Whether it's turning on a light switch for a person in a wheelchair or alerting someone who is deaf to the sound of a fire alarm, a Canine Companion helps a person with a disabilty live more independently. Service dogs assist people with physical disabilties. A service dog knows 65 commands and is able to turn on and off a light switch, open a refrigerator door, retrieve various objects, and pull a wheelchair, among many other tasks. Signal dogs alert people who are hearing impaired or deaf to important sounds, such as an alarm clock, a telephone, fire alarm, or child's cry. Signal dogs help create a feeling of safety for those whose world is without sound.
Social dogs provide the loving, nonjudgmental interaction known as pet-facilitated therapy.
Social dogs help break the barriers of isolation for people with development disabilities. Some are placed in institutions to work with those who are lonely or emotionally troubled. Giving unconditional love and support is the social dog's daily task. Specialty dogs help meet the needs unique to people with multiple disabilities, for instance a person who is hearing impaired and also uses a wheelchair. Specialty dogs can be custom trained for a person whose limitations might be somewhat out of the ordinary.