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TASK LIST

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Our massive list of tasks that dogs can be trained to do to assist their handlers.  Please note this is not a complete list and will be added to in time.

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Physical Help Tasks

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  • Medication/water/item retrieval.

  • Deep pressure therapy (DPT).

  • Provide forward momentum (in wheelchair, when walking, up inclines, up stairs).

  • Pull wheelchair or handler.

  • Retrieve medical equipment 

  • Raise legs

  • Wake Handler

  • Retrieve clothing items 

  • Retrieving dog bowls.

  • Retrieve dropped items.

  • Retrieve emergency medication.

  • Retrieving items when pointed at or named.

  • Retrieve water bottle

  • Retrieve mobility aid 

  • Retrieve phone.

  • Retrieve handbag, purse/wallet.

  • Retrieving shoes.

  • Retrieve tissue (when crying, sneezing, coughing).

  • Retrieve towel (after a shower, bath).

  • Retrieving TV remote.

  • Retrieve vest/harness/leash/gear.

  • Retrieve water to take medication.

  • Retrieving item from shop shelf.

  • Retrieve mail or newspaper.

  • Assist with grounding.

  • Pull handler with atrap (to change positions).

  • Wheelchair pulling.

  • Answer the door.

  • Dizziness - brace or counterbalance handler

  • Retrieving dropped items

  • Opening doors

  • Find a Bathroom.

  • Find assigned seat (at school, work, etc.).

  • Finding lift/stairs/escalator.

  • Closing doors

  • Holding doors open so handler can pass through

  • Opening door to for emergency services

  • Opening cabinets

  • Closing cabinets

  • Opening drawers

  • Closing drawers

  • Opening gridge

  • Closing fridge

  • Tugging clothing to help remove it

  • Turning lights on

  • Turning lights off

  • Put rubbish in bin

  • Retrieve the post

  • Put recycling in bin

  • Put things on worktop

  • Take a note to a person.

  • Block to prevent handler being touched

  • Hand card/cash to cashier

  • Delivering items from handler to cashier

  • Deliver items to a person

  • Find a named person

  • Follow a certain person

  • Go find help

  • Cover - lie on handler

  • Crying - interrupt, tactile stimulation

  • DPT (Deep Pressure Therapy).

  • Find handler

  • Track wanderings handler

  • Help to sit up

  • Help turn over

  • Medication reminders.

  • Paws up to put on dog gear so handler does not need to bend

  • Providing excuse to leave uncomfortable situation

  • ​Push paralysed arm or leg back into place

  • Remove clothing including socks

  • Roll by nudging, handler onto side

  • Routine reminders 

  • Wake handler

  • Assist handler to sit or stand

  • Assist handler to move from chair to couch

  • Assist handler with transfers from bed to chair

  • Assists handler in and out of pool 

  • Pull blanket up once handler is in bed

  • Pull blanket off handler when getting out of bed

  • Assist making bed

  • Help handler in and out of bath or shower

  • Help handler get up a slope

  • Counterbalance

  • Bracing during walking

  • Bracing if balance lost

  • Bracing up or down stairs

  • Bracing if handler falls to help them get back up

  • Turns over handler to help them if they fall

  • Nudges hand or foot back onto hand or foot rest

  • Pushes leaning hander back into position

  • Push button to open doorChange in breathing pattern Alert to (incipient) episode 

  • Chills - Pressure and warmth stimulation

  • Difficulty initiating movement - Tactile stimulation to ground

  • Psychomotor retardation - Guide handler using harness or leash

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Mental Health Tasks

 

Note:

DPT = Deep Pressure therapy where the dog uses their body weight to calm handler

Grounding = dog brings handler's thoughts back to the present using tactile stimulation

Tactile stimulation = licking, nibbling, nudging, pawing etc

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  • Guide to an exit.

  • Crowd control - orbit (circle handler)

  • Block approaching people.

  • Watch my back - Dog positioned to watch behind handler to give confidence

  • Disrupt repetitive (stereotypy) and other harmful behaviours (skin picking, scratching, etc.) -Tactile stimulation

  • Provide medication reminders

  • Disorganized speech or behaviour - Ground handler 

  • Panic attack -  Lie across handler to provide DPT

  • Fear of leaving home - Tactile stimulation or DPT

  • Repetitive/compulsive behaviour - Interrupt repetitive behaviours 

  • ​Dissociative fugue - Guide home, to a safe place, or assist crossing streets 

  • Retrieve self care kit

  • Nightmares/night Terrors -  Wake up handler, turn on lights, grounding

  • Interrupt flashbacks

  • Search house

  • Provide “reality check” so handler can verify hallucinations aren’t real

  • Stabilize handler’s routine

  • Body block a dissociated handler from going through doors

  • Aggressive driving - Alert to behaviour 

  • Alert to Hyperlocomotion 

  • Apathy/disengagement  - Tactile stimulation or  DPT

  • Catatonic behaviour -  Ground handler or DPT

  • Delusions - Ground handler

  • Sadness or tearfulness  - Tactile stimulation or DPT

  • Disorganization - Remind handler to perform daily routines 

  • Sensitivity to sound - Close door to block noise keep handler in bed 

  • Disorientation or confusion - Guide handler home or to a safe place 

  • Racing thoughts - Tactile stimulation or DPT​

  • Distractibility - Tactile stimulation or DPT 

  • Fear - Ground handler, guide handler to a safe place, tactile stimulation or DPT

