seeing Eye was founded by Frank and Eustis in 1929, and it paved the way for other guide dog schools to emerge in the US, including Guide Dogs of America and Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind.

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Federal recognition of service dogs was a game-changer in the 1990s. In 1990, service dogs were legally recognized in the United States as a service animal, thanks to the American Disabilities Act (ADA).

The ADA introduced a whole new set of opportunities for people with disabilities, allowing them to live independently with the help of their service dogs. This included the ability to assist the handler in any building where their handler is permitted.

Service dogs registered with the ADA can also assist the handler in housing that does not allow pets, providing much-needed support and companionship. This is a huge relief for many individuals with disabilities who were previously forced to choose between their pet and their home.

The ADA also protects service dogs and their handlers from being isolated, denied service, or treated differently than any other patron, as long as the dog is registered with the ADA.

Take a look at this: Do Service Dogs Need to Be Registered

Service dogs have become increasingly integrated into society, with their presence now welcomed in many public spaces.

In the United States, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 requires businesses to allow service dogs in all areas of their establishment, except for areas where food is prepared.

Today, service dogs can be seen accompanying people with disabilities in airports, restaurants, and even on public transportation.

Studies have shown that service dogs can significantly improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities, allowing them to participate more fully in their communities.

According to the ADA, a service dog is defined as a dog that has been individually trained to perform specific tasks to assist a person with a disability.

Service dogs are not considered pets, but rather working animals that are protected under the law.

In many countries, service dogs are considered to be an essential tool for people with disabilities, and their presence is not only tolerated but also actively encouraged.

Consider reading: Is a Public Access Test Required for Service Dogs

The use of dogs as service animals dates back thousands of years, with evidence of dogs guiding the blind in ancient civilizations. The first recorded instance of a dog guiding a blind person was in 74 CE, during the Roman Empire, as depicted on a frieze in the ruins of Pompeii.

In the 1700s, dogs were being used to assist the blind, as seen in an image by Thomas Gaugain showing a young girl walking with her dog. The Parisian hospital for the blind, Les Quinze-Vingts, started training dogs for people who were blind in 1780, making it the first unofficial school for guide dogs.

Here are some key milestones in the development of guide dog training:

Choosing the right breed for a mobility service dog is crucial for its success in assisting its handler.

Labradors are often a popular choice for mobility service dogs due to their intelligence and friendly nature.

These breeds are not only intelligent but also have a strong desire to please their handlers, making them highly trainable.

Golden Retrievers are another breed that excels in this role, known for their loyalty and gentle demeanor.

Their calm and patient nature makes them an excellent fit for individuals with mobility issues.

Poodles are also a good option, with their high intelligence and low-shedding coat making them a great choice for people with allergies.

Their athleticism and agility also make them well-suited for tasks that require physical assistance.

German Shepherds are highly intelligent and confident, making them a popular choice for mobility service dogs.

Their strong work ethic and loyalty to their handlers also make them a great fit for this role.

The beginning of wolves living with people is a fascinating story. Around 40,000 years ago, the human lineage underwent a genetic change that boosted brain's cognitive powers, leading to a huge shift in human development.

This change, known as a "human revolution", raised questions about why there was a delay of 100,000 years between anatomical modernity and perceived behavioral modernity. Scientists are still trying to figure out what this dramatic genetic change in brain function was.

One theory is that it might have been improved memory or language skills. However, there's another theory that this change happened as a result of the domestication of dogs.

Just as wolves started changing as they hung around people and scavenged for food, humans started changing at that time too. Dogs may have played a crucial role in human evolution by "domesticating" us while we domesticated them.

The domestication of dogs could have happened as early as 80,000 years ago, but the exact timing is still unclear. Some scientists think it happened around 10,000 years ago, based on archeological evidence.

One benefit of having dogs around was that they warned humans of impending danger, reducing the risk of animal attacks. Dogs also helped humans hunt smaller prey like rabbits and birds.

With dogs by their side, humans didn't have to rely solely on their own senses to detect potential threats. Dogs took care of the hard work, allowing humans to focus on other tasks.

The earliest known formal attempt to train dogs as service dogs took place around 1780 at Les Quinze-Vingts hospital in Paris. This hospital unofficially became the first school for guide dogs.

The practice of using dogs to help the blind was also mentioned in a book by Johann Wilhelm Klein in 1819. He wrote about harnesses for guide dogs, which led to the development of the rigid U-shaped harness.

In 1847, a Swiss man named Jakob Birrer wrote about his experiences being guided by a dog he had trained over the course of five years.

Here's a brief timeline of early training attempts:

These early attempts paved the way for the development of service dogs as we know them today.

The first official service dog school was established in Germany in 1916 to teach dogs how to assist combat veterans and the visually impaired. It closed after 10 years due to high demand, but paved the way for new service dog training schools worldwide.

In 1975, Canine Companions for Independence was founded, providing training services to people with over 60 different disabilities. It has been serving America for nearly 50 years.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990, defining the idea that service dogs could be used to help with conditions other than blindness and deafness.

Explore further: Service Dogs Ada Law

In 1916, the first official service dog school was established in Germany to teach dogs how to assist combat veterans and the visually impaired.

The school closed after 10 years due to high demand, but its impact led to the creation of new service dog training schools worldwide.

Canine Companions for Independence was founded in 1975 and has been serving America for nearly 50 years, providing training services to people with over 60 different disabilities.

Therapy Dogs International opened its doors a year later, training dogs to visit sick people in hospitals and lift their spirits.

The organization started with just six dogs in the founder's home and is still in operation today, bringing joy to hospital residents.

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The past 40 years have seen a significant shift in how we train animals, especially dogs. Positive reinforcement is now widely accepted as the most effective method.

In the 1970s, studies on puppy development revealed the importance of early socialization for puppies. A lack of early socialization can make rescue dogs difficult to work with.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990, defining service dogs as animals that can help with conditions other than blindness and deafness. This expanded the role of service dogs in society.

Originally, the ADA allowed service animals to be any species, but regulations have since tightened, and only dogs can qualify as service animals, with a few exceptions for miniature horses.

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