Service Dog Tasks by Disability: A Comprehensive Guide

Navigation and guiding

• Guide along sidewalks, hallways, paths, and routes.
• Maintain a safe travel line.
• Navigate around stationary or moving obstacles.
• Avoid overhead obstacles.
• Stop at curbs, stairs, drop-offs, platform edges, and elevation changes.
• Navigate through doorways, crowds, narrow spaces, and temporary barriers.
• Find a safe path around blocked areas.
• Locate a familiar destination.

Intelligent disobedience

• Refuse a forward cue when proceeding would be unsafe.
• Refuse to cross when traffic presents an immediate danger.
• Refuse to step into a drop, opening, or unsafe area.
• Select a safer route when the requested path is blocked.

Finding locations

• Find a door, entrance, exit, stairs, elevator, escalator, restroom, service counter, checkout area, empty chair, vehicle, bus stop, crosswalk, curb ramp, or familiar person.

Sound alerts

• Alert to a doorbell, knocking, telephone, mobile phone, alarm clock, timer, oven alarm, appliance alarm, smoke alarm, carbon-monoxide alarm, security alarm, medical-device alarm, baby crying, the handler's name, sirens, vehicle horns, workplace alarms, or another person trying to get the handler's attention.

Source indication

• Touch or nudge the handler when a sound occurs.
• Lead the handler toward the source of a sound.
• Lead the handler away from a danger-associated sound.
• Indicate the direction of a sound.
• Use different alert behaviors for different sounds.

Retrieval

• Pick up dropped objects.
• Retrieve a phone, medication, water, clothing, shoes, keys, wallet, purse, cane, crutches, walker, assistive device, emergency kit, or specifically named object.
• Carry an item to another person.

Doors, access, and environmental controls

• Open an adapted door using a pull strap.
• Pull a lightweight door or push a door closed.
• Activate an automatic-door button, accessibility button, adapted call button, accessible light, accessible switch, or specially designed environmental control.
• Open adapted cabinets or drawers and close drawers.

Wheelchair, dressing, and fall assistance

• Retrieve objects, accessories, and lightweight items for a wheelchair user.
• Pick up objects beside or under a chair.
• Pull a manual wheelchair only when appropriate for the individual dog and handler.
• Pull off socks, remove gloves, assist with removing jackets or sleeves using a trained tug, retrieve clothing, or pull a blanket into position.
• After a fall, retrieve a phone, emergency device, medication, or mobility aid; find another person; or activate a medical-alert system.

Balance and stability

Some dogs may be trained for carefully designed balance or stability work.

• Provide appropriately evaluated balance-related assistance for the individual handler's functional needs.

• Retrieve objects and place them into the handler's hand.
• Pick up dropped items.
• Retrieve a phone, medication, assistive equipment, clothing, or objects that would otherwise require dangerous bending or reaching.
• Pull open adapted drawers, close drawers, open accessible doors, close doors, and press accessible switches.
• Activate an emergency-alert button.
• Deliver an object to a caregiver.
• Pull clothing off or pull a blanket.

• Retrieve objects, mobility aids, medication, cooling supplies, or another designated disability-related item.
• Open or close accessible doors and activate accessible switches.
• Assist after a fall, summon another person, or activate an alert system.
• Carry lightweight items.
• Assist with adapted clothing.
• Perform wheelchair-related tasks.
• Lead the handler to a place to sit or rest.
• Interrupt unsafe movement associated with a neurological episode.

Seizure-response tasks

• Remain beside the handler during a seizure.
• Position appropriately to reduce movement toward hazards.
• Retrieve medication, a phone, or an emergency kit.
• Activate a medical-alert device.
• Get another person, alert a caregiver, or lead another person back to the handler.
• Provide trained post-seizure grounding.
• Remain with a disoriented handler.
• Guide the handler away from hazards during postictal confusion or lead the handler to a safe location.

Seizure-alert tasks

Some dogs may demonstrate an ability to detect physiological or behavioral changes preceding seizures.

• Give a nose nudge, paw touch, or persistent targeting behavior.
• Prompt the handler to sit or lie down.
• Retrieve another person.
• Bring medication or an emergency kit.

Blood-glucose alert

• Alert to low blood glucose.
• Alert to high blood glucose.
• Give a trained indication for out-of-range glucose.
• Wake a sleeping handler.
• Persist until the handler responds.
• Alert another household member if the handler does not respond.

Response tasks

• Retrieve glucose, juice, another designated treatment item, a glucose meter, medication, a phone, or an emergency kit.
• Alert another person.
• Activate a medical-alert device.

Alert

• Alert to a reliably detectable physiological change.
• Alert to an impending fainting episode.
• Prompt the handler to sit or lie down.

