Types of Service Dogs

Autism/Child Assistance

Autism or Child Assistance service dogs work for the parent or guardian to help mitigate their child's disability. The parent/guardian is fully responsible for all the care, handling, and facilitating of the service dog. Some children, when of mature age and capacity, may be able to facilitate the service dog on their own at school.

These service dogs provide support to the parent/guardian through tasks tailored to the child's needs. The dog can interrupt stemming behaviors, provide deep pressure therapy, track a child that has run off, and serve as a tether or lead for the child when out in public.

These dogs are not a replacement for diligent watchfulness of the child or security locks on doors. Dogs have the mental capacity of about a 2 1/2 to 3 year old child, and while they can be trained and requested to do very helpful specific tasks, they cannot "know" when a child is in danger.

Senior Assistance

Service dogs are wonderful companions for active seniors helping to retrieve dropped items, open doors, turn lights on, and provide stability standing and walking. Your service dog can be trained to call for help by activating the K9 Rescue phone. This phone system will then call emergency services, or neighbor, whomever you program the K9 Rescue Phone to dial.

PTSD/Anxiety

As a veteran owned business, we are dedicated to our military brothers and sisters who have come home to a very foreign world. A service dog performs customized tasks to help bring a sense of safety, security, self-awareness and companionship to affected individuals, military and civilian.

PTSD service dogs can enter the house in front of their handler and turn on a light, activate a K-9 Rescue Alarm to call for help, and stand away from their handler to increase their 'space bubble'.

The service dog may be trained to retrieve a medication bag, provide stability task assistance when medication causes imbalance, or respond to the alarm clock by licking or nudging the handler awake. The service dog may be trained to provide an interruption when emotional overload or disassociation occurs. Deep pressure therapy can be provided by the service dog lying on your lap or chest during times of stress.

The applications of a PTSD service dog are many; this is not an exhaustive list. PTSD service dogs are never trained to bark at, act aggressive towards, or used in any way to help 'protect' their handler. PTSD service dogs are friendly, highly social dogs suitable for public access that encourage the handler to become engaged with those around him or her.

Mobility

Mobility service dogs assist individuals who currently utilize a manual or power wheelchair. The dogs assist their handler in various ways such as opening doors, retrieving dropped items, and turning on lights. They do not pull the wheelchair. They help their handler to navigate this very inaccessible world by reaching things high and low.

Stability

Stability service dogs are of considerable size to provide the strength needed to help their handler sit down and stand up. They also provide a strong guide when walking up and down stairs. Many stability dog handlers utilize a wheelchair and/or roller walker.

These service dogs also retrieve dropped items, open doors, and turn lights on. Stability service dogs can be trained to activate a K-9 Rescue Alarm to call for help should the handler fall or be unable to get up.

Seizure Alert

Dogs have an incredible sense of smell, hearing, and a keen sense for changes in behavior. Scientists and canine experts cannot specify what changes seizure alert dogs detect, but they are proven to be successful in such an amazing task.

It sounds complicated, but in simple terms the dog is taught the visible signs of the handler's seizure behavior and trained to give an alert when it occurs. The service dog wants to earn his reward more quickly, so he/she starts to learn the pattern of bodily changes before the seizure occurs. The changes are too subtle for us to notice, but this is where the service dog excels! With time and repetition, the service dog starts predicting the seizure, alerting the handler before it occurs. Truly amazing.

The frequency of seizures and bond with the handler are critical in the service dog's successful alerting behavior. Depending on the affected individual's needs, the service dog will be trained to provide either a barking or pawing alert. This allows the handler (or parent) to administer medication and make the environment safe before the seizure occurs.

Hearing Alert

Hearing alert service dogs are trained to respond to critical sounds and alarms. They first move to the source of sound, then to their handler, leading them back to the source of sound. This can provide the hearing impaired with a much greater sense of security.

Each handler's needs will vary greatly, but some of the critical sounds a hearing alert service dog can be trained to respond to include a fire alarm, a crying baby, the doorbell or knocking, a ringing phone, or a buzzing alarm clock.