Grand Task List

Here are some of the tasks that your service dog may be trained to perform, tailored to assist in mitigating your specific disability:

Dysautonomia &/or Ehlers-Danlos:

▢ Alert family member for help

▢ Alert to changes in medical condition

▢ Assist in position changes (sitting or laying down in cases of impeding medical crisis, to rise & steady, get up from a chair/floor, wheelchair transfer)

▢ Balance support

▢ Brace or lean against handler (grounding)

▢ Counterbalance

▢ Deep Pressure Therapy

▢ Fetch medication/phone

▢ Find a location/item (bathroom/car/etc)

▢ Forward momentum pull

▢ Grounding

▢ Medical recovery

▢ Medical response

▢ Medication reminder

▢ Oops pick up

▢ Proprioception awareness

▢ Reorient to the here & now (lick, pets)

▢ Retrieve emergency medication/water

▢ Retrieve medical equipment, mobility aid (wheelchair, cane, walker, grabber, etc)

▢ Stay with until help arrives

▢ Under legs to raise

Medical Alert Dog:

▢ Alert to changes in medical condition via scent or sight

▢ Medication reminder

▢ Reassure during medical crisis

▢ Reorient after medical episode

▢ Stay with until help arrives

▢ Wake handler

Mobility Dogs:

▢ Assist in a public restroom

▢ Assist with position changes (sit to stand, lay to sit, etc)

▢ Balance assist on stairs

▢ Balance support

▢ Block

▢ Brace

▢ Carry/deliver an item

▢ Clean up items

▢ Close doors

▢ Counterbalance 

▢ Cover

▢ Deep Pressure Therapy

▢ Drag laundry basket

▢ Forward momentum

▢ Oops pick up

▢ Open doors

▢ Provide momentum up inclines

▢ Push handicap or elevator buttons (this is actually a rare one, as many places do not have handicap buttons)

▢ Remove socks or other clothing

▢ Retrieve items

▢ Turn lights on/off (paw, nose, teeth)

Psychiatric Service Dogs:

▢ Agitation response

▢ Assist in creating a safe personal space

▢ Assist to leave social situation (panic attack)

▢ Block

▢ Brace or lean against handler (grounding)

▢ Buffer in crowded places

▢ Cover

▢ Crying interruption/response

▢ Deep Pressure Therapy

▢ Fetch items

▢ Find location/item

▢ Flashback interruption 

▢ Follow designated person

▢ Interrupt dissociation

▢ Interrupt freezing behavior

▢ Interrupt harmful behavior

▢ Interrupt panic/anxiety attack

▢ Interrupt repetitive behaviors

▢ Interrupt scratching/ skin picking

▢ Nightmare interruption

▢ Provide distraction

▢ Provide excuse to leave uncomfortable situation

▢ Reorient to the here & now (lick, pets)

▢ Respond to smoke alarm

▢ Routine reminders (feed dog, eat meals, go to sleep, with alarm set)

▢ Snuggle

▢ Summon help from specific person

▢ Watch my back