Dogs are man’s best friend. This notion is shared by many dog owners. For a growing segment of the population, however, dogs have become indispensable. They are our day-to-day partners. Dogs for people with disabilities play an important role in our society today.
We are talking about dogs that specifically serve and guide persons with disabilities. These disabilities range from mental, physical, and neurological.
Dogs for people with disabilities are usually allowed inside most public places which usually forbid dogs. Here are some of these noteworthy dogs for people with disabilities.
Service Dogs for People With Psychiatric Disabilities
This service dog category is rather versatile. Dogs in this class assist people suffering from several illnesses. It might be anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Usually, most people with PTSD have served in one branch of the military or another. Or, they may have had a job as a first responder. However, people who have experienced natural disasters, terrorism, abuse, and other life-changing situations such as car crashes can also have PTSD.
How these dogs help those with PTSD
Psychiatric service dogs perform many actions for their human handlers. These dogs may enter the home first to keep their handler safe. Also, they can switch lights on/off using a foot pedal. Humans not only feel safer, but they are also physically safer as well.
Undeniably, their biggest job is keeping its owner safe and feeling secure. But, this is especially true in public spaces. PTSD-afflicted individuals may need a barrier between them and the rest of the world. So, psychiatric service dogs act as this protective barrier.
dog tags, grey on a small chain
Autism Support Dogs
One of the most vital needs of children on the autism spectrum is to have a sense of predictability. This is most important in school and other social settings. A sense of security is often provided by an autism support dog.
Such specially trained dogs help their handlers make it through the day with all its demands of socialization. These friendly dogs become icebreakers. They help their owners to connect with other kids and adults.
This lessens the sense of isolation commonly experienced by children on the autism spectrum. Often, an autistic child runs off in the middle of a stressful situation. Therefore, Autism support dogs are also trained in how to track children.
Man and his best friend, hand in hand
FASD Service Dogs
FASD stands for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Some children whose mothers drank excessive alcohol when she was pregnant with them. suffer from this disorder. Usually, children with FASD have mental, physical, and behavioral difficulties.
FASD service dogs receive similar training as do the service dogs for children on the autism spectrum. They, too, are able to provide a wide range of support to their owners.
Showing your unborn baby love
Allergy Detection Dogs
These service dogs exist due to the increasing number of people with food allergies. Allergy detection dogs alert their owner to the presence of certain food ingredients.
For example, if you are allergic to peanuts, an allergy detection dog will warn you before you eat it. Similarly, the same is true if you are allergic to gluten.
This early detection can be life-saving for individuals who have fatal allergic reactions. Sometimes, ingredients are hidden in food products. This is when allergy detection dogs prove to be the most valuable.
Unfortunately, some people with allergies can suffer fatal reactions. Because ingesting even a minuscule amount of a specific food ingredient can kill an allergic person, these are potentially life-saving dogs.
epipen used on a leg
Persons With Physical Disabilities
There are many tasks that Service Dogs perform for people with physical disabilities.
- picking up items from the floor
- retrieving objects from tables or counters
- switching light controls off and on
- pushing automatic door buttons
- pulling doors and cabinets open
- standing and bracing to provide stability during a transfer
- barking on command to call for assistance
- fetching a cordless phone in an emergency
- and many more!
Service Dogs accompany their partner everywhere they go. This includes the workplace, restaurants, schools, shopping, and even when traveling.
These service dogs can provide a physically disabled person with a degree of independence they may otherwise have never known. Not being forced to depend on another person for many of your basic needs is a priceless gift.
Service Dog and Person in a Wheelchair
Service Dogs for People With Diabetes
Diabetic Alert Dogs can alert diabetics before low (hypoglycemia) or high (hyperglycemia) blood sugar events become dangerous. Early detection allows the diabetic person to take the necessary steps to return their blood sugar to a safe range.
A Diabetic’s Kit for Testing and Treating Glucose
SAD or Seizure-Alerting Dogs
Some canines undergo training to detect significant glucose changes in people with diabetes. Other dogs are trained to identify melanoma or prostate cancer via the odor of skin or urine. And, then there are the seizure-alerting dogs, known as SADs. Their ability to detect an oncoming seizure and to alert their owners is one of the latest to be discovered.
Seeing Eye Dogs, aka Guide Dogs
Guide dogs do a critical job in assisting low-vision or blind people to gain, confidence, greater mobility, and independence. These service dogs guide people safely through traffic and crowds. Some dogs are also trained to locate specific objects such as a nearby door, mailboxes, or elevators.
The dog doesn’t really “see” for a non-sighted person. They do not know when the traffic light changes or decide where they and their handler should go.
It is up to the visually impaired individual to direct the dog. What a guide dog does do is guide them around all obstacles and notify them of the location of stairs, curbs, stairs, or any other hazards.
silhouette of a seeing eye dog in his harness
So, if you would like to know more about how dogs are tuned into our needs, check out this article. https://happymutt.org/study-shows-your-dog-feels-when-you-are-upset-and-in-need-of-help/
Have you already read this article? https://excellentdogsclub.com/11-photos-of-service-dogs-and-their-humans/
Photos Courtesy of Pixabay
