Assistance dogs bridge the gap for wheelchair users. This picture demonstrates Lucky completing a transaction. Dogs that assist people with hearing losses are called hearing dogs. A hearing dog alerts their handler to sounds in the environment by taking the handler to the sound source. The only exception to this is a fire alarm.
Guide dogs are also under the umbrella term of assistance dog.
The visually impaired handler is guided around obstacles by the guide dog. The dog has to learn when it is intelligent to disobey a command given by the handler. For those of us lucky enough to be partnered with an incredible canine helpmate, we know their assistance is like none other. Although they really are the happiest when they are working, their lives are balanced with work and play. Lucky takes a pause in the action.