Service Dogs, also known as Assistance Dogs or Service Animals, help people with disabilities. These highly trained dogs offer their human partner independence and peace of mind. Keep reading to learn more about the tasks and jobs Service Dogs perform to help their partner in day to day life!

Every Service Dog performs different jobs since their handler’s needs vary. Some Service Dogs pull wheelchairs or provide bracing. Other Service Dogs open and close doors or retrieve dropped items. In general, Service Dog tasks support, mitigate, or substitute activities or chores the handler needs.

As an example, if someone cannot reach down to pick something up, their Service Dog does it for them. The Service Dog serves as a substitute for the handler’s own action. If a handler cannot move from a sit to a stand on their own, but they can with assistance, their Service Dog may provide support for the action by serving as a stable counterbalance. If a handler suffers from debilitating flashbacks when approached from behind while in public, their Service Dog may mitigate these symptoms by serving as an early warning system or physical barrier.

Service Dog tasks must be specifically trained to help the handler with their specific disability. There are hundreds of possible tasks. The ways a Service Dog can help are limited only by the trainer’s or handler’s imagination and training capability. For ideas about Service Dog tasks, check out our guide to task work. The International Association of Assistance Dog Partner’s guide to tasks also contains great information.