What is a Mobility Assistance Dog
A mobility assistance dog, or mobility dog is a dog that is trained to perform tasks that will help their handler with symptoms related to balance, movement, stability, strength, and stamina. Wheelchair pulling, button pushing, flipping light switches, counterbalance, bracing, item retrieval, opening and closing doors and momentum pulling, are just a few examples of these tasks. Below, we will dig into a comprehensive list.
Mobility Dogs can be beneficial for people who live with not only physical, but also neurological and cardiac conditions. These disabilities can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, vertigo, dizziness and cause balance or stability impairments. With the help of a mobility assistance dog, people with a wide range of disabilities can find increased independence, enjoy daily activities with greater ease, and feel safer when both in and outside their home.
Mobility Skills and Tasks
1. Proprioception
Proprioception is a body’s ability to sense movement, action, and location. Injuries, limb loss, neurodegenerative conditions such as multiple sclerosis, sensory processing disorders, brain injuries, dysautonomia, and even migraines can all cause difficulties with proprioception.
So, how can a service dog assist with proprioception and spatial awareness?Â
Proprioception skills may include:
- Light contact with the dog through harness handle which allows the handler to feel more steady
- This allows the handler to “feel the ground” through the dog
- Similar to touching a wall or table
- The handler can walk without having to consciously think about where to place their foot next
2. Guiding/Leading
Guiding individuals with impaired vision, as well as individuals who become disoriented, and struggle with brain fog.
Guiding skills may include:
- Directional cues to let the dog know when to turn left or right.
- Assisting the handler in navigating or avoiding obstacles.
- Assisting the handler to move toward a desired location.
- Ex: go to a door, chair, car, etc.
3. Gait Stabilization
Gait refers to an individual’s manner of walking. Individuals with gait disturbances may experience different walking patterns. This could look like dragging or shuffling feet, taking small steps, walking more slowly or stiffly, or having irregular, or jerk-like movements when walking.Â
A service dog can assist their handler with gait stabilizationÂ
Gait stabilization skills may include:
- Providing rhythm, cadence or a steady pace.
- Assisting the handler in moving in a straight line.
- Assisting the handler in maintaining forward momentum.
- Assisting the handler in stopping and turning smoothly.
4. Counterbalance
A weight that balances another weight to help maintain balance and/or stability while standing or in motion.Â
A service dog can provide stability and support to a handler who has balance issues. This is especially helpful for individuals with disabilities that affect coordination, muscle strength, or equilibrium.
Counterbalance skills may include:
- Assisting the handler with curbs, steps and uneven ground.
- Assisting the handler on stairs–with and without handrail.
- Keeping the handler stable for transfer to:
- A wheelchair
- Getting up from being seated.
- Sitting from standing.
- Getting up from the floor.
- Sitting up in bed
5. Bracing
Bracing – Light pressure is placed between the dog’s shoulder blades.Â
Mobility dogs can provide physical stability and support to help a handler regain balance, stand up, or prevent a fall. This task is especially beneficial for individuals with disabilities that affect strength, coordination, or equilibrium.Â
Bracing skills may include:
- Assisting the handler to stand
- Assisting the handler to get on the ground.Â
- Assisting the handler with their balance
6. Assistance with Daily Tasks
There are a wide range of tasks that a mobility assistance dog can do that can help their handler day to day, around the house, or out and about. These tasks can allow the person to save energy, avoid dizziness, and go about their day more independently.Â
Skills that fall in this category are:
- Retrievals
- Picking up dropped items
- Bringing an indicated item
- Taking an indicated item to an another person
- Opening/closing a doors or cabinets
- Assisting in removing clothingÂ
What Tasks Are Important to You?
When training your service dog, you might feel overwhelmed with the huge possibility of tasks that the dog could learn to assist you. How do you choose what to tasks are right for you and your dog?
We suggest you consider the situations that make your daily routine more difficult. Create a ranked list from most to least important, prioritizing tasks that require assistance over those you can manage more independently. Distinguish between essential needs and conveniences. For example, seeking help if you’ve fallen and need assistance could be crucial or life-saving, whereas turning off a light when you’re already in bed may be incredibly beneficial in saving you energy, but you may decide to put it lower on your priority list if you have people at home who can help, or assistive technology that could turn the lights on and off instead of your dog.
Considering your dog’s size and ability to do certain tasks is also crucial for their and your safety. For important information about health considerations for a Mobility Dog please click here.If you are considering mobility work for your service dog in-training, Atlas Assistance Dogs offers a comprehensive online course. This course covers detailed information regarding a variety of cues and skills which are used to mitigate disabilities or symptoms related to mobility or balance. Examples of tasks include retrievals, balance assistance, momentum pull, as well as essential information about when to start training these tasks, how to safely teach and use tasks such as brace and pull and gear and mobility equipment. For more information click here
About Atlas Assistance Dogs
Atlas Assistance Dogs is a non-profit organization that fundamentally expands access to assistance dogs. We support people with disabilities to train and certify their own service dog using positive, ethical training methods. At Atlas, we believe anyone who would benefit from a qualified assistance dog should be able to have one.Â
We work with people with a wide range of disabilities who wish to train their own service dog as well as offer a comprehensive Academy for professional trainers wanting to become service dog trainers. For more information about Atlas’ Client Certification program or other training services, please visit www.atlasdog.org or contact info@atlasdog.org.
