A Best Friend to All: Without Discrimination

As dog lovers, we sincerely know that dogs bring many emotions to people. When you are upset about something, your dog will be there to make you happy. Or when you’re celebrating something, they’re there to be joyous with you. Dogs are also very helpful to people for many reasons. And not just for finding a lost turkey bone from Thanksgiving! But for a far better reason, to help people who have disabilities who need assistance.

These loyal companions can help people with disabilities on a daily basis. Kids with autism can benefit hugely from having a dog. Recent studies have shown that families with a child who has autism, who also own a dog, have major positive effects on the family and especially the child with special needs. Dogs can help a child with autism because they can advance social relations with other members of their family, and other members of the neighborhood that they live in.

Dogs sometimes put ease on children with special needs. With children who have autism, it can reduce their anxiety. Dogs can also help in furthering development with motor skills—like walking the dog, talking to the dog, throwing toys and playing catch with the dog. Dogs for Autism (located in the South Carolina) breeds and raises companion and service dogs to help people with Autism. They also have obedience classes for the public’s dogs, too!

Not only can some dogs help with everyday tasks for disabled people like opening doors and turning on lights, but they can even pull a wheelchair, and even can help dress a person. It is truly amazing what dogs can do. Dogs for Disabilities, inc., (located in Illinois) offer aid and assistance with service dogs to physically disabled people. Their main goal for the service dogs is for their owner to achieve independence.

Canine companions can also help and assist veterans who are disabled or have Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. These specially trained dogs make sure that the veteran’s life is made to be how it was before they went into combat. The dogs help the veterans with everyday life. Also, a dog is very helpful for people who just get out of combat because usually when in combat you rarely go anywhere alone—and these doggie companions go everywhere with their owner. If you know a veteran who could benefit from a specially trained dog, please contact Freedom Service dogs, Inc. (located in Colorado)

It’s amazing what one dog can do for humanity. One hundred years ago, people would have never believed that dogs could be so helpful to people with disabilities. We cannot wait to see what technological advances in companionship are to come in the future, in helping and bettering people with disabilities lives forever. "Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole." --Roger Caras


-->Photo Credit: A special thanks to Dogs Life Magazine for the touching picture!