The name Drew Lynch should ring a bell if you follow America’s got talent where he made his mark in the tenth season. While a kid, he had lofty hopes of becoming a star actor, however, this dream was nearly cut short by a freak accident.
He was hit by a company softball on the throat during a game. This injury leads to serious trauma to his throat which then left him with a noticeable stutter
For those wondering why does Drew Lynch has a service dog? The answer is pretty simple; his service dog Stella gives him both physical and emotional support. She also gets featured quite frequently on his YouTube videos known as the “dog vlog”
What’s With The Dog And Drew Lynch?
Dogs can indeed be a unique companion when relaxing or even on the job. Dogs are social, loyal, and quite intelligent.
These are certainly enough qualities to make a dog a wonderful pet. However, some dogs take it a step further by using these gifts to assist people who have disabilities get through life.
Service dogs such as Lynch’s are very important components to the lives of many people. They are usually equipped with relevant training to assist people who may be going through different medical conditions.
What Makes Service Dogs So Important?
Service dogs are very useful when added to the lives of certain people.
Usually, they receive extensive training that prepares them to assist in certain situations.
They can be useful in fetching medication for victims of panic attacks or leading the blind through a crowded street.
Service dogs help out with a long list of issues and are known to carry out life-saving actions per time.
What Dog Type Does Lynch Have?
Lynch’s therapy dog, Stella is of the Vizsla breed. This breed is a Hunting dog from Hungary and is of medium build and quite intelligent and at the same time athletic.
Did Lynch Grow Up With A Stutter?
It is not uncommon to find people who were born with speech impediments; however, the case of Lynch is quite different. Lynch had an accident when he was 2 which affected his speech at a time when he was an up-and-coming actor with prospects.
What Are Service Dogs?
A Service dog is simply a type of dog that is specially trained for assisting people with disabilities.
This job is certainly not an easy one for dogs; hence not all dogs can serve this purpose. There are certain breeds such as German Shepherds that do an excellent job of this.
However, it should be noted that Golden retrievers and Labradors are the most widely used service dogs due to factors such as their demeanors, sizes, and trainability.
Another breed of dog that suits this profile is the Bernese mountain dog due to their huge bodies and lovely persona that makes them suitable for elderly persons.
The Wonderful Story Behind Drew Lynch And His Service Dog
Life can indeed be quite tough when one is disabled. Lynch should be able to relate more to this because people tend to get a little impatient and sometimes irritated and even laugh at him when he tries to say something. If you are a stutterer like Lynch, this can indeed be a very frustrating experience.
Whenever Lynch gets upset, the words sort of stumble from his mouth, and then the stuttering becomes even worse thus making it difficult for the words to come out. Usually, he subconsciously takes shallow, quick breaths and even becomes hyperventilated.
Stella being a service dog is usually able to spot and wade in whenever Lynch is in trouble. Usually, this trouble could be a panic attack, anxiety, and other related issues. She usually shields him while steering him from trouble.
What Are The Different Types Of Disability?
Service dogs like I earlier pointed out are trained with a view to assisting people with disabilities to live a qualitative life.
Here is a breakdown of some of the conditions service dogs like Stella is trained to handle:
- Hearing impairment and deafness
- Visual Impairment
- Epilepsy and seizures
- Diabetes
- Depression, bipolar disorder and autism
- Mobility impairment
What Goes Into Making Service Dogs Like Lynch’s?
There are a few things that go into making a service dog stand out; they aren’t usually born with the ability to help.
The best of them go through the best training and processes.
From cradle
Different dogs are trained in different ways with a clear mandate for each one, some are raised to be pets such as the Maltese dogs, and others are trained to watch after livestock.
Some dogs are trained for watching over their owners. Whichever categories your dog may belong to, they all get trained for this purpose from the puppy stage.
Service dogs are however not different from this arrangement, the only real difference is that they are on a different level in terms of duty.
Usually, they are conditioned from infancy to assist with well-defined disabilities often carrying out specific tasks to assist the owners.
The hurdles
Becoming a service dog certainly isn’t a stroll in the park even for the smartest dogs. About two-thirds of the dogs that start the training usually do not end up with the certification.
There are certain basic criteria that the dogs have to meet to be considered worthy of carrying out their duties well enough.You can learn more about that and the service dog registration process at US Service Animals.
One of the core features of an ideal dog for this purpose is that it must be calm and focused on distracting environments. Also, they should be used to touch humans and be intelligent.
What Does Drew Lynch Do To Take Care Of His Service Dog?
Andrew Lynch is certainly well aware of the fact that he needs to take care of Stella properly if he expects her to keep doing a great job.
And that is why he takes certain steps to ensure she remains happy. Here are a few of such things:
Stella Never lacks supplements and food:
Wherever they may be, it is always compulsory that all of Stella’s supplies are within reach.
Hence, if you have a service dog, you must have food that is sealed especially when you are traveling with your dog.
In the case of short trips, ensure to carry all the supplies you would need, I will recommend Shampoos, food, medication, etc.
Drew factors in climate
For a dog like Stella coming from a cold region, traveling to a warmer region would mean taking some necessary steps to ensure that he is fine.
For instance, if you have such a dog, you may want to brush the coat often, buy a cooler collar, buy freezer packs, and other necessities for her comfort.
He ensures she is healthy always
Your service dog is only useful to you when it is healthy, hence the need to always ensure it is.
Drew always ensures to carry around a first aid kit and advises you to take a pet first aid class.
Even if you find yourself in a situation where you can’t carry out the task, you may be able to instruct someone else to do so. You should also identify nearby veterinarians in advance.
Conclusion
Stella has certainly grown to become an integral component of Drew’s life not just as a pet but as also as a partner.
Service dogs like Stella are increasingly becoming relevant in a world where people with disabilities appear to be treated unfairly. Who knows? Your service dog may just be your one-way ticket to becoming a celebrity like Lynch!