A seeing-eye dog, the one most of us are familiar with, is a specialized form of service dog. Service dogs help the independently working physically disabled. These dogs perform everyday tasks, such as retrieving dropped items. These dogs guide their owners through life and are taught to recognize dangerous situations. They are highly disciplined and owners learn to trust them with everyday risks like crossing the street and avoiding obstacles.
Some dogs aid the deaf or hard of hearing.
They are trained to recognize sounds such as a telephone ring or a person calling the owner s name. These dogs distinguish the different sounds and alert the owner to each situation. Skilled companions are placed with people who benefit from the social aspects, responsibilities, or other specialized functions associated with having a dog. These dogs help to improve communication, physical activity, and quality of life. A facility dog aids a professional care giver in improving the physical, emotional or developmental state of those with whom they work.