Mobility assistance dog

{{Short description|Type of service dog}}

File:Prisoner-trained service dog is placed with a wounded service member 111201-F-WA575-299.jpg

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A mobility assistance dog or mobility service dog is a dog trained to assist a physically disabled person who has mobility issues, such as poor balance or being a non-ambulatory wheelchair user. Roles include "providing balance and stability"[http://www.nh.gov/disability/information/community/serviceanimals.htm "Service/Assistance Animals"], New Hampshire Governor's Commission on Disability. picking up and carrying objects, pulling wheelchairs, opening and closing doors, and operating light switches.[http://www.ada.gov/qasrvc.htm "Commonly Asked Questions about Service Animals in Places of Business"], U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division. Mobility assistance dogs can have significant positive impacts on the lives of their handlers.{{Cite journal|last1=Rodriguez|first1=Kerri E.|last2=Greer|first2=Jamie|last3=Yatcilla|first3=Jane K.|last4=Beck|first4=Alan M.|last5=O’Haire|first5=Marguerite E.|date=2020-12-02|title=The effects of assistance dogs on psychosocial health and wellbeing: A systematic literature review|journal=PLOS ONE|language=en|volume=15|issue=12|pages=e0243302|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0243302|issn=1932-6203|pmc=7710121|pmid=33264370|bibcode=2020PLoSO..1543302R |doi-access=free }}

Some larger-statured dogs with sound joints are trained to pull individuals in wheelchairs, and wear a type of harness specifically designed for pulling. However, wheelchair pulling remains controversial. Many US programs limit "wheelchair pulling" to short straight distances, most commonly for assistance getting in and out of a crosswalk. One study has found that using the traction provided by the service dog has physical benefits because manual wheelchair users can operate their chairs with less effort.[http://www.rehab.research.va.gov/jour/2013/503/hubert503.html "Effect of Service Dogs on Manual Wheelchair Users with Spinal Cord Injury: A Pilot Study"], Journal of Rehabilitation Research & Development

Another type of mobility assistance dog task is "counter-balance". They are used for Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis patients, along with other disorders and conditions. The handler does not put full weight on the dog. However, the dog can greatly assist a person with their gait and balance while walking.[http://www.va.gov/health/newsfeatures/20120806a.asp "Assistance Dogs Transform Lives of Veteran Partners"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150523163736/http://www.va.gov/health/newsfeatures/20120806a.asp |date=2015-05-23 }}, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It can also be helpful for those with symptoms of proprioceptive sensory loss, such as an inability to walk in a straight line.Thomson, Philip D (2004). "Gait Disorders". In Bradley, Walter George et al. Neurology in Clinical Practice: Principles of Diagnosis and Management, Volume 1. Philadelphia: Butterworth Heinemann. pp. 324-326. These dogs usually wear a special vest so that the owner can attach a cane-like handle. This allows the dog to guide the owner and assist with their balance.

Mobility assistance dogs are trained to perform specific, task-based actions that directly mitigate their handler’s disability — and are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).[https://mobilitydog.org/what-is-a-mobility-assistance-dog-everything-you-need-to-know "What Is a Mobility Assistance Dog-Everything You Need to Know"], MobilityDog