Types of Dogs Provided

Service Dogs assist people with disabilities other than blindness or hearing. Some of the tasks that they typically perform for their handler are retrieving dropped items, opening and closing doors, pulling a manual wheelchair or providing balance assistance.

Social Therapy Dogs are trained to assist a handler primarily in the home environment. They do not have public access, but may perform the same duties in the home environment as a Service Dog does.

Facility Dogs work for an able-bodied handler who works with people with disabilities. Typically the dog accompanies the handler to the work site, puts in a full day, then returns home with the handler. Some facility dogs may live at the facility. These dogs are trained to help people with disabilities by providing motivation to extend their "range-of-motion" by grooming the dog, or throwing a ball or toy. They also can be used to help with speech therapy, providing a nonjudgmental ear while listening. Their usefulness is limited only by our imagination.

Companion Dogs are typically dogs that have some level of training (that may be ongoing) but their primary duties are to provide unconditional love and companionship to their handler. These dogs are not granted public access by SWSD.

Therapy Dogs visit with people in nursing homes, hospitals, or in a home environment when people are unable to have a dog of their own. They provide a soft, warm companion who will give them unconditional love and entertainment