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Anyone who has been injured knows that it can be difficult to do even simple things when you are hurt. For some of those who are permanently disabled, daily help is a fact of life. For those who only need a little extra help, assistance dogs can be a positive choice. These animal companions allow people to retain much of their independence, while getting the occasional help they need and giving them the confidence to live their lives how they want to. Most people will probably think of seeing eye dogs first when they hear about service dogs. Today, though, there are dogs trained to help people with many kinds of disabilities. There are dogs trained to help people in wheelchairs by guiding them or getting things for them, like a ringing phone. People with neurological conditions can also get a dog to help them. Assistance dogs can even be trained to help people with seizure disorders like epilepsy; some dogs can sense when their person is about to have a seizure and warn them so that they can protect themselves. Similarly, dogs can be a great help to those who suffer from nervous disorders or panic attacks, sensing the attack and calming the person down. Most of the dogs you see working as assistance dogs are a Labrador retriever of some kind, probably the more common blacks and yellows. These dogs are used most often because of their personality and intelligence, but a dog of any breed that has the right temperament can be used.
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