Many people with a disability can find that having a service dog can be a big help. In fact, when it comes to certain disabilities, the presence of a service dog can even help to prevent avoidable problems because the dog can alert the person to the onset of something dangerous regarding their health. Service dogs can be used for many different disabilities in many different ways. The information below will give you a bit of an education on service dogs, so you have more of an understanding on how they can help, how they can be trained, and if a service dog can help you.

What are some ways service dogs can be helpful?

Most people know about sight-seeing dogs, but their knowledge of service dogs stops somewhere shortly after that. Service dogs can also help the hearing-impaired, warn a diabetic when their glucose levels are at a dangerous point, warn an epileptic about a seizure moments before one comes, warn someone with a panic disorder about the onset of a panic attack right before it happens, and help someone with mobility issues get around easier or do things for them like opening doors and bringing them items.

There are also service dogs that are trained to react in a certain way in cases where something happens to their person. For example, some service dogs are trained to leave the person to get help if they pass out or have another type of health emergency. The dog will leave and go to the nearest person, trying to get that person to follow them to their owner so the stranger can offer assistance.

How are service dogs trained?

Dogs trained to be service dogs must first be socialized well as puppies so they learn proper behavior when they are around people and other animals. The dogs will be trained to remain calm and on-task in all situations. When they are on duty, they will perform as if they are at work, because they are. However, when they are off duty, they will act like any other family dog.

Once the dog has been socialized well and trained to be obedient, they can move on to being trained for their specific job. Special dog trainers at a service dog school will train the dog to perform the tasks and duties that the person they are going to be working with will need them to do.

Call a service dog training school for more information about this subject.