The 10 Most Common Types of Service Dogs
Service dogs are remarkable working dogs specially trained to assist individuals with a wide range of disabilities and medical conditions. These dogs perform specific tasks that help their handlers live more independently and safely. In this article, we explore 10 different types of service dogs, highlighting the unique roles they play and the specialized training that enables them to make a meaningful difference in the lives of people with disabilities.
What is a service dog?
A service dog is a specially trained dog that performs specific tasks to assist an individual with a disability. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a service dog is, "Any guide dog, signal dog, or other dog that has been trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability." Often confused with therapy dogs or emotional support dogs, service dogs are trained specifically to cater to a person's disability.
If you would like to train your own service dog, The Academy of Pet Careers can teach you how to become a service dog trainer.
General Service Dogs
1. Mobility Assistance Dogs
One of the most common services dogs perform is various types of mobility assistance. This includes assisting in pulling a wheelchair or retrieving dropped items. It can also include providing physical support for a person with balance issues. The dog may help them up and down stairs, closing and opening doors, or even helping them stand up if they've fallen.
Guide Dogs
2. Seeing Eye Dogs
These dogs are usually trained for 14-18 months. They begin training by living full-time with puppy raisers where they are taken everywhere to help socialize them to all the sights, sounds and smells of the world. In addition, they learn their basic obedience skills. At about a year old, they return to the training facility and learn how to help a blind person navigate the world.
They learn skills such as stopping at curbs, avoiding overhead obstacles and helping their person find door handles. One important skill is learning to ignore commands that could put the team in danger. Once trained, they're paired with a blind person in need and the two go through a 2-4 week training program. The pairing is based on personality and temperament of both person and dog.
3. Hearing Ear Dogs
Next, we have Hearing Ear Dogs. These dogs are raised similarly to Seeing Eye Dogs; their skills training focuses on alerting to various sounds. Hearing dogs keep their person from stepping off the curb if there is a car coming. They also alert to alarms, door bells/knocks, and other noises that could be relevant to the person. Once training is complete, they are matched to a person and go through a 2-4 week program to get to know each other. This is also the time when any special skills needed for that particular human can be taught.
Medical Assistance Dogs
4. Seizure Alert Dogs
These dogs appear to be particularly sensitive to chemical changes that occur before a person has a seizure. These dogs can be trained to alert the person so they can get somewhere safe before a seizure starts. This service is considered controversial. We do not yet have solid evidence that dogs can consistently recognize and acknowledge these markers. It's also not something that can be trained. This requires a dog who seems naturally tuned to these subtle changes in their person.
5. Seizure Response Dogs
Less controversial is the Seizure Response dog. These Service Dogs are trained to stay close to their person during a seizure. They may also be trained to bark until help arrives or to find the nearest human and lead them back to their person.
6. Diabetic Alert Dogs
Diabetes Alert dogs detect spikes or dips in blood sugar based on the smell of sweat on their person. When these chemical changes are detected, the dog alerts the person so they can eat or take insulin as needed.
7. Psychiatric Service Dogs
These dogs help those coping with mental health issues. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) dogs help those suffering post traumatic stress disorder. They may be trained to walk ahead of their person or turn on room lights before their person enters.
8. Social Anxiety Dogs
Social Anxiety (SA) dogs may be trained to provide physical comfort when they sense their person is beginning to panic. Another common skill Social Anxiety dogs are taught is to give an alert that could pass for a need to potty – giving the person an excuse to leave without feeling awkward.
9. Sensory Signal (Social Signal) Dogs
Sensory signal dogs, or autism service dogs, are dogs that are trained to assist persons with autism. A common skill for these dogs is to interrupt repetitive or self-injurious injuries common to some on the spectrum.
10. Allergy Detection Dogs
Finally, Allergy Alert dogs are trained to detect the smells of items that will cause allergic reaction in their handler's with severe allergies. Most commonly, this will be food items. But it may include anything with which the handler may come in contact. This isn't for your mild allergies that might need an OTC allergy pill. People needing an allergy alert dog suffer potentially fatal allergic reactions.
Key Takeaways
Service dogs are incredible animals whose specialized training enables them to perform specific tasks that significantly improve the lives of people with disabilities. From mobility assistance dogs to psychiatric service dogs, these well-trained service dogs offer independence, safety, and companionship. Understanding the different types of service dogs and their unique roles highlights the vital contributions they make every day. Whether you want to train your own service dog at The Academy of Pet Careers or simply appreciate the work they do, recognizing their importance helps foster respect and support for these dogs and the individuals they assist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Eric Stull
Eric is a dog training instructor who, after attending multiple training schools, has worked within the fields of obedience, behavior modification and rehabilitation, patrol canines, protection disciplines, and mobility service dogs. Eric's two dogs combined skills include agility, dock diving, trick training, obedience, explosives detection, tracking, and protection sports. Eric's certifications include Canine Training & Behavior Specialist (Starmark Academy), CPDT-KA, and AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator.