Who Should Not Get a Service Dog—and Why the Commitment Matters
A service dog can be a life-changing partner, offering increased independence, safety, and confidence to individuals with disabilities. But the truth is—a service dog is not the right fit for everyone.
At Putnam Service Dogs, we know how meaningful these partnerships can be. But with limited dogs available and more applicants than we can accommodate, we’re committed to making sure these highly trained dogs go to individuals who are ready, willing, and able to meet the full responsibilities of this unique bond.
So before you apply for a service dog—ask yourself: Am I truly ready for this commitment?
Quick Answer: Who Should Not Get a Service Dog?
You may not be a good candidate for a service dog if:
- You’re unable to care for a dog’s daily needs (feeding, exercise, vet care). This means walking the dog at least a mile a day, and safely taking the dog out at least 5 times/day to eliminate.
- You’re not available or able to attend mandatory training and meet-and-greets.
- You’re hoping the dog will solve all your life’s challenges on its own.
- You cannot provide a stable home and consistent schedule for the dog.
- You’re not physically or emotionally in a place to form a strong working bond.
If you’re unsure, read on to understand what’s truly involved in welcoming a service dog into your life.
A Service Dog is Not a “Quick Fix”
We’ve seen firsthand how a service dog can help reduce anxiety, boost confidence, and offer real, functional support for mobility, PTSD, or other disabilities other than blindness. But it’s important to understand:
A service dog helps you—but they rely on you, too.
Service dogs are not machines. They need affection, exercise, downtime, and consistency to thrive. They’re deeply trained, but they still require guidance and teamwork to perform at their best.
Are You Ready for the Commitment?
1. You Must Have Time for Training
We invest thousands of hours training these dogs. Your participation is essential to success.
When you receive a service dog from Putnam Service Dogs, you’re not simply handed a leash—you’re beginning a partnership that requires time, effort, and education.
We carefully match each dog with a recipient. At Putnam Service Dogs this looks a little different. We actually let the dogs indicate who they want to serve, which produces a greater chance of success and more enjoyable experience for our service dog teams. After service dog teams are established, we then guide them through in-depth training sessions led by our professional trainer. These sessions are designed to help you and your dog build a strong working relationship and lay the foundation for long-term success.
Here’s what training involves:
Learning Standard Commands & Hand Signals:
You’ll be trained on all the verbal cues and hand signals your dog has learned, including sit, stay, heel, retrieve, front, back, and more. You’ll practice these commands in real-world scenarios to ensure consistency.
Reinforcing Task-Specific Skills:
If your dog performs specific tasks to assist your disability—like opening doors, retrieving items, or interrupting panic attacks—you’ll learn how to prompt and reinforce these behaviors reliably.
Understanding Canine Behavior & Body Language:
You’ll learn how to interpret your dog’s body language, energy level, and stress cues so you can respond appropriately and maintain their wellbeing.
Developing an Emotional Connection:
A strong bond isn’t just nice—it’s essential. Through positive interactions, daily routines, play, and trust-building activities, you’ll learn how to form a meaningful connection that strengthens your teamwork.
Addressing Setbacks & Regressions:
Like people, dogs aren’t perfect. Sometimes, trained behaviors may temporarily regress due to stress, environment changes, or life transitions. Our trainer will help you understand why regressions happen and how to respond calmly and effectively.
Handling Your Dog in Public Spaces
You’ll practice working with your dog in various public settings—stores, sidewalks, offices—so they remain focused and responsive in distracting environments.
Throughout this process, our experienced trainers will be by your side—offering guidance, answering questions, and adjusting strategies based on your needs and your dog’s personality. Training doesn’t stop when you leave the session—it continues daily, through every interaction you have with your dog.
Your commitment to training is just as important as the dog’s. Without it, the partnership won’t thrive.
If your schedule, energy, or emotional bandwidth don’t allow you to fully engage in this process right now, it may be better to wait until you’re ready—and that’s okay. We want every match to succeed, and that begins with preparation and honest self-assessment.
2. You Must Be Able to Care for the Dog
You’ll need to provide:
- Daily feeding and hydration
- Bathroom breaks, exercise, and socialization
- Regular grooming and basic healthcare
- Vet visits and medication if needed
- A safe and consistent home environment
If you’re unable to meet these needs independently, consider whether a family member or support system can assist—or whether another form of assistance might be more appropriate.
3. You Must Understand It’s a Two-Way Relationship
A service dog becomes your partner. You’ll need to be emotionally available to bond, communicate clearly, and maintain consistent expectations. Service dogs can only do their job well when there is mutual trust and respect.
Why Putnam Service Dogs Has High Standards
We’re proud to provide service dogs free of charge to people with physical disabilities (other than blindness) and veterans with PTSD. But because we rely on donations and volunteers—and rescue our dogs instead of breeding them—we have a limited number of dogs each year.
That’s why we work hard to ensure each match is a lasting, successful one. It’s not just about qualifying—it’s about being ready for the journey.
Not Sure You’re Ready?
That’s okay. Deciding whether to apply for a service dog is deeply personal. If you’re unsure, we recommend:
- Read success stories from recipients to understand what the partnership looks like.
- Learn more about our application options and process to see if you meet the requirements.
- Learn more about our impact in the community and our goals as a social impact organization
Think You’re Ready?
If you’re confident you can meet the needs of a service dog and are excited to begin the journey—we welcome your application. Start the process online. We look forward to talking with you!
FAQs: Should I Get a Service Dog?
Ask yourself if you have the time, physical ability, emotional readiness, and support system to care for a dog every day—while also committing to training
Yes, but you must still be the primary handler. If others are helping, they’ll need to be part of the training process. If you have bad day(s), it’s crucial you have someone else readily available to take care of the dog. Without sufficient support, Putnam Service Dogs won’t feel you meet their guiding criteria – Can the person competently and humanely care for the dog?
A service dog may help—but only if your disability qualifies and you can care for the dog. Emotional support animals may be a better option in some cases. Emotional support animals have no training requirements like service dogs do, so you can get one without enduring the long wait lists that service dog schools have for their service dogs. What’s essential is that you like the dog (a lot) and it likes you (a lot).
We train rescue dogs to become life-changing service dogs and provide them at no cost to recipients. Our work is powered by volunteers and generous donors, and superbly trained staff, who believe in our mission. Our dogs are the ultimate decision maker at Meet & Greets on who is their person. We seek the instant chemistry essential for the success of a team – does the dog approach you readily, stay with you, walk happily besides you on your first walk together.
Nancy Teague