Service Dog Training for Dogs

A service dog is a type of assistance dog specifically trained to help people who have disabilities including physical disabilities, visual difficulties, hearing impairments, mental illness, seizures, diabetes, autism, and more.

They are animals defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Examples of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties. Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability 

Perhaps more than anything else, persons with disabilities want to remain as independent as possible. A highly trained service dogs help to do just that. By assisting consumers with everyday tasks, service dogs give a tremendous boost to self-confidence and self-reliance. We train each dog in tasks tailored to the individuals they serve. Here are just some of the tasks service dogs are trained to provide:

• Opening doors, cupboards, refrigerators, dryers, etc.
• Retrieving phones
• Activating adaptive switches
• Aiding in dressing/undressing
• Carrying items
• Picking up dropped items
• Retrieving items out of reach
• Pulling a wheelchair
• Assisting clients up from a fall
• Help in climbing stairs
• Help with balance issues
• Turning light switches on & off
• Barking to indicate help is needed

Desirable character traits in service animals typically include good temperament or psychological make-up and good health including physical structure and stamina. Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds, and Golden Retrievers are the most common breeds used as service dogs, but any breed or mix of breeds is capable of being a service dog, though few dogs have all of the health and temperament qualities needed.

Emotional support dogs (ESDs) are an effective therapy for individuals with mental and emotional disabilities. Not only do they provide comfort and support, but they can also help during a crisis, such as an anxiety attack.
While emotional support animals require much less training than service animals, there are requirements your dog must meet to become an ESD.
If you’re thinking of adopting an ESD, it is essential to follow all requirements, rules, and regulations before adopting one of these special animals. Below we explore all things related to emotional training for dogs and how to become a responsible handler.

What Is an Emotional Support Dog?

Emotional service animals (ESAs) are pets recommended by a licensed therapist or health professional to assist individuals with emotional or mental disabilities. Dogs trained as emotional support animals are thus meant to provide comfort, unconditional love, and emotional stability.
While ESDs have slightly more rights than ordinary pets, they are not protected under US laws (other than housing) or granted the same public access rights as a trained service dog.
The primary rights afforded to ESDs fall under the Fair Housing Act, which states that these animals are allowed to live with their handler—even in accommodations where pets are not allowed.

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DOGS VS. SERVICE DOGS

There is a difference between service dogs and emotional support animals, and while we’re focusing on ESDs, understanding what makes them different can help you with training. We’ll start with service dogs.
According to guidelines written in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), service dogs are protected and able to enter public spaces, private residences, and public transportation.

Private spaces aren’t out of the question as well. Plus, laws outlined in the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) allow service dogs on airlines. That said, service dogs need specialized training to help their owner perform at least one task.
On the other hand, emotional support dogs don’t require any training. While they’re protected under the FHA they’re not protected under the ADA or ACAA. For these reasons, they have less protection than service dogs.
The biggest difference is that service dogs help someone with a disability accomplish a task or improve their quality of life. ESDs are limited to comforting someone with mental health disorders.