Service Dog Tasks

Trailing (AKA tracking) service dogs are specially trained to find neurodivergent individuals who elope from their guardians and caregivers (wonder away, bolt/run away, and/or escape from homes/schools). These dogs memorize their specific person's scent and immediately begin searching for their person when cued to do so.

Tethering service dogs are trained for children that weigh less than (or not much more than) their service dogs. These service dogs are tethered to their child by a short bungee or lead attached to the dog's harness. The dogs are trained to follow an adult handler's cues while offering counterbalance when the child tries to move or bolt away from the adult handler.  This safely prevents the child from eloping. Most children accept tethering to a dog where they wouldn't with another person.

Service dogs can be trained to alert adult handlers when their loved one starts to elope (run away or wander away). The handler can then reconnect with their child or loved one before they are out of sight.  Dogs are typically trained to alert to an elope by barking.

The service dog is asked to lie with either their head or the bulk of their weight on a particular section of their handler's body such as their lap or chest. DPT can help calm people who are experiencing fear, stress, and/or anxiety. 

 Crowed Control is a trained task where a service dog creates space for their handler by circling around their handler, blocking isle ways or space in front or behind their handler, blocking approaching people, alerting to people approaching from behind the handler, and watching their handler's back. 

 Behavior Interruption is a trained task where the dog notices and interrupts certain behaviors of their handlers such as: repetitive behaviors, pulling hair, excessive scratching, skin picking, nail picking or biting, freezing, nightmares, crying, harmful stimming, and other anxious behaviors and other self harming behaviors. Typically the service dogs are trained to interrupt these behaviors by pawing, licking, nuzzling, bumping, or jumping up on the handler. 

 Service dogs can be trained to help guide their handler to exits, parked cars, chairs, or quiet locations. They can also be trained to follow or find a certain person. 

 Night Terror Interruption is a trained task where the dog notices and interrupts by licking, pawing, nudging the handler awake. They can also be trained to detect on coming night terrors by scent. 

Service dogs can be trained to remind handers to take medicine. They can also be trained to retrieve medications.  

Service dogs can be trained to find family members or friends if the handler becomes separated in public.  

A balance dog provides physical support for individuals with mobility or dizziness issues, helping them maintain their stability when walking or standing. This could include bracing, nudging, or leaning into the handler to prevent falls, giving them the confidence to move more freely and safely. 

A service dog trained to assist with doors can help by using their paws or nose to open and close doors, including pushing handicap buttons or operating handles. This task is especially beneficial for those with mobility limitations, allowing them to independently manage doors in their home, at businesses, and even with refrigerators and drawers.

A service dog trained for retrieval can bring their handler items like dropped keys, phones, or medication. They can be taught to hold or carry items, place items onto trays or into baskets, or even clean up tripping hazards. This task helps individuals with limited mobility or dexterity to remain independent, whether it’s fetching something around the house or retrieving essential items in public. 

   A service dog trained for lights can turn switches on and off with their paw or nose. They can also hit switches that the handler indicates with a laser pointer. This can include tasks like activating some types of fans or appliances, giving greater independence ito those with mobility restrictions. 

Service dogs can be trained to pull their handler’s wheelchair. They can be taught to go different speeds, turn, and stop on command. 

Service dogs can be trained to help their handler put on or remove clothing by either tugging on or holding clothing items stationary. They can also retrieve clothing items. Additionally, dogs can be trained to put clothing in laundry hampers and load/unload washers and dryers.  

 Service dogs can be trained to deliver and retrieve money, cards, wallets, and other items at checkout stations in stores.  

Service dogs can be trained to find help or alert when their handler falls, is in destress, or becomes nonresponding. They can also push emergency buttons or retrieve a phone. 

A diabetic alert dog is trained to recognize changes in blood sugar levels and alert their handler or others before those levels become dangerous.

A seizure alert dog is trained to recognize signs of an oncoming seizure and alert their handler or others, providing time to prepare or seek help. 

 A migraine alert dog is trained to detect subtle changes in their handler’s scent or behavior that signal the onset of a migraine, allowing the person to take preventative steps or find a safe environment. 

 A cardiac alert dog is trained to detect changes in heart rate or blood pressure that may signal an impending cardiac event, giving the handler time to seek medical attention or take necessary precautions.  A cardiac alert dog can help individuals with conditions like arrhythmias, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), or dysautonomia.

 A PTSD alert dog uses scent detection to identify stress-related chemical changes in their handler, often before visible symptoms arise, and responds by interrupting anxiety episodes or grounding their handler. 

Medical response dogs are trained recognize when their handler is having a health issue and respond to them by guiding them to safety, getting help, retrieving medicine, balance tasks, applying pressure to their handler by lying on them, or regulating blood pressure by laying under their handler's legs.

Service dogs can be trained to remind handers to take medicine. They can also be trained to retrieve medications.  

Service dogs can be trained to find help when their handler is having a medical emergency. Dogs can be trained to find a specific person, bark for help, push emergency buttons, or retrieve a phone. 

Service dogs can be trained to counterbalance, brace, or otherwise help stabilize handler when they become dizzy, disoriented, or otherwise incapacitated during a medical episode.

Service dogs can be trained to guide their handler to safe places such as chairs, walls, corners before or during a health issue. They can also be trained to guide them to exists or even home. 

 Facility dogs can be trained to model behaviors or experiences that clients in facilities may need to participate in. For example, the dog can be trained to sit still while having their blood pressure taken to show a child that it is safe and how to behave when it is their turn. 

Facility dogs can be trained to participate in different types of therapies to help motivate clients. For example, a speech therapist might have a child give the dog commands to help them enunciate better or a psychical therapist might have included the dog in certain exercises or stretches.  

Facility dogs can be trained to provide deep pressure therapy (DPT) to  ground clients and help them talk about troubling things that they would otherwise be unable to talk about. This can include eyewitness accounts in court, traumatic events in therapy, and more.