Are there any other types of “special-skills” dogs than seeing-eye and hearing-ear dogs? (Smelling-nose dogs?)
And, come to think of it, would they even be dogs?
Talking dogs, for mute people.
I used to be a tasting-mouth kid for my family. After grocier shopping I would taste a little bit of all the food just to make sure everything was ok. 
Wagging-tail dogs for celibates?
In answer to the OP–yes, there are different kinds of service dogs. For example, dogs are trained to help people who have limited mobility. A person with cerebral palsy might have a dog to pick things up, carry things, turn the lights on and off, etc.
I fyou are interested in this kind of stuff, you should check out the show K9to5 on Animal Planet. It’s a fun show about all the different jobs that dogs do.
I vaguely remember a news story about a woman who’s life was saved because her dog was trained to dial 9-1-1 if she had a medical emergency. Does anyone else remember this?
“K9to5 on Animal Planet.” I’ve a feeling that channel is not available in my country… Oh well. Any good websites out there?
Yup, I remember that too. Kinda makes you wonder…If she took that much time to train her dog to do that, what else she has trained that dog to do…
:::cheap porno music–bow chika bow wow:::::
*The organization, Canine Companions lists four areas that their dogs are trained for[sup]1[/sup]:
-
Service Dog: A service dog placement is made with an individual with a physical disability who can independently work with the Canine Companion. The service dog performs practical tasks to assist the individual.
-
Hearing Dog: A hearing dog placement is made with an individual who is hard of hearing or deaf and can independently work with the Canine Companion. A hearing dog is trained to alert the individual to various sounds including the telephone ring, alarm clock and smoke alarm.
-
Skilled Companions: A skilled companion placement is made with adults and children with disabilities who will benefit from the social, interactive, and functional commands of a Canine Companion. This type of placement increases communication, range of motion, and interactive skills of some recipients.
-
Facility Dog: A facility dog placement is made with a professional care giver who utilizes the trained assistance dog to provide physical, emotional or developmental care to those they work with.
They apparently don’t do guide dogs for the blind, or they assume that under #1 or #4.
Note that there is the generic term for the type of dog and sometimes a trade name which a particular program uses.
-
Sight disability: guide dog. Trade names: pilot dog, seeing eye dog.
-
Hearing disability: hearing dog. Trade names: signal dog, hearing ear dog.
-
Mobility disability: service dog. Trade names: companion dog, facility dog.
3.a. Service dogs do lots of things such as fetch a beer (no, really!); turn lights on/off; pull wheelchairs; pick up things; dial 911; etc…
3.b. Some of these service dogs may be alert dogs trained to recognize signs of an illness (such as a seizure alert dog) or to even intervene (such as a seizure response dog or parkinson’s response dog).
- Developmental or emotional disability: therapy dogs. Trade names: skilled companion dogs.
Guide, hearing, and service dogs are assistance dogs, because they enable the person with the disability to live independently. You may not prohibit a certified assistance dog into any place of public access, including restaurants, stores, elevators, etc… by law (Americans with Disabilities Act {and analogous legislation in Canada and UK}).
Therapy dogs usually only interact with their clients under supervision.
Here are good sites for more info.
Guide Dogs and Assistance Dogs
Disability Resource Directory: Assistive Dogs
Peace.
[sup]1[/sup]From their FAQ found at Canine Companion FAQ"
Thank you, moriah!
I had no idea they could train dogs to do so much!
<pause>
…fetch a beer? 
You should also check out the site for The Seeing Eye: http://www.seeingeye.org/
Obviously, they train seeing eye dogs only, but the site has all kinds of interesting information about the history of assistance dogs and the training process.
Ask at your library for Dogs with Jobs by Weisbord. It even includes dogs that sense on-coming seizures.
I can’t believe no one here mentioned the bloodhound…which could probably be reasonably called a “smalling-nose dog.”
Speaking of smelling nose dogs…
I met a woman here in Asheville, NC who has a dog that is trained to detect if there are allergens in the air. The dog can supposedly detect very small quantities of things the woman is allergic to, which would after prolonged exposure give her a problem. I don’t know how effective the little pooch is, but I do know that I have seen that woman all over town and she always has that dog with her. She also makes that poor little mutt wear a saddle type thing that has pouches for water bottles and medication.
Speaking of smelling nose dogs…
I knew a dog once that had its nose accidentally cut off.
How did it smell?
Terrible!
Thank-you! You’re a wonderful crowd. Good-night!
I’ve always been fascinated by those signs that say “Seeing-eye dogs welcomed here”.
I mean who’s supposed to read it, the dog or the blind person?
The blind person. The dog is busy working the ATM!
Uh oh, I sense the wrath of Manhattan…
The other customers who complain that “there’s a dog in the restaurant!” The sign reminds them that if they see a dog, don’t panic, it’s probably a guide dog. No doubt, there’s at least one regular customer who comes in with an assistance dog.
But you’re right. The sign should say, “Notice: Guide dogs are allowed in this establishment with their owners by law[sup]*[/sup].”
Peace.
[sup]*[/sup]Americans with Disabilities Act