Dogs can help those with disabilites by performing various tasks.
People with disabilities may be entitled to owning a service dog to help improve their quality of life. Service dogs provide a disabled person the ability to move about freely, help the hearing impaired and even help a child connect with the world around him. While many service dog agencies have strict rules governing who can receive a dog, some agencies have relaxed restrictions to help more people.
Hearing Ear or Signal Dogs
Service dogs offer companionship as well as help.
For hearing impaired people, it's frustrating to not hear a person knocking on the door, or to hear any noise alerting her to potential danger. Hearing Ear dogs, also known as signal dogs, act as the hearing impaired person's ears by alerting her to any sounds around her. For a person who can't hear, a fire, intruder or potential hazard on the street can be life-threatening. The dog can wake the owner from sleep once a fire alarm goes off, saving the owner's life; the same with a break-in.
A dog's training includes learning hand signals as well as verbal commands with the promise of a reward once the dog completes a task. Potential owners and hearing ear dogs complete training together to make sure they match perfectly.
Seizure Service Alert and Medical Dogs
For a child or person with epilepsy or another seizure disorder, a seizure can occur at any moment. This potentially frightening and unavoidable event may happen when a child or adult is alone and can't call for help. A seizure service alert dog stays by the owner and smells an oncoming seizure and alerts parents or others nearby. A seizure service dog can also provide emotional support during medical procedures as well as alleviating fear of being alone. A medical alert dog can detect if a person's blood sugar is too low, before it can adversely affect the owner.
Mental Illness and Companion Dogs
Mental illness sufferers can gain emotional support through a service dog.
Sufferers of mental illness often feel isolated and alone, especially sufferers of depression and anxiety. When a service dog has completed training and has achieved certification, the dog may then accompany a sufferer on errands into stores, to work and anywhere the owner may need to go. Dogs that help those with mental illness provide emotional support, receive training to help with simple tasks like retrieving medications and even answer the door. For children with autism, a companion dog helps prevent the child from existing completely in his own mind, by encouraging the child to interact with the dog.
Mobility Service Dogs
Disabled people find support in mobility service dogs.
For persons confined to wheelchairs or who find it difficult to move around, mobility service dogs offer new independence many may have thought lost. Dogs' training includes retrieving items like medications or beverages, help with answering the phone and may even help pull the owner up a hill in a wheelchair. These dogs allow an individual to return to work without needing to feel dependent on others.
Seeing Eye Dog or Guide Dog
The best known service dog is the seeing eye dog, or guide dog. These specially trained dogs accompany a visually impaired or blind person on errands, providing the eyes with which the person sees. These dogs steer the owner around obstacles, help navigate stairs and help with crossing the street. The breeds most frequently used as seeing eye dogs include Labrador and golden retrievers, as well as German shepherds.
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