Question

For the mobility—impaired, highly trained canines called ‘service dogs’ can pick up

dropped keys, open and close drawers, retrieve prepared meals, help a person in and out of

bathtub, dial 911, push and pull wheelchairs, help operate a car or van and pull off gloves,

shoes, socks and jackets. Other dogs provide specific assistance to those who suffer

seizures (sudden attacks of illness) and require special medication. And, of course, the

helping dogs provide companionship, play and give unconditional love to the people they

assist.It is thirty odd years now since the placement of the first assistance dog. But only in

recent years, with the rising independent movement among disabled people has the idea

begun to spread widely.

While most service-dogs are trained to work with people who rely on wheelchairs, other

categories of helping dogs include hearing-dogs who alert their owners to sounds, such as

doorbells, phones, cooking timers, alarm clocks, smoke alarms and seizure dogs which carry

medication in their packs and are trained to dial 911 on large keypad phones.​

Answer 1

For the mobility — impaired, highly trained canines called ‘service dogs’ can pick up dropped keys, open and close drawers, retrieve prepared meals, help a person in and out of bathtub, dial 911, push and pull wheelchairs, help operate a car or van and pull off gloves, shoes, socks and jackets. Other dogs provide specific assistance to those who suffer seizures (sudden attacks of illness) and require special medication. And, of course, the helping dogs provide companionship, play and give unconditional love to the people they assist.