Learn About Various Types of Service Dogs

Service dogs come in many shapes and sizes, each trained to assist individuals with unique needs. The most common types are guide dogs for the visually impaired.

These highly skilled canines help their owners navigate through crowded streets and public spaces by guiding them around obstacles. Some guide dogs even learn to stop at curbs and avoid low-hanging branches.

Mobility assistance dogs, on the other hand, provide support for people with physical disabilities such as paralysis or multiple sclerosis. They can help their owners walk, balance, and even open doors.

Seizure response dogs are trained to detect seizures in individuals with epilepsy and provide comfort during and after episodes.

Mobility assistance dogs are trained to help people with physical challenges remain as self-sufficient as possible.

They can wear harnesses and pull their owners' wheelchairs, or serve as a brace to help owners regain their position if they fall.

Hearing service dogs alert their owners to various sounds like smoke alarms, alarm clocks, doorbells, etc. by gently nudging them with their nose or pawing at them.

Guide dogs are trained to lead their owners around obstacles and signal changes in elevation, helping people who are visually impaired get around safely.

Psychiatric service dogs provide medical intervention and support for people with a wide range of psychiatric disabilities.

Seizure response dogs can warn epilepsy sufferers of an oncoming seizure minutes or even hours before it occurs by detecting changes in a human's scent or behavior.

Autism service dogs help people with autism perform everyday tasks, process sensory information, and find specific places.

Seizure response dogs can be lifesavers for people with epilepsy or those prone to seizures.

They're trained to perform tasks like activating an emergency response alarm, which can summon help quickly.

These service dogs are also trained to retrieve a phone or medication during a seizure, helping their handler stay safe.

Seizure alert dogs assist individuals before, during, and after a seizure.

They can find help for their person or call 911 with a K-9 alert phone to get assistance quickly.

Some seizure alert dogs are trained to physically move their partner if they have a seizure in an unsafe place.

These service dogs also use deep pressure stimulation to end their partner's seizure early, which can be life-saving.

Seizure alert dogs can bring medicine to their person as they come out of a seizure, helping them recover quickly and safely.

Scientists are divided over whether seizure alert dogs can be trained or if it's something a dog does naturally based on intuition and the bond with its human partner.

Seizure response dogs are trained to assist during or immediately after their handler has a seizure.

These service dogs can activate an emergency response alarm, which is crucial in getting help quickly.

Some SRDs are even trained to retrieve a phone or medication for their handlers, making it easier for them to receive the care they need.

Fetching someone to help in the event of a seizure is another vital task that these dogs perform with ease.

Physically removing a patient from a dangerous situation can be a lifesaver, and SRDs are often trained to do just that.

Mobility assistance dogs are trained to assist people with mobility issues such as those who are wheelchair-dependent.

They can perform a wide variety of tasks including pulling wheelchairs, opening and closing doors, bringing objects to people, and operating light switches.

Some mobility assistance dogs specialize in helping owners in wheelchairs. They can retrieve objects, open doors, and help with transfers to chairs, beds, or bathtubs.

People with disabilities such as spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, muscular dystrophy, arthritis, and cerebral palsy often rely on these dogs for everyday tasks.

Mobility assistance dogs must be large enough to support their person in some cases. Bracing dogs, which help owners with balance issues, typically weigh 55-plus pounds and wear specially-fitted harnesses.

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Hearing Service Dogs are trained to assist people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

They act as their handler's ears, alerting them to important sounds like smoke alarms and doorbells.

Breeds like golden retrievers, poodles, and cocker spaniels are often chosen for this role because of their reliability and responsiveness to obedience training.

Hearing Service Dogs can lead their owners towards the noise when they hear a particular cue.

Common breeds used include labradors, golden retrievers, cocker spaniels, and poodles (miniature or standard).

While they aren't required to wear special gear, some owners outfit their hearing dogs in bright orange.

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Guide dogs are perhaps the best known of all types of service dogs.

