Dogs don't just make great pets and guard dog training can help make your pet your protector. Dogs can also provide vital services for people who are disabled, blind or deaf. It's not just the 24 hour companionship they provide, but the amazing range of things they can do for their owner. Service dog training takes a lot longer than basic dog training as it is much more complex and each dog has to be specifically trained for the person it is going to live with.

There are many different roles service dogs can perform. The severity of the problems their owner has will dictate how much or little the dog has to do.

In some cases service dogs are trained to retrieve dropped objects, bring phones, open drawers or doors or even switching light switches. There are cases where they are trained to pull wheelchairs, however these type of dog training techniques cannot begin until the dog is fully grown as it would put a massive strain on a puppy. It is amazing the amount of freedom and independance a service dog can offer someone who is not fully mobile. The security of having a dog that is trained to perform the tasks that they either can't do or are not fully confident in doing is unfathomable. Many people with assistance or service dogs describe them as a blessing as they would not be able to live in their own homes without them.

Dogs can also be trained to assist the blind or those hard of hearing. This is less complex training that that needed for service dogs as it is more generic. They are taught basic things such as when to alert their owner of a ringing telephone or a smoke alarm or even the doorbell ringing. Service dogs are permitted to go everywhere with their owners, even if there is a "no dogs" sign on display, they can go into restaurants, cafes and can even travel with their owner in the cabin of the plane, although the airline will need to be informed first. Generally training for these dogs is undertaken in the homes of people working for an organisation that provides service dogs for people. The training period is around a year and when the dogs are ready, they are then allocated a home.

It is possible to volunteer to help train these dogs, the best way to get involved is to contact your local service dog training organisation and find out if you would be able to help.