Service Dogs for the Mobility Impaired

Assistance dogs do a lot to improve the lives of people with disabilities around the world. Teaming up with a properly trained assistance dog allows disabled people to be more self-sufficient, avoid injuries, get help in an emergency and engage in more travel. Not just any dog can be a mobility service dog, though. Special training is required to teach these animals to do the tasks they're needed for. Dogs need to have the right attitude and the appropriate level of discipline.

  1. Significance

    • Mobility-impaired people who partner with a service dog experience a much broader range of freedom. They no longer need to rely as heavily on other people to get through their days, and can often travel on their own. Partnering with a mobility assistance dog can help people return to the work force or go back to school, and can allow them to spend more time around other people socially.

    Function

    • Mobility assistance dogs help their owners avoid obstacles, including hazards, people and low-hanging objects. They're even trained to disobey an order if obeying might cause harm. They also let their owners know about curbs, stairs and ramps, can find doors, elevators and empty seats, and can lead their owners to a desired destination. Some service dogs also pick up dropped objects for owners who have trouble bending down, and even open and close doors.

    Training

    • Service dogs receive a long period of intensive daily training--usually 6 to 18 months--before they enter service. They're carefully socialized to other animals and people, and are routinely tested to make sure that they have the right temperament for the job. Exceptional dogs can master up to 50 separate tasks, and often enjoy the challenge. A dog may be trained for general service, or to help someone who has a specific disability or condition such as blindness or epilepsy.

    Considerations

    • Traditionally, service dogs have often been chosen from the ranks of purebred animals. Purebred dogs are viewed as predictable within their breeds, but can be very expensive. Some training programs are now using dogs of the correct size and temperament from shelters, instead of purchasing from a breeder. Shelter dogs are more readily available and less costly than dogs from breeders, and they work well, as long as they have been carefully selected for temperament and receive regular assessment.

    Misconceptions

    • Many people believe that assistance dogs are only for people with severe disabilities and those in the end stages of degenerative diseases. People with more moderate disabilities can get significant benefit from the help of an assistance animal, though. A service dog could mean the difference between maintaining a job and raising a family, or having to rely on other people to get through the day. People with many different types of disabilities are eligible for dog assistance.

    Warning

    • It can be tempting to treat service dogs for disabled people as pets, but this is very rude. Never walk up to an assistance dog and touch it without its owner's permission. Petting or socializing with a working dog could keep it from doing its job correctly and could even endanger the owner. Starting a conversation about the dog and asking permission is considered polite, though. Always ask before you approach an assistance animal.