Three-month-old German Shepherd Alfie acts like any other puppy - he is playful, attentive and fiercely loyal to his new owner.

But Alfie is no ordinary dog. He is also there to help with everyday household tasks, such as opening doors, picking up the phone, fetching items from shelves and even emptying the washing machine.

An ability dog', whose job it is to make life easier for those with disabilities, Alfie was recently paired with Borehamwood resident Linda Bond, who uses a wheelchair, and will be specially trained to adapt to her lifestyle.

Ms Bond has already formed a strong relationship with the Alsatian puppy since receiving him from the Ability Dogs charity on Sunday.

Ability Dogs was set up earlier this year by Colleen Godfrey, a social worker and dog behaviourist who has worked with assistance dogs for several years.

She said: "Our concept is very different from others. We provide a puppy to be trained with its new owner, and unlike some hearing dogs for the deaf or dogs for the blind which are trained separately, our scheme allows the person to build a bond with the animal in their own home.

"The reason so many dogs fail in these kinds of roles is because they don't bond with their new owners, but we take out the element of stress for the animal. "People don't realise that dogs have higher peaks of emotion than humans - if a dog is happy, he's really happy, and if he's depressed, he's really depressed - so they need to be in the right environment."

Ms Godfrey insisted that dogs are only paired with people after a rigorous assessment process, which includes watching how they interact with children and testing their reactions to loud noises and disturbances.

"We assess the family situation or type of person and designate a puppy that we know is going to be of sound character," she said. "We look for strong, balanced, laid-back dogs with an easy temperament and a gentle disposition."

Ms Godfrey, who is herself registered disabled, said she was encouraged by her own experiences with her dog following an injury several years ago.

"Dogs are intelligent animals and do a lot of things instinctively. When I was injured, my own German Shepherd started doing things for me without being trained, such as picking up my purse.

"It made me realise how instinctive they can be."

Ms Bond, 41, was thrilled to receive Alfie. She said: "I'm very pleased. Not only is he there to fetch and carry for me, but he's also a companion, and we've definitely bonded.

"He's already barking at people who come to the door and he's even getting on fine with my cat - they're best buddies.

"I think it takes about a year of training. He's very well-behaved, and at the moment he's learning basic things like sitting, lying down and walking with the lead. But eventually he will be able to do things like open doors with specially attached straps.

"It definitely makes a difference that he's trained in my home, as he can adapt to my needs in my house."

Ms Godfrey added: "Our charity is unique because the dogs are not in and out of training all the time. Some dogs can't take the stress of such situations, and often neither can the human. But our scheme makes both parties happy.

"It's great that we can offer people in Hertfordshire this service, giving them an opportunity to have a dog that caters for their needs as well as being good for their mental well-being.

"Ultimately, dogs have the ability to change lives."

Ability Dogs, based in Borehamwood and Ireland, is looking for more volunteers. For more information, visit www.abilitydogs.com