The Huge List of Service Dog Tasks – 178 Real-World Examples

Welcome to the Huge List of Service Dog Tasks

Under the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) laws for public access rights, service dogs must be individually trained for a person with a disability to do certain “work” or “tasks.” The “work” or “tasks” that the dog does must be directly related to the disability. So, what are these “work” or “tasks?” There are an almost unlimited amount of potential service dog tasks. This is because there are many unique disabilities and people require a wide-ranging assortment of assistance from their trained service dog. Here are just a few examples of service dog work or tasks.

1. Navigate around obstacles like a pillar, lamp post, parking meters, hazards like an open manhole & potholes
2. Navigate around low hanging obstacles such as tree branches or awnings
3. Avoid moving objects like people, bicycles, wheelchairs, shopping carts, strollers
4. Intelligent Disobedience is when a dog refuses a command to go forward into the road if it would be dangerous, like if there is traffic. The dog is also trained to stop abruptly, rather than collide with a vehicle that intersects the team’s path when it enters the intersection during the crossing
5. Stop or Sit to indicate every curb
6. Stop to indicate the top of a flight of stairs
7. Stop to indicate steps going up
8. Stop to warn of edge of a train platform
9. Stop to warn of approach to edge of cliffs, ditches, and other outdoor dangerous drop-off areas
10. Stop when confronted by a barrier like a construction site
11. Intelligent disobedience – refuse a command to go forward if there is a drop off area or danger
12. Find the exit from a room and indicate the door knob
13. Find an elevator
14. Find entrances and/or exits
15. Find an empty seat, bench, or unoccupied space
16. Find a seat in a classroom
17. Follow a designated person, like a waiter to restaurant table
18. Locate specified destination such as store in mall or hotel room
19. Retrieve dropped objects
20. Find desired object like a newspaper on the porch or driveway
21. Alerting to the door bell or knock on front door, patio door or window
22. Alerting to smoke or fire alarm
23. Alerting to timer going off
24. Alerting to a crying baby or child
25. Alerting to a family member or someone else calling the name of the handler
26. Alerting to a child calling the partner’s name or another word
27. Alerting to a ringing phone
28. Alerting to an alarm clock
29. Alerting to computer equipment beeping
30. Alerting to a horn honking in a garage or driveway
31. Alerting to the arrival of a school bus
32. Alerting to a police, fire, or ambulance siren
33. Alerting to phone ringing on handler’s desk at work, distinguished from all other phones in the workplace
34. Alerting to the name of handler if a coworker, friend, family member or another person calls out the name
35. Alert to a cell phone ringing
36. Alert to a fire drill at school or work
37. Alert to a vehicle honking its horn
38. Retrieve dropped objects that the handler didn’t hear, such as keys, coins, or other objects
39. The dog can enter the home first when arriving home at night, to turn on a light
40. The dog can carry a note from the handler to another household member, and search the area to find the other person
41. Dogs can carry messages between two people, using objects to signify important events, like lunch is ready, or that someone needs help
42. Service dogs can be sent to find and return with the hearing impaired person
43. Alert to a vehicle approaching from behind, or making a sudden turn
44. Bring a phone to any room in house
45. Carry groceries
46. Unload grocery items
47. Fetch a beverage from a fridge or cupboard
48. Fetch food
49. Pick up dropped items like coins, keys etc., in any location
50. Bring clothes, shoes, or slippers to help with dressing
51. Unload laundry from laundry machines
52. Retrieve purse or bag from certain location like hall, room, desk, dresser or back of vehicle
53. Help to tidy house or yard – pickup, carry, deposit specified items
54. Fetch basket with medication or beverage
55. Retrieve a specific pair of shoes from a closet
56. Laser pointers can be used to target an item to be retrieved
57. Drag Cane from its usual location to another room
58. Pick up and return cane if falls off the back of the wheelchair
59. Pickup or fetch crutches
60. Drag walker back to partner
61. Fetch wheelchair when out of reach
62. Move bucket from one location to another
63. Carry a basket of items to another location in the house
64. Transport items downstairs or upstairs
65. Carry items from the handler to another person in another room
66. Send the dog to obtain food or another item from a caregiver and return with it
67. Pay for purchases at high counters
68. Transfer items in a bag from a clerk to a wheelchair user’s lap
69. Carry mail or newspaper into the house
70. Put trash, junk mail into a basket, bin, or garbage can
71. Deposit empty cans or bottles into recycling bin
72. Help handler to load clothing into top loading washing machine
73. Put dirty dog food bowl into kitchen sink
74. Put other nonbreakable items into the kitchen sink
75. Deliver items to a closet
76. Deposit dog toys into a specified container
77. Put prescription bag, mail, and other items on counter top
78. Open cupboard doors with an attached strap
79. Open drawers with a strap
80. Open fridge door with a strap or suction cup
81. Open interior doors via a strap with a device to turn knob
82. Answer doorbell and open the front door with a strap attached to lever handle
83. Open or close sliding glass door with a strap or other tug devices
