What Would a Golden Retriever Get for a Prize after Graduating as a Service Dog? Find Out!

Reddit users just love this video of Bailey, a golden retriever who’s just graduated as a service dog!

After the big event, his human family took Bailey to a toy shop to get his prize. And what prize did this smart dog choose? A cuddly bear toy complete with a costume that Bailey himself picked out!

How special are service dogs like Bailey?

According to the American Kennel Club, dogs are essential to our everyday living, bringing us comfort, happiness, and numerous health benefits.

However, there are major differences between pet dogs and service dogs. In fact, service dogs are not classified as pets based on the definition given by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This act defines a service dog as, “a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.” Hence, a service dog is a working animal and not a pet.

There are several excellent breeds that can be trained into service dogs, such as Saint Bernards, Bernese Mountain dogs, Great Danes, and poodles. As guide dogs, the most common choices are Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, and German Shepherds.

Now, going back to Bailey, a lot of Reddit users would like to congratulate him too!

MesWantooth commented, “Very cute…My former coworker has been getting all his dogs (goldens) from a place that finds homes for service dogs that don’t pass the test…He’s convinced the dogs make it to the end of the program, and then flunk the test so they don’t have to work and can live a life of leisure. He’s a wealthy guy with a nice cottage so his dogs do live a pretty sweet life.”

Kanotari happily shared their own story: “Raised a few guide dogs. I had quite a few passes, but they’re not funny lol. One flunked for being super easily distracted. He was quickly adopted as a pet. Another flunked for hip dysplasia, so instead of being a guide dog for the blind he became a wheelchair assistance dog. One just barely passed because he was far too easily bribed, but his blind partner thought it was hilarious and trained him to be super affectionate. They work as ambassadors for our agency now which suits them perfectly.”

Meanwhile, errolthedragon asked, “Is she wearing shoes for a particular reason, or just because they’re adorable?”

With hanerd825 giving an answer, “They’re in a shopping center. A lot of service animals will wear boots for extra traction on those super glossy floors. OP also appears to have mobility issues, so it’s possible the pup can also provide balance support, which makes non-slip all the more important. Also, if this was filmed on a particularly warm day, asphalt can be excruciatingly hot on dog paws. A working dog doesn’t get to skip the walk in high noon sun, so having booties to protect the pads is a good idea.”