Our Service Dogs.

Autistic Assistance Dogs

Our service dogs provide a physical and emotional anchor for children with autism. With your child tethered to a service dog, families feel they are newly freed to engage in activities as simple as going out to eat. When out in the community, a service dog can increase safety and make families feel secure. In many cases, the service dog accompanies the child to school, where its calming presence can minimize and often eliminate emotional outbursts, enabling the child to more fully participate in his or her school day. Transitioning among school day activities is eased and the service dog provides a focus through which the child can interact with other children. This helps increase the opportunity for the child to develop social and language skills.

 

Our service dogs can be specifically trained to handle the challenges of Spectrum Disorders and other neurological impairments. Our dogs are able to be a constant companion with your child. They are allowed in schools, day cares, therapies and any other place your child may venture. Below is a list of some common symptoms of Spectrum Disorders and how our dogs provide a valuable resource in managing and changing the life of such special children.

Impulse Running, PICA, Self Stimulation, Self Harming, Mood Swings, Night Awakenings and non - verbal symptoms can all be handled by our service dogs trained response to each of the symptoms.

 

Medical Alert Dogs                                                                                                                                                                                                     A medical response dog is a service dog trained to assist an individual who has a medical disability. Typically, they are dogs whose job does not handle primarily epilepsy or psychiatric-based conditions, though some seizure response dogs or psychiatric service dogs may also be referred to as medical response. Many medical response dogs "alert" their handlers to conditions before they occur. For example, service dogs partnered with diabetic persons may be trained to detect when the handler's blood sugar becomes too high or low. In addition to or in the absence of this training, medical response dogs are also often trained skills to help in their handlers' symptoms, such as bringing medications or a telephone,  providing bracing and other mobility assistance, or any other number of tasks.

Psychiatric Service Dogs                                                                                                                                                                                    Psychiatric Service dogs for psychological and psychiatric conditions provide key coping strategies to aid in the disabling symptoms associated with Mental Illness. Service dogs offer a unique, non-judgmental, ever present comfort. More importantly they serve as an early alert system to mood swings and emotional changes so the individual can engage in positive coping strategies and can lessen the severity of these symptoms by offering a variety of calming behaviors. The consistency of the service dog also eases fear of the unknown, because the service dog is always available to go for assist or possibly rescue medication. Animals Deserve Better, Inc.,

PTSD Service Dogs

Anxiety panic, fear, irritability, depression, withdrawal, isolation, hyper-vigilance, loss of trust, nightmares, reoccurring flashbacks, phobias of crowds, phones, e-mail, stores, buildings, vehicles, unfamiliar people, insomnia, fatigue, pounding heart, migraines, difficulty concentrating, paranoia, sleepwalking, suicidal thoughts, anti-social behavior, suspicion, poor self-esteem are but some of the symptoms where one of our service dogs has proved useful.

 

Diabetic Alert Dogs

Diabetic alert dogs are trained to identify and assist diabetics during hypoglycemic and hyperglycemic attacks. When the blood sugar levels go out of balance, the dogs detect subtle changes in their handlers' body chemistry and scent, which are undetectable to the handler's human companions. The dogs don't detect specific blood glucose levels, rather they detect when levels are shifting and alert in time for the handler to check blood sugar levels and make appropriate adjustments. Most any dog can be used as a Diabetic Alert Dog.

 

Hearing Assistance Dogs

Hearing dogs provide the sense of sound to their hearing impaired companions. These dogs can be trained to alert a person to a smoke alarm, door knock or bell, telephone, alarm clock, kitchen timer, baby cry, or the person's own name. A variety of breeds are used a hearing dogs, since intelligence and trainability are more important than strength and size.

Nurological and Mobility Assistance Dogs

Service dogs are trained to be the strength and movement for people with muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, and congenital abnormalities. A service dog can perform many tasks for their companions such as picking up dropped articles, pulling wheelchairs, assisting walkers, turning lights on and off, opening and closing doors, carrying school books, and pulling their companions out of bed. Most service dogs are generally Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers.  We use German Shepherds and other breeds that show they have the aptitude for service work.

Seizure Alert Dogs

Some animals can be trained to recognize specific changes preceding an epileptic seizure in people. These animals, usually dogs, can provide a signal that acts as a useful warning to their human companion. Dogs may alert people by whining, licking the owner, and alerting others to their special companion’s impending seizure. This alerting behavior allows the owner to get to a safe place or in a safe position before the onset of the seizure.

Social/Therapy Dogs

Social/therapy animals provide emotional support in places such as elder care facilities and hospitals. These animals do not have the same legal status as assistance/service animals and are not mentioned in the ADA. Many visiting therapy dogs help physically stimulate people in nursing homes or assisted living facilities by playing ball, being brushed or petted, and going for walks. Although many therapy animals are dogs, any type of animal that is good natured can be used to provide these services. Some animals, including horses, help in reaching people that were once thought unreachable.

There are two different types of therapy dog programs available through Paws for Life, and either option – if not both – may be a good fit for you and your dog.

Therapeutic dogs, commonly referred to as "therapy dogs" - is the most widely used method of animal therapy. These dogs are trained household companions that together with their handler visit nursing homes, hospitals, retirement homes plus many other facilities to offer comfort and joy that can reach beyond traditional forms of healing and medical treatment. The power of a dog can be amazing.

Animal-assisted therapy dogs assist physical and occupational therapists in meeting specific goals or "measured results" important to a patient's recovery. These dogs are used to help anyone suffering from a stroke, physical injury, or trauma. AAT (animal-assisted therapy) dogs and their volunteer handler team up with trained therapists to use agility equipment and recreational therapy techniques. The end result encourages a patient to regain mobility, strength, range of motion, balance and confidence.