If you are someone with a physical or developmental disability, service dogs can mean the difference between a daily struggle to do many simple tasks and an independent life. As constant canine companion service dog provides assistance with numerous details as simple as picking up a dropped item or as complex and possibly life threatening as negotiating busy streets.

The growth in the number and acceptance of service dogs in the U.S. has been remarkable and reassuring to anyone needing such a dog. More and more wheel-chair bound individuals have partnered with specifically trained dogs, especially some of the larger sporting and working breeds, to improve the quality of their lives. These are, for the most part, dogs that thrive on having a job to do and helping their masters. A typical day may find service dogs opening doors, getting items from the refrigerator, or pulling a person in a wheel-chair.

But a new category of service dog has emerged in laptop service dogs. These are smaller breeds that are able to retrieve a dropped item, and bring it to the person they are helping by jumping up into their laps. More and more service dogs are being used to aid persons with developmental disabilities. In fact, National Service Dogs is a Canadian organization that provides service dogs to families of children with autism.

Many health care facilities now have live in service dogs that are part of the daily routine. These so called "facility dogs" may work in the physical therapy department, with patients experiencing trauma or stress and even in cardiac care units.

Those in the field are quick to distinguish between therapy dogs and service dogs. Many say one cannot be the other. Therapy dogs often are used with developmentally disabled people, the elderly, or people in the hospital. They often are meant to be a trusting friend and companion, and not necessarily perform any tasks for the person. Also, dogs used by the blind and the deaf are not considered service dogs.

Fortunately, there is a growing network of organizations that identify, train, and place service dogs with people in need. There are many national, regional, and local organizations that provide these services at minimal or no cost to the person in need.

What's it take to join the ranks of service dogs at work around America? The top qualities include:

• Size in proportion of the work being required of them;

• A solid, sweet, loving temperament;

• Trainability;

• Intelligence;

• Willingness to work;

• Love of people.

Put those all together and you have the recipe for successful service dogs.