Service Dogs

Paws and Affection trains two types of service dogs:

  • Mobility Assistance Dogs – assist children with mobility-related disabilities and perform tasks such as opening doors, turning on light switches, retrieving dropped items, balance support, and light mobility work.
  • Psychiatric Assistance Dogs – assist children with anxiety, depression, or PTSD with such tasks as alerting to a panic attack, performing deep pressure therapy, finding help, and leading their handler to an exit.

Thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), service dogs have public access so they can accompany their partners everywhere they go and help them whenever needed. A service dog provides calm, dependable companionship and is a helper by the side of his/her child in any situation they encounter. Together, dog and child build a relationship based on a bond that can never be broken. 

Check our eligibility requirements to see if you or your child might be a candidate.

Some of the skills service dogs are trained to do include, but are not limited to:

Opening doors

Turning on light switches

Retrieving various items

Getting help

Balance and mobility assistance

Help with dressing and undressing

Deep pressure therapy

Alerting to panic attacks

Assistance in public at school, work, stores, etc.

Learn more about what one of our service dogs are doing to help.

 

In addition to service dogs, Paws and Affection also trains companion dogs and facility dogs.