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Spinal-Injury.net : Assistance Dog Tasks
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 Retrieve
Based Tasks: Bring portable phone to any room in house,
bring in groceries , fetch a drink from a refrigerator or cupboard,
fetch food bowl's, pick up dropped items like coins, keys etc, in
any location, bring clothes, shoes, or slippers laid out to assist
with dressing, unload/load washing machine or dryer, fetch
basket with medication from cupboard, use target stick to
retrieve an indicated item off shelves in shops, use laser pointer
to target an item to be retrieved, drag walking stick or crutch
from its customary location to another room, fetch items when
out of reach.
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 Carrying Tasks:
Carry items
downstairs or upstairs to a specific location, carry items from
the partner to a care-giver or family member in another room, send
the dog to obtain food or other item from another person and return
with it, carry items following a partner using a walker or other
mobility aids, pay for purchases at high counters, transfer merchandise
from a shop assistant to a wheelchair user's lap, carry mail or
newspaper into the house.
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 Deposit
Tasks: Put rubbish, junk mail into a waste bin
or dustbin, assist partner to load clothing into top loading washing
machine, put dirty dog food bowl into kitchen sink, put other non-breakable
items in sink, deliver items to a designated cupboard, deposit dog
toys into designated container, Put shopping list, bag, mail, other
items on shop counter or domestic worktop.
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 Pulling / Tugging Tasks:
Open
cupboard doors with attached strap/cord, open drawers with strap/cord,
Open light doors with a suction cup device, open handled doors with
attached rope/cord, slide patio door open, assist to remove shoes,
slippers, sandals, tug socks off without biting down on foot, remove
trousers, sweater, coat, drag heavy coat, other items to cupboard.
Take edge of a blanket and move backwards, tugging to remove it
or assist someone to pull the blanket up to their chin if cold
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 Nose
Nudging Tasks:
Cupboard door or drawers - nudge shut, washing machine door - hard nudge,
,swing bin - nudge open, operate button or push plate on electric commercial doors,
turn on light switches, assist wheelchair user to regain sitting position if slumped over,
help put paralysed arm back onto the armrest of wheelchair, return paralysed foot to the foot board of a wheelchair if it is
dislodged
Pawing Tasks:
Cupboard door - shut it with one paw, refrigerator & freezer door - one forepaw or both,
operate light switch on wall - jump up, paw the switch,
pedestrian crossing buttons, lift buttons, operate push plate on electric commercial doors,
close heavy front door, other doors - jump up, use both forepaws |
 Mobility
Assistance: Dogs can also help by bracing to
enable partner to keep balance whilst transferring from
wheelchair or similar. Also with the right harness, a
large fit dog and a light enough partner dogs can help with
moving wheelchairs, overcoming obstacles and supporting those
unsteady on their feet.
Emergency Assistance:
Bark for help on command, find the carer on command, lead back to location of disabled
partner. Wake up partner if smoke alarm goes off. Operate
the big button on an emergency home-call telephone. Fetch
a portable phone off it's cradle to bring to disabled partner
who has had a fall
This list is only a sample of the practical ways an assistance
dog can help a disabled partner. These dogs are amazing
and do everything with a wagging tail and an eagerness to
please. They can and do change lives.
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Spinal-Injury.net : Assistance Dog Tasks
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