From alerting owners to an impending seizure to helping people with psychiatric or memory conditions (including Alzheimer's) stay stable and safe, service dogs are helping an ever-broadening array of people live more normal, independent lives, just as they have helped hearing-, seeing-, and mobility-impaired people for decades."

In the future, "experts predict that...dogs will be trained to deal with many other human conditions in ways not yet contemplated." For example, "returning waves of severely injured military personnel have spurred some service-dog groups to investigate new ways to help."

Meanwhile, there is a "growing category of service dogs referred to as 'facility dogs'" who "are assigned to a health professional" in a rehabilitation facility, such as an occupational therapist. There, "the dog's duties depend on the needs of the person" the therapist is helping.