Wellness Wags Assistance Dogs

Our Mobility Service Dogs Program is designed to support individuals with a physical disability, providing them with the assistance they need to regain independence.  At Wellness Wags, we believe a highly trained Mobility Service Dog transforms lives for individuals with physical disabilities. These dogs provide consistent support, independence, and safety during daily challenges—retrieving items, opening doors, and operating emergency alerts to help you maintain independence and confidence in everyday life. Our program offers a lifeline for those seeking increased mobility and self-reliance. 

Our Mobility Service Dogs deliver reliable physical assistance when other options fall short. They enable greater mobility, reduce care requirements, and allow you to navigate work, school, errands, and public life more effectively with a specialized canine partner. 

Core Tasks that a Mobility Service Dog may perform:  

• Item Retrieval: Picks up dropped or named items like keys, phone, wallet or medication kit beyond reach, delivering to hand or lap. 
• Opening/Closing of Doors, Drawers, Cabinets or Appliances: Tugs ropes to open drawers, refrigerator, washing machine, or cupboards; nudges closed with nose. 
• Obstacle Clearance: Can move objects to free up path for wheelchair, and can offer gentle tugs to free wheelchair from rugs, lips in flooring, or obstacles. 
• Give and Take Items: Can deliver items to handlers hand or lap, or deliver an item to another person a short distance when requested. 
• Laundry Loading/Unloading: Can assist with tugging baskets of laundry, and can assist with loading and unloading front loading washers and dryers.  
• Clothing Removal Assistance: Tugs on sleeves, pant legs or socks to assist undressing. 
• Emergency Barking: Barks on cue to summon help. 
• Alert Button Operation: Presses alert or call buttons when handler cannot self-call. 
• Can go get another person: Gets another person, nudges them, prompts them to follow the dog back to the dog’s handler on cue. 

Benefits Beyond Core Tasks:

• Enhances autonomy and improves independence by performing simple tasks that support personal care routines, including undressing assistance and picking up dropped or unreachable items. 
• Service dog can provide some relief or reduction in paid caregiving hours and/or family assistance needs. 
• With furry support by their side 24/7, it can allow recipients the ability to live life a little more spontaneously. Outings, shopping, and social events become accessible without pre-arranged help. 
• Reduces isolation while increasing motivation, confidence, and emotional well-being through partnership and companionship. 

We understand that waiting for a mobility service dog can be challenging. Our commitment to thorough training and individualized matching ensures that the wait is worth it. We strive to provide the best possible support to each applicant by providing a dog who is best fit for their role by your side. 

For additional details including eligibility, application process, and FAQ, please review the program guide. →