You have most likely seen people accompanied by an assistance dog whether they are in a wheelchair or walking next to the canine’s harness. They could be moving down the street or getting groceries — but what is a mobility support dog?
Mobility assistance dogs are trained to serve as a brace for their partner by wearing a harness for those who suffer from strength and balance issues. Every day, specially trained mobility service dogs help people with balance, strength, or movability issues live a happy, independent, and fulfilling life. Depending on the owner’s disability and needs, service dogs can undergo training for mobility assistance and medical assistance.
Instead of a person with mobility issues struggling on their own to finish daily movements, their mobility service dog can act as their support system with everything they do. They can even assist you on all forms of public transportation like airplanes and buses. Assistance dogs are great companions for those with disabilities because they offer more than just companionship; they are relied upon for many day-to-day activities.
Mobility assistance dogs support you when moving from place to place and are a unique type of service dog, trained to help with movement whether it’s by foot or wheelchair. They serve as invaluable helpers in public as well as in the home. These dogs help people increase their independence and confidence on a daily basis.
While the dogs must be large enough to support their human partner, many different breeds can be mobility assistance dogs. These types of service dogs can perform a wide range of tasks for people with a wide range of mobility issues.
Let us look at what the Mobility dogs’ tasks and services are:
• Open and close doors, drawers, and cabinets
• Turn lights on and off
• Help people get dressed or undressed
• Assist persons to an upright position
• Move feet and arms onto wheelchair footrests and armrests
• Prevent falls and provide stability
• Bark or find help on command
• Assess owner’s safety and guide away from stressful situations
• Provide deep pressure therapy
• Press buttons on automatic doors
• Serve as a brace for people who are ambulatory
• Help pull a wheelchair up a ramp
• Bring objects to the handler/retrieving out of reach objects
These are just some of the common tasks that a mobility service dog can provide to an individual at any given time to help its handler. What these superhero canines can do for their owners is amazing and it’s all achievable through training.
While the mobility assistance dog is there to support its handler, the handler also must give them as much love and affection. It’s vital to reward the assistant dog with verbal reassurance as well as treats, encouragement, and playtime. You must set aside time for genuine affection and fun games. It’s important to be consistent with training and should praised for their care.
Who benefits from a mobility dog?
Mobility service dogs are available to people who cannot perform daily tasks because of a physical impairment, disorder or disability that affects their ambulation, mobility or maneuverability. In the United States, about 39.5 million adults have difficulty with physical functions. However, a partnership with a service dog can benefit children and adults who have disabilities such as, but NOT limited to:
• Arthritis
• Brain injury
• Cerebral palsy
• Coordination problems
• Fibromyalgia
• Gait difficulties
• Impaired balance
• Multiple sclerosis
• Muscular dystrophy
• Neurological, cardiac or metabolic disorder
• Spina bifida
• Spinal cord injury
• Vertigo
Any type of medical condition that inhibits one from living independently often grants access to work with a mobility dog. Even if someone has prosthetics or assistive devices like a wheelchair, scooter, cane, walker, crutches, braces or lifts, a support dog can help perform an insurmountable number of functions throughout the day to an individual. Not only are they there for physical support but also emotional and mental care.
People who need extra provisions with balancing, standing, remaining stable, moving around, getting help, interacting with people and the environment, monitoring medical alarms and communicating in states of emergency are also those who can benefit from working with an assistance dog — along with those who experience debilitating pain, dizziness or severe fatigue that reduces their ability to walk without assistance.
If an individual requires provisions when transitioning from one position to the next like sitting or standing or if you need medical assistance while waiting for professionals to arrive, service dogs can handle any situation with proper training.
In closing: Did you know? There are about 500,000 service dogs and growing by the number that assist children and adults in the United States each day. These dogs are a NEED, not a want… Folks, these dogs are medical devices that save lives; mentally, emotionally, and physically. Have you ever stopped to look at these dogs from that perspective? Most do not, most see these working dogs as pets and will approach to pet.
Let’s all be more mindful of these teams when you see them out in public working. Let us help educate one another so that many that are unaware become more aware of these guidelines of the NO PET, IM WORKING concept.
Thank you all again for continuing to allow us to educate on service dogs!
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