Every day in countries all over the world dogs contribute to the lives of people with disabilities. This article tells the different jobs that dogs do to make a difference in the lives of the people who own them.
For centuries, man has been privileged to have the benefit of dogs as loving and faithful companions. Dogs have accomplished amazing feats to earn the title, “Man’s Best Friend.” Dogs can perform tasks that demand great responsibility and has great social value. They serve as companions to the disabled and serve as eyes and ears to the blind and the deaf. Dogs have saved many lives while working in the field of emergency response and have aided soldiers in war time. They aid police and border officials in drug patrol and confiscation. It’s hard to imagine how difficult life would be without the help of these dedicated canines.
Service Dogs
These dogs help those with disabilities in a variety of ways. They can turn on lights, open doors, retrieve medication, and even call 911. Service dogs are trained to meet the individual needs of the person who is adopting them. Golden Retrievers are well suited to service dog performance, as are other dog breeds that display the correct temperament.
Therapy Dogs
These dogs work in nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, juvenile detention centers and other institutions where they help people learn to cope. They lift spirits who are afraid, depressed and lonely. They bring cheer, comfort and motivation to those who seem to have lost hope. Some dogs visit these facilities with their owners, while others live there and are cared for by staff members. These dogs need no special training except basic obedience skills. They must be mild tempered, loving and able to perform well in society. Through the years some miraculous stories have been told about therapy dogs. In one instance, an elderly woman who hadn’t spoken in years began talking again when she was introduced to a border collie. Why? Because she was grieving for the border collies that had always been a part of her life.
Hearing Dogs
The job of hearing dogs is to assist the deaf in leading a normal life. These dogs alert their owner to the ringing of the doorbell and telephone, the beeping of a smoke alarm, passing traffic, alarm clocks and the approach of people. They must be professionally trained at a hearing dog training facility for a minimum of ninety days. Most hearing dogs are mixed breeds that have been rescued from animal shelters. They give their owners a high quality of life. Hearing dogs are identifiable by their orange collars.