Service dog, is it a good idea for my situation?
Hello, because of restriction of keeping my spine neutral, my high reinjury rate, and a strict 15-pound weight limit, I still get the joy of pain even when following all the rules from doc and pt. My social circle has become more and more aware of how limited I am. They have decided they will do much of all the tasks they can to help me. Now, for many activities, I get to "hold the flashlight," so to speak. While I truly appreciate the effort everyone makes for me, I am failing at accepting this new reality and the sudden decline in safe things to do. I am restricted from many things at the house and farm. Running chainsaws is brutal vibration—even my Stihl 194 is too much, and it is all I can do to use a DeWalt battery mini 8”. I can no longer cut or do things myself. Walking is limited, but I can travel slowly in a Side-by-Side (SxS). Now my daughter is pushing for fall detection even though i have no history of falling. folks are trying to make sure i am not in on farm alone. I feel my independence slipping away and am hating the dependency
So, I am exploring whether a service dog could help me save my energy and get through the day with less pain.
I need the dog to pick up/move clean bundles of clothes or gear straight up to my waist so I do not have to lean over. The dog will also need to retrieve everyday items from the floor/ground, like my keys, some electronic devices, wallet, or tools, so I do not have to strain my back to grab them. On walks or around the house, I need the dog to gently press or brush against my leg to warn me before I step off a curb, an edge, or a step. The goal is to remind me that I am near a critical balance point, and then I will handle the walking or falling myself. To help calm down my back muscles when they lock up or flare up, I would be interested if the dog could try deep pressure therapy to see if it would help me to any degree.
Is there anything I am missing from this list? Thank you for your advice in advance.