What is a Service Dog?
When a person first thinks of an Assistance Dog, they might first and only think of a guide dog. These are dogs specifically trained to guide individuals who or blind or visually impaired. However, these seeing-eye dogs are only one type of many categories of assistance dogs.
At Putnam Service Dogs, we only train service dogs; a dog that assists individuals with disabilities other than blindness and deafness. We don’t train therapy dogs or emotional support dogs. So who do our service dogs serve?
What Our Service Dogs Are Trained To Do
We train Mobility Assistance Service Dogs – extensively trained dogs who are trained to walk flawlessly next to their person without lunging (at squirrels, other dogs, etc.), or pulling. If their recipient experiences balance issues, or fears being amongst a crowd, our dogs are taught to accommodate those issues. Our mobility assistance service dogs help their person safely and successfully navigate in public.
Each of our Mobility Assistance Dogs are trained to uniquely match the needs of their person. Depending on what their recipient needs them to do, they could also be trained to:
- Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Retrieve dropped objects (the most frequently requested task from our applicants)
- Â Â Â Â Â Â Push elevator and automatic door buttons
- Â Â Â Â Â Â Open and closing doors and drawers
- Â Â Â Â Â Â Turn on and off light switches
- Â Â Â Â Â Â Seek other household members and bark to indicate help is needed
- Â Â Â Â Â Â Provide balance and counterbalance
- Â Â Â Â Â Â Assist in dressing
How our Service Dogs Benefit Their Recipient
The ability of these dogs to offer their skills is life-changing for their recipient. When you lose the ability to do basic tasks like picking up a dropped remote or phone, or getting dressed in the morning, it can be frustrating and painful making the rest of the day feel impossible. Having a happy, reliable dog that loves unconditionally to assist in these activities can make all the difference; not just in feeling better physically, but emotionally and mentally as well.
Take Maria and Belle’s story for example. Maria had been battling cancer that has affected her motor functions. Her new service dog Belle filled her home with positive energy, happiness, and a calm that had been missing since her diagnosis. Belle happily picked up anything Maria dropped during her day.
Bob suffers from a traumatic brain injury and is unsteady on his feet. Since Putnam Service Dogs placed Callie with him as his service dog, he feels much more comfortable going out in public and his family has seen a major change in him.
Curious if a service dog from us is right for you? Contact us by phone, email, or message us through our website to learn more.
Interested in learning more?
Contact us or submit an application to adopt a service dog today!
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Nancy Teague, the founder of Putnam Service Dogs, is a dedicated advocate who embodies the mission of the organization every single day. Alongside the passionate individuals who have joined the cause, she works tirelessly to make a difference in the lives of both people and dogs. With an unwavering commitment to championing service dogs, Nancy understands the transformative power that occurs when a service dog is matched with its recipient, forging a remarkable team.