What Is A SERVICE DOG?

Service dogs can do many tasks, depending on a person's disability. A Guide Dog serves as the eyes for its blind handler, taking the handler around obstacles, providing unassisted mobility, and literally giving back a blind person’s dignity by means of independence. A hearing dog alerts its deaf handler to sounds such as a door bell, or a telephone ring, or more importantly, a smoke detector and can literally save its deaf owner’s life by warning of imminent danger.  Seizure Alert/Response dogs are able to sense when their handler is about to have a seizure and often prevent serious injury due to fainting or falling.  A Mobility Assist Dog (also called a Service Dog), provides the arms and legs for a disabled person doing everything from opening the refrigerator and bringing them a cold can of soda, to assisting wheelchair bound patients with mobility to access elevators, escalators and stairs.  Most people are familiar with Guide Dogs in their daily lives, guiding their handlers expertly around obstacles and across streets. There are, however, dogs that help those who are deaf, in a wheelchair, using crutches, and many other medical conditions that these extraordinary animals can contribute their service and instinctive expertise beyond that of any human medical or nursing ability.  Service Dogs are now protected under the “Americans with Disabilities Act” which requires all public places including shopping malls, restaurants, hospitals and even airplanes to grant these animals access to any area their handler requires to go.

 Guide Dogs:

Probably the most familiar type of service dog and by far the most sophisticated and intelligent service dog is the Guide Dog who is trained to help the blind or visually impaired. These dogs serve as the eyes for their owner, navigating them through traffic, stairs and sidewalks while avoiding all obstacles that could cause injury. Less than 10% of dogs who begin Guide Dog training actually graduate as a certified Guide Dog.  Guide Dog certification requires the most stringent requirements of any other service capacity dog, because a Guide Dog must actually discern when he must “disobey” his master.  If a blind person wants to cross the street, but cannot see that a car is about to run a red light, a Guide Dog must literally refuse to obey his handler’s command.  This requires an extraordinary element of intelligence, intuition, and independent analysis on the part of the Guide Dog.

Hearing Dogs:

Similar in nature and training to the Guide Dog is the Hearing or sometimes referred to as a "Signal" dog, because they are specially trained to assist the hearing impaired.  A Hearing dog alerts his owner to sounds, usually by approaching their owner and then by going back to the source of the sound. A Hearing Dog can signal such noises as doorbells, phones, smoke alarms, crying babies, microwave signals and even tea kettles whistling. These dogs have the same access privileges as guide dogs and are permitted in all public and private facilities.

Prof. Dr. Kendra Ryan & Xena

Service Dogs:

Service Dog is a sort of “catch all” term for any dog that helps a physically or mentally disabled person. These dogs include: MOBILITY ASSIST DOGS: These dogs can pull a wheelchair, carry a backpack, picks up items that are dropped, open and closes doors, and help the handler with general day to day tasks such as getting dressed, bathing, and working. SEIZURE ALERT DOGS: These dogs are the “psychic” wonder of the canine kingdom.  They can be trained to respond to seizures as it is occurring and either stay with the person, or go for help, depending upon their specific training. Some Seizure Alert Dogs are trained to hit a button on a console to automatically dial 911. When the dog hears the voice of the 911 operator, the dog begins barking and the 911 operator is trained to call for medical assistance to be sent to the address of that telephone number.  But perhaps even more amazing is the Seizure Alert Dog that “anticipates” a seizure or heart arrhythmia BEFORE it occurs.  This give the patient the opportunity to ground themselves and thus avoid serious injury or even death, by sitting or lying down as soon as their dog alerts them of a potential health crisis.