Dogs Trained to Assist Persons with Physical Impairments

by Dawn Swinehart-Jones

       While many people know that dog guides for people with visual impairments have been in use for many years, not everyone is as familiar with canine assistants for persons with physical impairments. Dogs trained as canine assistants are often trained in programs similar to dog guide schools. Puppies are selected on the basis of temperament, size, and ability to learn quickly. Then, they go to foster homes for several months where they go through general obedience training and socialization. Following their puppy training in the foster homes, the dogs go to schools to learn specific tasks for persons with physical impairments.

Some dogs are taught to open or close doors, retrieve dropped items, turn on or off light switches, and pick up small items such as clothes or toys from the floor. Other times dogs are used to help steady or position their human companions. Some of the dogs are trained to act as bolsters when their human companion is lying on the floor or bed. Other dogs walk near an unsteady companion and may even wear a special harness used to help the person maintain or regain balance. Sometimes the dogs are trained to lead their companion to a safe area or simply stay close by in the event of a seizure. While dogs have been known to “predict” a seizure in their companion (many medical experts believe that the dogs are sensing a change in the person’s body chemistry, especially body temperature and odor), they are not specifically trained to do this task.

In addition to providing a helping paw, the canine assistant often provides a way to break down social barriers between people with disabilities and people inexperienced in being around or talking to people with disabilities. Often people find it easier to first talk to the dog, or talk to the person with disabilities about the dog.  Breaking down these social barriers between persons with and without disabilities can be a first step to forming close relationships with persons other than immediate family members and routine caregivers.

Unlike dog guides, there is usually no age limit for obtaining a canine assistant. Often children (e.g., kids around the ages of nine or ten) have canine assistants to help out at home and sometimes school. Like dog guide schools, most canine assistant programs take students based on need, readiness (e.g., ability to care for or treat the dog properly) and personality match with a dog graduating from the program. Ability to pay for the training is not a requirement. The family is encouraged to pay for as much of the camp as possible, but canine assistants are not denied to persons unable to pay the entire cost of the training camp.

For more information on a local program, contact Canine Assistants in Alpharetta, Georgia.

 Canine Assistants
3160 Francis Road
Alpharetta, Georgia 30004
Telephone: 770-664-7178
Toll Free Telephone: 800-771-7221
Fax: 770-664-7820