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A service dog that acts as the arms and legs for someone who has a physical disability is called a mobility service dog.  Mobility service dogs are specially trained to help with movement and movement tasks.  A mobility service dog will usually be a larger breed of dog, to provide stability to the human.  Mobility service dogs can pull wheel chairs, open doors, push elevator buttons and retrieve objects that have been dropped.  They can provide stability for someone lacking strength or balance as they rise from sitting or as they move up or down steps.  A mobility dog can help with tasks such as turning lights on and off and finding other people when help is needed and generally stabilizing an unsteady partner.

Some of the issues that might affect a person’s strength or balance are arthritis, TBI, Cerebal Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular dystrophy, Spina Bifida, Spinal Cord Injury, osteogenesis imperfecta and use of a prosthetic.

Dogs trained for this specialized service must be able to problem solve, must be confident in all environments, they must have impeccable house and social  manners, cannot be easily distracted and must be able to work under stress.

If you would like information on how to approach or interact with a person and a service dog, please see our page Responsible interaction with Service dogs and handlers.