According to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), service animals are dogs trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability.

 

Disabilities may be physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental-related.  

The work or tasks performed by a service dog must be directly related to its handler's disability.

 

Service dogs are considered working animals and a member of a necessary team of two: the service dog and its disabled handler.

 

Because of the potential life-saving tasks the service dog provides, the dog may legally accompany its disabled handler wherever the handler may go.

 

 

TASKS

 (EXAMPLE SKILLS WE TEACH:  body pressure, carry, drag, find it, guide, lick face/hands, pawing, pull, vocalizing, retrieve, target,  

 

ALERT BEHAVIORS

Alert a family member

Alert handler to another person crying/calling/yelling

Alert for help

 

FIND

Help, handler, the car or other person or item

 

GUIDE  

home, to an exit, to specific item, location or to a specific person

 

INTERRUPTION

Interrupt anxiety attacks, crying, disassociation, flashbacks, freezing behavior, harmful behaviors, nightmares, repetitive behaviors, scratching/skin picking

 

MEDICAL

Alert to allergen in food or in the area

Alert to dangerous medical levels in the body

Anxiety, blood pressure, blood sugar, cortisol, need to cough, panic attack, seizure

 

MOBILITIY

Counter balance and position changes (sitting to standing, laying to sitting, etc.)

Counter-balance handler

Push or pull forward  or up incline momentum (in a wheelchair)

Forward momentum while walking or moving up stairs

 

NOISE/SOUND

Alert to sounds such as alarm, car horn, phone, siren, door bell ringing/knocking,  car horn, dropped items

 

OPEN/CLOSE

pulling with tug or pushing closed with nose or paw

bathroom, cabinet, dishwasher, doors, drawer, sliding door, refrigerator

Press a handicapped button - Turn on/Turn off Tasks with paw, nose or teeth.

 

REMINDERS

Meals, take medication, go to sleep, wake up

 

RETRIEVE

Carry, Pull or Drag from/to

Retrieve items that are pointed to

Retrieve clothing, dropped items, medication, mobility items (wheelchair, cane, walker, etc.), phone,  purse/wallet, remote, shoes, tissue, towel

Give to a cashier, drop in the wastebasket

 

OTHER TASKS

Check the house (enter ahead of handler and check for intruders)

Crowd control (circling handler)

Distraction or excuse to leave uncomfortable situation

Deep pressure therapy

Tactile stimulation