Response

• Retrieve medication, water, a phone, or an emergency kit.
• Activate an emergency-response device.
• Get another person or alert a caregiver.
• Remain with the handler after loss of consciousness.
• Lead another person to the handler.
• Guide a disoriented handler to a seat or safe location.

• Alert to a reliably detectable pre-migraine change when demonstrated.
• Prompt the handler to take prescribed medication.
• Retrieve medication, water, a migraine kit, sunglasses, another adaptive item, or a phone.
• Lead the handler to an exit or quiet location.
• Guide a visually impaired or disoriented handler.
• Alert another person.

Allergen detection

Depending on the specific trained allergen, a dog may be trained to:

• Detect a target allergen in food, on a surface, or in an object.
• Check a designated item.
• Give a trained indication when the allergen is detected.

Emergency response

• Retrieve epinephrine, medication, a medical bag, or a phone.
• Alert another person or find a caregiver.
• Activate an emergency-alert system.

• Retrieve an inhaler, respiratory medication, safe oxygen-related accessories, or a phone.
• Find another person.
• Activate an emergency-alert device.
• Alert someone if the handler becomes incapacitated.
• Lead the handler to a resting location.
• Carry a lightweight medical-supply pouch.

• Alert to an impending episode when a reliable precursor exists.
• Prompt the handler to sit or move to a safe location.
• Guide the handler away from hazards.
• Remain appropriately positioned during an episode.
• Retrieve medication or a phone.
• Get another person or activate an emergency-alert device.
• Provide a trained orientation response afterward.
• Lead a disoriented handler to a safe location.

Panic and episode interruption

• Detect observable precursors.
• Nudge the handler, paw target, nose target, or perform another trained tactile interruption.
• Interrupt escalating behavior and persist until acknowledged.
• Prompt a learned coping behavior.
• Lead the handler away from a triggering environment or to a safe location.

Grounding and nightmare response

• Perform trained tactile grounding, chin rest, or repeated nose targeting.
• Interrupt dissociation or reorient during a flashback.
• Wake the handler from a disability-related nightmare.
• Turn on an accessible light.
• Retrieve medication or find another household member.

Room checks, functional space, exit, and orientation

• Enter a room and perform a trained search, return, and indicate completion.
• Check behind a door or check a specific designated area.
• Stand behind or in front of the handler, maintain a defined position, or move around the handler on cue to establish usable space.
• Find an exit, lead the handler to an exit, locate a trusted person, guide the handler out of an overwhelming environment, or locate the handler's vehicle.
• Give a medication reminder or retrieve medication, water, or an emergency kit.

• Alert to observable precursors of a panic attack.
• Interrupt escalating panic with a nose target, persistent tactile interruption, or trained grounding behavior.
• Lead to an exit or quiet location.
• Retrieve medication or a phone.
• Prompt a prescribed coping routine.
• Find another person.
• Guide a disoriented handler.
• Interrupt a defined freezing response.

Medication-related tasks

• Alert at medication time.
• Retrieve medication.
• Persist with a trained medication reminder until acknowledged.

Behavioral interruption and functional activation

• Interrupt disability-related self-injurious behavior.
• Interrupt specific repetitive destructive behavior.
• Seek another person when a trained emergency condition occurs.
• Activate an emergency-alert system.
• Respond to an alarm with a trained physical prompt.
• Bring a prescribed medication kit.
• Lead the handler to another household member after a designated emergency cue.

• Interrupt observable dissociative behavior.
• Perform persistent tactile grounding.
• Reorient the handler through a trained response.
• Lead to a safe location or away from traffic and hazards.
• Locate an exit or trusted person.
• Retrieve a phone or medication.
• Alert another person.
• Maintain trained contact until the handler responds.

• Interrupt a specific compulsion.
• Interrupt self-injurious behavior, skin picking, hair pulling, or repetitive checking when it directly mitigates the person's disability.
• Perform a trained tactile interruption.
• Lead the handler away from a location associated with an incapacitating compulsive loop.
• Retrieve medication or provide a medication reminder.

Interruption, grounding, and regulation

• Interrupt self-injurious behavior or repetitive harmful behavior such as scratching, hitting, biting, or another defined behavior.
• Provide a trained tactile cue during overload.
• Redirect to a learned alternative behavior.
• Perform trained tactile grounding, chin rest, or sustained target.
• Interrupt shutdown or severe disconnection when appropriate.
• Lead to a designated low-stimulation location.

Navigation, emergency assistance, and communication

• Find an exit, lead to a safe location, locate a caregiver or family member, or guide a disoriented handler.
• Retrieve a phone, emergency communication device, AAC device, communication card, or designated communication tool.
• Get a caregiver, alert another person, or lead a caregiver back to the handler.
• Carry an emergency-information pouch.

