Service Dogs Have Jobs.

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA, 1990) a dog is considered a “service dog” if it has been “individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability.”

These dogs are more than just pets; they are a life line. Service dogs provide companionship, love, and support. They create a significant impact in their partner’s everyday life. Service dogs provide safety, confidence, independence, and a restored sense of freedom to their human companion.

Services Provided:

Service dogs, similar to pets, take on roles that can be life-changing for their owners. Further, they are trained to ensure the safety and increase the independence and quality of life for their owners.

For example, a PTSD or anxiety dog is taught to interrupt panic attacks and anxious episodes. Hearing dogs help alert deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals to important sounds. Mobility dogs assist individuals who use wheelchairs, walking devices, and who have balance issues. A dog trained for medical alerting is trained to signal the onset of a medical issue such as a seizure or low blood sugar, and the presence of allergens. 

Psychiatric service dogs assist individuals with disabilities such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, post–traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and other conditions. Examples of work performed by psychiatric service dogs could include entering a dark room and turning on a light to mitigate stress-inducing condition, interrupting repetitive behaviors, and reminding a person to take medication.   

Common Service Dog Tasks:
Anxiety support, PTSD support, Medication Reminder, Retrieval, Brace (help in/out of chairs or up off ground), Seizure Alert, Diabetic Alert, Open/Close Doors, Balance Support, Alerting the Deaf, Deep Pressure Treatment, Wake from Nightmare, Turn On/Off lights, Carry things for owner, Pushing buttons to Call for Emergency Services, and more.