Aside from hearing dogs that assist hearing hearing impaired people and guide dogs that assist blind people, there are also other trained dogs helping people with different kinds of disabilities. These dogs are generally called service dogs. The majority of service dogs are professionally trained to fit the specific need for assistance of disabled persons. Service dogs can learn how to get objects and give them to their handlers, pull and push wheelchairs, close and open doors and windows, turn electronic appliances on and off, call another person and lead him or her to their handler, and many other physical assistance needed by disabled persons.
Most assistance dog institutions design their training programs in such a way that the those who will be trained as service dogs are already exposed to basic commands and private and public environments. Thus, these institutions also raise different dog breeds and allow the puppies live at home with them for about a year while learning basic obedience, assistance and alert skills.
Most dogs being bred as service dogs are Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers. But with today’s increasing number of demand for service dogs, it is not surprising if many other dog breeds will also be trained for disabled people soon.