The Differences Between Canine Assistants

From herding to guarding, dogs have been assisting humans ever since they were domesticated. Dogs are highly trainable and bond very closely to the humans that they associate with, and it was a natural leap to bring into assisting the disabled. What many people do not know is that canine assistants come in wide variety of types and specialties, and the truth is that they help a wider array of people than you might think! There are many jobs where dogs are actually the ideal candidate to provide aid and the dogs that are engaged in assistance work are often mutts who have been adopted from shelters or private homes.

Some dogs are guide dogs, which mean that they are specially trained to help people who are visually impaired. They will help people who have issues with sight avoid obstacles and they can even signal changes in elevation through sitting down or stopping. They have training that tells them how to navigate intersections and they are able to locate everything from a doorknob to an exit in a busy area. Other dogs are meant to help people who are deaf or hard of hearing. When noises occur, they will alert their own by nudging them or leading them to the source of the noise. They can fetch the phone when it rings and they can save lives through alerting their owners of fire alarms.

Service dogs are dogs that specifically receive training to help someone who is disabled. This is where many of the larger canine assistants end up because they can provide balance to someone who is unsteady or they can pull a wheelchair through using a chest strap. Many of them wear rigid harnesses that allow their owner to use them to stand up or to brace themselves. They are trained in tasks that range from fetching the mail, bringing in groceries, turning off the lights or even something as delicate as removing socks. They are often trained to call 911 on a K-9 rescue phone.

When patients are prone to epileptic seizures or diabetic comas, they may have for a companion an alert/response dog. In the event of incapacitation, these dogs can dial 911, fetch an insulin kit or medication or a respiratory assistance device. These dogs will also lie down on their owner's chest, hoping to produce a cough.

Therapeutic companion dogs are taught basic training and proper behavior, and their goal is comfort people who have recently gone through traumatic or debilitating circumstances. They are often brought to special needs centers or elderly care facilities and they can greatly lift the spirits of the people who spend time with them. Their main role is to provide emotional support and the truth is that their results are often impressive.

Canine assistants run the gamut when it comes to the aid that they can provide, and the truth is that there are thousands of people all over the country who find that their lives are enriched and made much safer with the presence of these animals.