84. Shut restroom door that opens outward via a leash tied to the doorknob
85. Close stall door that opens outward in restroom by delivering end of the leash to handler
86. Shut interior home doors that open outward
87. Shut motel room exterior door that opens inward
88. Assist to remove shoes, slippers, sandals, and other footwear
89. Tug socks off without biting down on the feet
90. Remove slacks, sweater, coat, and other clothing items
91. Drag heavy coat, sweater, and other items to a closet
92. Drag laundry basket to a different location in the house or home with a strap
93. Drag bedding and other items to a washing machine
94. Carry a bag or other objects from a vehicle into the home
95. Pull a drapery cord to open or close drapes
96. Assist to close motel room drapes by tugging on edge
97. Operate rope device that lifts blanket and sheet or re-covers handler when he or she becomes the wrong temperature
98. Nudge shut cupboard drawers
99. Nudge shut dryer door
100. Push shut the stove drawer
101. Close dishwasher door
102. Close with nudge the fridge & freezer door
103. Call 911 on K-9 dog rescue phone by pushing the button
104. Operate button or push plate on commercial doors
105. Turn on light switches
106. Push floor pedal device to turn on lamp
107. Help a wheelchair user to regain sitting position if slumped over
108. Help put a paralyzed arm back onto the armrest of wheelchair
109. Return paralyzed foot to the foot board of a wheelchair if it is dislodged
110. Close cupboard door with one paw
111. Close dryer door with one paw
112. Close fridge & freezer door with one or both paws
113. Call 911 on K-9 dog rescue phone with one paw
114. Operate light switch on wall by jumping up and pawing the switch
115. Depress floor pedal device to turn on appliance or lamp
116. Jump up to paw elevator button
117. Close heavy front door, other doors – jump up, use both paws
118. Transfer assistance from wheelchair to bed, toilet, bathtub or van seat
119. Help to walk step by step, brace between each step, from wheelchair to seat
120. Position self and brace to help partner catch balance after partner rises from a couch or other seats in a home or public setting
121. Prevent fall by bracing on command if the partner needs help recovering balance
122. Steady handler getting in or out of the bathtub or shower
123. Help handler to turn over in bed
124. Pull up handler with a strap, from floor to feet on command, then brace until handler catches balance
125. Assist moving wheelchair and avoiding obstacles
126. Work cooperatively with handler to get the wheelchair up a curb cut or mild incline
127. Haul open heavy door, holding it open using six foot lead attached to back of harness, other end of lead attached to door handle or to a suction cup device on a glass door
128. Tow ambulatory partner up inclines – harness with rigid handle or pull strap may be used
129. Brace on command to prevent ambulatory handler from stumbling – with rigid handle
130. Help ambulatory handler to climb stairs, pulling then bracing on each step
131. Pull handler out of aisle seat on plane, then brace until handler catches balance
132. Brace, counter balance work too, assisting ambulatory handler to walk
133. Help ambulatory partner to walk short distances, bracing between each step with a rigid handle
134. Transport books, supplies or other items up to 50 lbs in a wagon or cart
135. Backpacking – usual weight limit is 15% of the dog’s total body weight and 10% if the dog is performing another task
136. Bark for help
137. Find the a care giver or specific person and lead back to the location of the handler
138. Put forepaws in lap of wheelchair user, hold that upright position so wheelchair user can access items in a backpack or bag
139. Wake up partner if smoke or fire alarm goes off, and help them to nearest exit
140. Operate push button device to call 911, an ambulance service or another person to help in a crisis; let emergency staff into home and show the handler’s location
141. Fetch an insulin kit, respiratory device or medication from a specific location during a medical crisis
142. Lie down on partner’s chest to produce a cough, enabling patient to breathe
143. Alert to an allergen in food or in the area
144. Alert to an intruder
145. Assist with grounding the handler
146. Assist with position changes – sitting to standing, etc.
147. Counter-balance
148. Provide momentum in a wheelchair, when walking, up inclines or stairs
149. Pulling a wheelchair
150. Answering the door
151. Block approaching people or animals
152. Call suicide hotline from a dog-friendly phone
153. Check the house for safety before handler enters
154. Put items from the floor into a basket
155. Find a bathroom or another specific room
156. Find an empty seat
157. Find the vehicle
158. Pull blinds and curtains open and closed
159. Crowd control
160. Deliver credit card or money to a cashier
161. Find a specific person
162. Crying interruption, or response
163. DPT (Deep Pressure Therapy)
164. Flashback interruptions
165. Help the handler sit up if slumped over
166. High blood sugar alert
167. Interrupting dissociation and freezing behaviours
168. Interrupting harmful or repetitive behaviours like picking or scratching
169. Diabetic Alert
170. Medication reminders
171. Interrupting a nightmare
172. Panic or anxiety alert
173. Providing distraction
174. Provide pressure on chest to produce cough
175. Respond to anxious behaviours
176. Routine reminders
177. Tactile stimulation
178. Retrieve emergency medication

Related Articles:

• Psychiatric Service Dog Tasks – 17+ Extraordinary Examples
• Deep Pressure Therapy Dog (DPT Dog) Service Dog Explained
• Psychiatric Service Dog Training
• ADA – Americans with Disabilities Act