Service Dog Tasks

Here are descriptions of the different tasks All Dawgs is able to train your dog for service dog work:

Anxiety Alert

The dog is trained to alert the handler when he/she exhibits certain body language signals so the handler may take appropriate action such as leaving the situation, breathing deeply, call a therapist, friend and/or caregiver.

Balance Assistance

The dog is trained to assist his handler on stairs by halting at each step so the handler may maintain and/or regain balance lost from dizziness. This task requires a large breed dog, at least 23 inches at the withers (shoulders).

Blocking

The dog stands or sits in front of the handler, creating a physical barrier and preventing another person or people from approaching the handler.  NOTE: Dogs performing this task should be at least knee-height to the handler when fully grown.

Bracing

The dog stands in a certain way and the handler will stabilize themselves but placing their hands on the dog’s shoulders. Dogs asked to brace should be:

• Be a large breed dog
• Be at minimum 25 inches at their shoulders when fully grown
• Weigh at minimum 40-50% of their handler’s body weight when fully grown for heavy mobility bracing
• Cleared to perform this work through x-rays through the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) after the dog’s second birthday. These x-rays will be at the owner’s expense and certifications will need to be presented to All Dawgs prior to this command being taught.

Call for Help

The dog will push a K9 Rescue phone to call for help.  Please note, the client is responsible for the purchasing of the K9 Rescue phone.

Go Get Help

The dog will, on command, leave and seek out a person to return to the handler.

Grounding

The dog provides a tactile distraction such as brushing up against the handler, leaning into the handler, sitting on their feet, licking of the handler and/or partially laying on the handler from unwanted emotional reactions.

Hearing Alert

The dog is trained to alert people to sounds around them, such as a person knocking on the door, ringing the doorbell, a telephone ring, alarm clock and/or smoke alarm.

Opening & Close Doors/Drawers

The dog open can open and close doors, such as room doors, refrigerator doors and/or cupboard drawers for their handlers. This command may taught to respond to a doorbell to open doors for assistance.

Pull wheelchair

The dog is trained to pull their handler in a manual wheelchair.  The dog should be:

• minimum  height of 22 inches at the withers (shoulders)
• minimum weight of at least 55 pounds and athletically built
• Cleared to perform this work through x-rays through the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) after the dog’s second birthday. These x-rays will be at the owner’s expense and certifications will need to be presented to All Dawgs prior to this command being taught.

Press automatic door switch

The dog will be trained to jump up and press an automatic door or elevator switch. The dog must be tall enough to press the switch with either his nose or paw.

Retrieving Items

The dog will pick up dropped items, such as keys, credit card and pens as well as retrieve items such as bags containing medicine, phones, etc. Please note, each item will need to be trained separately.

Turn on/off light switches

The dog will turn on or off wall-mounted light switches. Dog must be tall enough to reach a standard wall-mounted light switch with either his nose or his paw.