Dogs of all shapes and sizes make wonderful companions, they are loyal and affectionate and will give you unconditional love, but for someone with a disability they can make life worth living and lift the feeling of social isolation that often comes with a disability.
Children suffering from autism greatly benefit from having an assistance dog; a special chemistry develops between them and these specially trained dogs can distract a child away from disruptive or dangerous behaviour to create a space for the parent or carer to take control of the situation.
Dogs for the Disabled
This charity was created by a young disabled woman, Frances, after she rescued a Belgian Shepherd Kim who knew instinctively when she needed help. Frances had trained her previous dogs to do everything for her from picking up dropped items to taking rubbish to the waste paper bin. But Kim seemed to sense from the start when she wanted him to do this and he also steadied her when she stood up. Kim was the inspiration for Dogs for the Disabled.
Based in the UK it trains dogs to carry out a range of practical tasks to assist children and adults with disabilities to help them achieve greater independence. The animals learn to deal with everyday situations and those who are partnered with an Assistance Dog gain the confidence to become active members of the community.
Assistance Dogs are trained to
- Fetch items
- Post letters
- Operate control buttons
- Switch Lights on and off
- Open and close doors
- Load and unload the Washing Machine
- Assist with dressing and undressing
- Pick up dropped items such as car keys, mobile phones, inhalers and walking sticks
- Pull wheelchairs
- Counter transactions
- Summon help if necessary
- Alert owners of an imminent epileptic seizure.
The US equivalent is The American Service Dog Association which trains dogs to meet the disability related needs of their handlers who have disabilities and in the States Service Dogs are not considered pets.
Hearing Dogs For Deaf People
The Charity was launched at the famous Crufts dog show in 1982. It was created by British vet Bruce Fogle after he attended a symposium at Washington State University in 1979 at which the American Hearing Dog Schemes were outlined. Since then the charity has continued to train dogs to alert deaf people to specific sounds in the home, workplace or public buildings.
More than 1500 Hearing Dogs have been placed throughout England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands. Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal has been Patron of Hearing Dogs for Deaf People since 1992.
Hearing Dogs are trained for the following sounds
- Alarm clocks
- Doorbells
- Telephone
- Cooker timer
- Babies crying
- Danger sounds like smoke alarm, carbon monoxide alarm and burglar alarm
- Fire sirens in public places such as hotels, restaurants and shops. If they hear any of these they will immediately alert their owners.
The website is Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.
Guide Dogs for the Blind
Perhaps the most well-known of all the dogs for the disabled charities, they have been breeding and training guide dogs for 75 years, providing many thousands of blind and partially sighted people of all ages and from all walks of life with a companion that will give them back their independence.
People do not have to be totally blind or registered blind to apply for a guide dog. They just need to have a sight loss that makes it difficult to get around independently or live life to the fullest.
There are two websites for Guide Dogs, the British one and the International Guide Dog Federation.
Sources
Stalls at the Mayor's Charity Dog Show, Seaford UK and the Charity websites above.
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