  • Sensory overload - Ground handler Tactile stimulation or DPT

  • Feeling overwhelmed - Guide handler to a safe place, ground, DPT

  • ​​​Dissociative flashback - Ground handler 

  • Fight or flight response - Guide handler to a safe place 

  • Psychosis - Ground handler 

  • Flashbacks or distress - Ground handler , Tactile stimulation or DPT

  • Social withdrawal - Initiate desired/needed interpersonal interaction 

  • Dissociation - Ground handler 

  • Hyperfocus - Alert to (incipient) episode 

  • Depersonalization - Tactile stimulation or DPT

  • ​Hypervigilance - Ground handler Tactile stimulation or DPT

  • Insomnia - Remind handler to go to bed /interact until handler initiates sleep preparation 

  • Feelings of isolation - Tactile stimulation or DPT 

  • ​Irritability - Alert to start of episode 

  • Suicidal ideation - Tactile stimulation or DPT Ground handler

  • Memory loss - Find keys or telephone Task Remind to take medication  

  • Hallucination - Hallucination discernment — alert to real people or noises 

  • Difficulty navigating - Lead handler to important locations on cue

  • Trembling - Tactile stimulation or DPT

  • Derealization - Tactile stimulation or DPT

  • Restlessness or distractibility - Alert to (incipient) episode, Tactile stimulation or DPT

  • Sleeping too long - Wake up handler 

  • Sleep disturbance - Search House and Alert to intruders, Ground handler 

  • Intrusive thoughts/images -  Tactile stimulation or DPT

  • Startle response - Alert to presence of others,  Ground handler

  • Alert handler to episodes of rage or strong emotion

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Medical Assist and Alert Tasks

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  • Alert and/or response to heartrate changes.

  • Alerting and responding to blood pressure changes.

  • Alert and/or response to fainting.

  • Alert to allergen in food.

  • Alert to allergen in the area.

  • Alerting to seizures.

  • High blood sugar alert

  • Retrieving glucose kit from fridge

  • Retrieving medication from designated spot

  • Nudge unconscious handler into recovery position

  • Fetch a drink or snack from designated spot

  • Bring phone to handler

  • Dragging walker, chair or assistance device to handler

  • Alerting caretaker to unconsciousness

  • Alerting caretaker to lack of breathing

  • Alerting caretaker to alarms from medical equipment

  • Calling 999 or Designated Emergency Person via MECS alarm

  • Draping along body of handler to help keep them warm

  • Alerting handler to low blood sugar

  • Alerting handler to high blood sugar

  • Alerting handler or caretaker to presence of deadly allergen

  • Delivering messages from handler to someone else

  • Alerting to metabolic deterioration

  • Burrow under legs of unconscious handler to raise blood pressure

  • Lay across chest to help handler clear lungs

  • Alert to muscle tension 

  • Nausea tactile stimulation or deep pressure therapy 

  • Provide pressure on the chest to produce cough.

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Hearing Dog Tasks

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  • Alert to smoke/fire alarm.

  • Alerting to phone ringing.

  • Alerting to door bell.

  • Alert to door knocking.

  • Alerting to police, fire and ambulance sirens.

  • Alert to people walking up from behind.

  • Alerting to name being called.

  • Alerting family members.

  • Alert handler to another person or child crying/calling/celling.

  • Alerting for help.

  • Alerting to alarms.

  • Alert handler to specific, trained environmental sounds (alarm clock, knocking, baby crying)

  • Alert handler to name being called

  • Alert handler to unnoticed dropped items

  • Alert handler to people waiting to be noticed

  • Alert handler to car approaching from behind

  • Alert to arrival of bus

  • Alert to bells in educational setting

  • Alert to overhead announcements

  • Family member sends dog to find and return with hearing impaired handler

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Guide Dog Tasks

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  • Avoid moving objects (while guiding).

  • Guide home.

  • Guide to an exit.

  • Guiding to specific item.

  • Guide to specific location.

  • Guide to specific person.

  • Guiding to a safe place.

  • Indicate barrier (while guiding).

  • Indicating curbs (while guiding).

  • Indicate drop-offs (while guiding).

  • Indicate stairs/steps (while guiding).

  • Lead around ground hazards (while guiding).

  • Leading around low hanging items (while guiding).

  • Lead around stationary items (while guiding).

  • Refuse to move forward if not safe.

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