|  | Conditions Treatments | Disabilities

List of Jobs Service Dogs Do

Most dog owners know that their pet is not allowed in many public places. Service dogs, however, are not pets. They provide necessary assistance for people with a wide range of disabilities. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), service dogs must be allowed to accompany their owner wherever he goes--whether it is to a restaurant, in a taxi cab, or on an airplane. These dogs undergo rigorous training to learn techniques to help people complete basic tasks. Most people are familiar with guide dogs, which assist a person with vision loss, but other types of helper dogs are also covered under the ADA.

  1. Guide Dogs

    • Guide dogs for the vision-impaired were the groundbreakers in this field, as they were used to assist soldiers who had lost their vision during World War I. They are trained to lead the owner, stop for traffic lights or hazards, and maneuver tricky terrain like stairs. Several nonprofit organizations provide trained guide dogs to the visually impaired at no cost.

    Mobility Dogs

    • People with mobility disabilities can benefit a great deal from a service dog. Mobility service dogs accompany their owners and can perform duties such as picking up items out of reach, opening doors, turning lights on and off, and sometimes helping to pull the owner up inclines. These dogs can even help with simple housework, such as putting laundry in a basket.

    Hearing Alert Dogs

    • Dogs are known for their sharp hearing skills, and they can be invaluable for someone with hearing loss. In emergencies, hearing alert dogs can let their owners know that something is wrong. They can listen for sirens, tornado alarms, smoke detectors, car horns, and intruders. In addition, they can listen for everyday sounds such as alarm clocks and knocks on the door.

    Medical Alert Dogs

    • Medical alert dogs can help people with chronic conditions avoid dangerous situations. Some dogs are able to detect the subtle chemical changes right before a seizure or dangerous changes in blood sugar in a diabetic person. Once alerted, the person can move into a less dangerous place if necessary and call for help. Other dogs are trained to call 911 if they see that their owner is suffering a medical emergency.

    Psychological Service Dogs

    • People whose psychological conditions interfere with daily living can find that service dogs help them cope with tasks that would otherwise be insurmountable. Service dogs can be trained to summon help and get their owners out of dangerous situations if they are unresponsive, help owners avoid psychological triggers, and calm their owners during emotional overload. The role of psychological service dogs is growing in the 2000s, as new programs have started to match them up with returning veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Disabilities - Related Articles