An assistance dog enables an individual with a disability or a disabling condition to be more self-sufficient. Assistance dogs supply one or more of the following benefits: physical, psychological, social, or therapeutic. There are four primary types of assistance dogs: I. Service Dogs enhance the mobility of individuals with physical disabilities. They turn on and off light switches, push elevator buttons, retrieve items, and pull wheelchairs, just to name a few of the many tasks they can perform. II. Guide Dogs become the eyes for individuals with visual impairments. They guide their handlers around obstacles, and they alert their handlers to curbs or traffic. III. Hearing Dogs become the ears for individuals who are deaf or hearing-impaired. They alert their masters to sounds such as telephones, doorbells, smoke alarms, alarm clocks, or a baby's cry. IV. Social/Therapy Dogs offer animal-assisted therapy through unconditional love and acceptance for those individuals who are developmentally disabled or need convalescent care. Therapy dogs also work alongside speech and physical therapists to facilitate recovery.