Service dogs are used to help people with different kinds of ailments or disabilities. The service dog can do many tasks, depending on the person's disability. There are dogs to help people who are blind, dogs to help the deaf, and dogs to help people who have diseases that cause seizures, such as epilepsy. There are also service dogs for those people who have limited use of their arms and/or legs. There are also psychiatric service dogs who keeps a person with an psychiatric disorder calm and able to be going to out in public.
To read about Guide Dogs to assist people who are visually impaired, see our section on Guiding Eyes for the Blind.
Hearing dogs are trained to sounds in the environment. For instance, the dog may be trained to hear a doorbell ring and will notify the deaf or hearing impaired person by running back and forth between the door and the person. A dog may also be trained to hear the alarm clock so that the person will be wakened at the correct hour in the morning. Usually the dog is trained to wake the person in a gentle way, by licking the hand or face.
To help people with limitations in their movement because of paralyzed hands or legs, mobility assistance dogs are trained to pick up objects, open or close doors, turn lights on and off and help with getting the person in and out of a wheelchair. They may also be used to help the person get out of bed, get dressed or pull the wheelchair. They may also help people who have trouble with balance when trying to stand up or sit down. The dog will stand ready and act as a brace for the person to hold onto as they get up or sit down.
Psychiatric service dogs help people with diseases such as depression, schizophrenia or anxieties. They alert the person to situations that may be disturbing. They are also used to bring the person the medication they need every day. The dog is used to help calm the person or help them get to a place where they may feel safe.
