Gear: Most Brace/Mobility Support Dogs wear a specially-fitted and designed harness to help them safely assist their partner. Handler: Will vary in presentation depending on disability. Many BMSDs also retrieve, open/close doors or do other tasks to assist in day-to-day life or in an emergency. Job: A Brace/Mobility Support Dog works to provide bracing or counterbalancing to a partner who has balance issues due to a disability. Learn more about voluntary, community-defined training and behavior standards for handlers and their Service Dogs at Brace/Mobility Support Dogs (BMSD) Notes: Autism Assistance Dogs and Sensory Processing Disorder Dogs fall into the same category and usually perform identical task work. If a dog’s partner is young and non-verbal, the dog should carry emergency protocol and contact information in his vest. Gear: Autism Assistance Dogs don’t have distinguishing gear. May or may not show visible signs of disability, and may or may not be verbal. Handler: Likely to be a child, but could be older. May also assist in teaching life skills, maintaining boundaries or finding a “runner.” Job: To assist in calming and grounding an individual on the autism spectrum via tactile or deep pressure stimulation. Most Allergen Alert Dogs carry medical information and emergency protocol in their vest or on a USB key attached to their collar. Notes: Often partnered with children, but can be seen partnered with any person with a life-threatening allergy. For their handler’s safety in the event of an emergency and to ensure fast and accurate medical care, AADs should sport a patch that says, “IN EVENT OF EMERGENCY CHECK POCKETS.” Gear: Allergen Alert Dogs typically wear a vest with pockets for emergency information, medical information and/or medication. Handler: May or may not have visible signs of disability Job: To alert their handler to life-threatening allergens that may be in the area, especially tree nuts, gluten or shellfish Here’s a brief overview of several common types of Service Dogs: Severe Allergy Alert Dogs (AADs) Finally, there’s no universally accepted list of types of Service Dogs. The dog’s type, function, title or classification is usually left up to the dog’s handler. Some Service Dogs perform two or more functions for their disabled handler so you might hear someone say, “Oh, she’s a brace/mobility support dog and a seizure assistance dog.” There isn’t a clear way to classify all types of Service Dogs, nor is classification particularly important. For example, a Service Dog trainer may have a ton of experience training Diabetic Alert Dogs, but may not be qualified to train and place Visual Assistance or Guide Dogs. However, the various types of Service Dogs make breaking down the dogs’ functions, jobs and tasks a little easier and can make a trainer’s life less stressful. According to the ADA, a Service Animal is any dog which is specifically trained to perform tasks for a disabled individual that they would otherwise have difficulty completing on their own.Īll of the titles, distinguishing categories and types of Service Dogs have no bearing under federal law - a Service Dog is a Service Dog is a Service Dog. When it comes to different types of Service Dogs, there’s one thing that’s clear: the base definition of a Service Dog. What are all of these types of Service Dogs - and what do they do? There are Diabetic Alert Dogs, Severe Allergy Alert dogs, Visual Assistance Dogs, Hearing Dogs for the Deaf, Wheelchair Assistance Dogs, Psychiatric Service Dogs, Brace/Mobility Support Dogs, Medical Alert Dogs, Seizure Assistance Dogs and more. Many people are surprised to learn there are over a dozen different specializations for Service Dogs.
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