Elopement-related assistance

Elopement-related tasks should focus on non-force-based trained behaviors.

• Alert a caregiver when a defined elopement behavior begins.
• Find a caregiver.
• Lead the handler toward a predetermined safe location where appropriate.

• Give medication reminders or retrieve medication.
• Retrieve a communication device or phone.
• Lead to a familiar destination or find an exit.
• Locate a caregiver.
• Interrupt a dangerous repetitive behavior or self-injurious behavior.
• Prompt a specifically trained step in an essential routine.
• Alert a caregiver to a defined emergency.
• Lead another person to the handler.
• Assist with functional orientation.

• Interrupt disorientation or perform trained grounding.
• Guide to an exit, familiar location, or the handler's vehicle.
• Locate another person.
• Retrieve a phone, medication, mobility aid, or dropped object.
• Give medication reminders.
• Assist after a fall.
• Activate an emergency-alert device or alert another person.
• Interrupt dangerous repetitive behavior.
• Prompt the handler during a specific disability-related routine.
• Lead a confused handler away from hazards.

• Give medication reminders or retrieve medication.
• Locate another household member.
• Lead the handler to a predetermined location.
• Find an exit.
• Retrieve a phone.
• Alert another person when a predefined situation occurs.
• Interrupt unsafe wandering behavior through a trained cue.
• Bring a caregiver.
• Provide a specific trained orientation behavior.
• Lead another person to the handler.

• Retrieve dropped objects, a cane, walker, medication, or phone.
• Open accessible doors and activate accessible switches.
• Get another person after a fall or activate an emergency system.
• Lead to a chair or resting location.
• Provide a trained external movement cue for freezing-of-gait episodes when appropriate.
• Perform targeting that assists initiation of movement.
• Assist with clothing using tug behaviors.
• Carry lightweight objects.

• Retrieve objects to reduce painful bending.
• Retrieve medication, safe heating or cooling supplies, mobility aids, or a phone.
• Open accessible doors, close doors, and turn accessible lights on or off.
• Carry lightweight items.
• Get another person.
• Assist with adapted clothing removal.
• Pick up dropped objects.
• Lead to a seat or resting place when specifically trained.

• Retrieve commonly needed items, medication, water, a phone, mobility aids, dropped items, or a medical kit.
• Open accessible doors, close doors, and activate accessible light switches.
• Carry lightweight items or bring items between rooms.
• Alert another person when assistance is needed.
• Reduce repeated walking, reaching, or bending through trained retrieval.

• Retrieve dropped items, mobility aids, braces, adaptive equipment, medication, a phone, or objects from low locations.
• Open accessible doors, close doors, and activate accessible switches.
• Carry lightweight objects.
• Find another person after an injury or dislocation.
• Activate an emergency device.
• Guide to a seat.

• Find a chair.
• Lead to a wall, railing, safe stopping place, or exit.
• Retrieve a mobility aid, medication, or phone.
• Get another person.
• Guide a disoriented handler.
• Provide a consistent positional reference.
• Perform appropriately evaluated balance-related assistance.

Medication and treatment assistance

• Give medication reminders.
• Retrieve medication, a medication bag, water, an inhaler, glucose, epinephrine, or other prescribed emergency supplies.
• Carry a small medical-supply pouch.
• Alert another person if the handler fails to respond.

Emergency communication and summoning assistance

• Retrieve a phone or bring an emergency communication device.
• Activate a dog-accessible emergency button or medical-alert device.
• Find a caregiver or alert a nearby person.
• Lead another person back to the handler.
• Carry an emergency-information pouch.
• Retrieve an AAC device or bring an emergency kit.

Finding people, places, and objects

• Find a partner, parent, caregiver, exit, vehicle, chair, elevator, restroom, service counter, medication, phone, mobility aid, or emergency kit.

Behavioral interruption

• Interrupt self-hitting, skin picking, self-biting, scratching, hair pulling, another defined self-injurious behavior, or a destructive compulsion.
• Interrupt dissociation, a flashback, escalating panic, or a defined freezing response.
• Perform persistent nose targeting, a paw target, a chin rest, or retrieve another person when needed.

Grounding and reorientation

• Use repeated nose nudging, paw touch, chin rest, trained licking, or sustained targeting.
• Lead to a familiar location, find an exit, locate another person, interrupt dissociation, interrupt a flashback, or redirect the handler from a dangerous location.

• Place the head across the lap.
• Perform partial body contact across the legs.
• Use sustained chin or body targeting.
• Maintain contact until released.
• Perform the behavior in response to a trained symptom or cue.