They have been helping blind and visually impaired people navigate obstacles for centuries - references date back to the 16th century.

Labradors, golden retrievers, and German shepherds are often selected as guide dogs because of their calm temperaments and general trainability.

These breeds make excellent guides due to their intelligence and ability to be trained.

Guide dogs practice selective disobedience, which means they obey commands but still make choices based on their own assessment of a situation.

For example, if commanded to cross the street but see cars coming, they will disobey.

Their partners can opt for labradoodles or poodles as hypoallergenic alternatives if needed.

Mobility assistance dogs are trained to assist people with mobility issues such as those who are wheelchair-dependent.

They can perform a wide variety of tasks including pulling wheelchairs, opening and closing doors, bringing objects to people, and operating light switches.

These dogs have a huge impact on the lives of the people they help, increasing their confidence and allowing them to gain a greater sense of independence.

Larger breeds are often well-suited to the role of mobility dogs as they are strong enough to support the weight of a person and help provide balance and stability.

Some mobility assistance dogs specialize in helping owners in wheelchairs. They can retrieve objects, open doors, and help with transfers to chairs, beds, or bathtubs.

They may wear a special harness that allows them to help pull their owner’s wheelchair.

People who have conditions such as spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, muscular dystrophy, arthritis, and cerebral palsy often rely on mobility assistance dogs for everyday tasks.

These tasks include retrieving objects, opening doors, pressing automatic door buttons, and turning on lights.

Bracing dogs must be large enough to support their person and are typically 55-plus pounds. They often wear specially-fitted harnesses that help them assist their owner.

Here's a list of conditions that mobility assistance dogs can help with:

Allergy detection dogs are specially trained to detect and alert to the odor of allergens like peanuts, gluten, or eggs.

These incredible service dogs can pick up the scent of a harmful allergen before their person even comes into contact with it.

Their vests often have pockets for medical information and medication, which is especially helpful in emergency situations.

In many cases, allergy detection dogs are paired with children who have severe allergies, providing them with more independence and peace of mind for their parents.

Psychiatric service dogs are trained to help individuals with depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

They can sense a change in their owner when they're about to experience negative symptoms like an anxiety attack or a flashback.

Autism service dogs are specially trained to assist people with autism by helping them gain independence and perform daily tasks.

These courageous service dogs go through rigorous training until they're ready to carry out their important role.

Children and adults on the autistic spectrum benefit from the daily efforts of autism service dogs, which can alert parents to a dangerous situation or interrupt harmful behavior.

Autism support dogs help children connect with their classmates and boost their confidence by providing judgement-free love and companionship.

Dogs make for the perfect icebreaker in social settings and can provide a sense of predictability and comfort for people with autism.

Autism service dogs are trained to keep children with autism from running away, which is especially important if their partner is young and/or non-verbal.

In these cases, autism service dogs should carry emergency protocols and contact information.

Allergy detection dogs are trained to sniff out tiny amounts of allergens like peanuts and milk.

These incredible service dogs can detect allergens before their person even comes into contact with them, alerting them to potential danger.

Food allergies are on the rise, and some people go into anaphylactic shock from touching even a small amount of an allergen.

Allergy detection dogs are often paired with children, who are more likely to have severe allergies than adults.

This provides kids with more independence and gives their parents comfort and security.

Most allergy detection dogs wear vests with pockets for medical information and medication.

Psychiatric service dogs are highly trained companions that can sense a change in their owner when they're about to experience negative symptoms like an anxiety attack or flashback.

These dogs help individuals with depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by being physically present and serving as a barrier between them and others.

Owning a psychiatric service dog can be beneficial for people with depression and/or anxiety, forcing them to take care of themselves and get out into the world.

Psychiatric service dogs are not pets but rather working animals that go through extensive training, making them distinct from emotional support dogs or therapy dogs.

For veterans suffering from PTSD, these dogs provide a sense of security and help regain confidence by serving as a physical barrier between their owner and others.