Service Dog, Emotional Support Dog, Therapy Dog. What's the Difference?

Update: 2024-06-04

Description

Service dogs, emotional support dogs, and therapy dogs all serve important roles in helping people with various needs. But do you know what the differences between them are?

I often get asked, "How do I make my dog a service dog, emotional support dog, or therapy dog?" It's important to know the differences, both in what jobs they do and what legal protections they have. In this episode, I demystify these often-confused roles to help you understand if one of them is right for your canine companion. I also touch on the troubling trend of people misrepresenting their pets as service dogs and how this can undermine the legitimacy of true service animals.

Join me to learn about:

Distinctions between service dogs, emotional support dogs, and therapy dogs
Legal protections of service dogs, emotional support dogs, and therapy dogs
The selection and training process for service dogs
Behavior and training requirements for service dogs in public settings
The consequences of falsely representing pets as service dogs

Whether they're guiding, comforting, or simply being present, service dogs, emotional support dogs, and therapy dogs all play a vital role in our society, and recognizing the distinctions between each helps ensure they can continue to serve those in need effectively.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

HELP! My Puppy Is Biting Me!

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