Sometimes the terms “service dog,” “therapy dog,” and “emotional support” dog are used interchangeably. In reality, those three terms have very different meanings and a dog can’t necessarily be two simultaneously. Let’s explore the differences.
therapy dog
Therapy is such a wonderful goal! A number of our past puppies travel with their owners to visit schools and other venues, bringing a positive ambiance and encouragement with them wherever they go through their non-judgmental tail wags, kisses, and request for belly rubs. The term “therapy dog” usually refers to a dog that is trained and handled by one person and then visits different facilities to promote the psychological well-being of the people there. This could mean taking your dog to a hospital, nursing home, library, school, and so forth. The individual facilities each have the ability to allow therapy dogs in or to deny them and there are different standards for different places.
therapy dog training
If you intend for your puppy to grow up to be a therapy dog, basic obedience training and intentional socialization are essential. Start taking your puppy to stores that are pet friendly while she’s young, striving to expose her to a variety of new people, situations, and environments. Bring treats to hand to strangers so they can give your pup something tasty as she sits nicely for pets. It’s also a good idea to visit Goodwill or check Facebook marketplace to find a walker, wheelchair, cane, and other assistive devices your dog may encounter while visiting different places. It’s beneficial to introduce these to your puppy while she’s young to help her become comfortable with them in case she encounters them while on a therapy visit. For a school, your dog may not encounter the large number of assistive devices that she would when visiting a nursing home, but she certainly may run into children using crutches, wheelchairs, and the like. Consider where you hope to visit and be intentional to introduce your puppy to situations she’s likely to encounter there.
therapy dog certification
Many dog training facilities offer Citizen Good Citizen testing (CGC). The test components are all fairly basic exercises such as the dog allowing a stranger to pet and brush it, walking calmly on a leash past other dogs, and so forth. The test is the same regardless of where you do it. Earning your dog’s CGC is a good initial goal for any dog/handler team seeking to do therapy work.
Each facility has different rules regarding therapy dogs. Often times, schools do not have strict requirements for a staff member to bring in their personal dog for therapy work. On the other hand, because the CGC test is so simple/easy, some facilities, such as Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, require their own additional testing as well before a dog is permitted to visit for therapy work. You’ll want to inquire about the requirements for whatever facility you play to visit. It could be that you don’t need to be a member of a bona fide therapy dog organization for some schools and other locations to allow you to bring your dog (although being part of an organization does provide liability insurance). Again, while earning a CGC may not be required, it’s still a good idea if you intend to do therapy work.
therapy dog organizations
There are a number of national therapy dog organizations. Some of them are expensive to join, which can be a barrier of entry into therapy work. If you live in the Cincinnati area, Canines for Christ (C4C) is a therapy dog organization that has a Cincinnati chapter. C4C membership is very reasonably priced, and the annual fee covers liability insurance for you and your dog as you visit different facilities. The first year the fee is a little bit extra and covers participation in the classes run by volunteers and also Canine Good Citizen testing. C4C is a good option for both socialization and basic training as well as earning CGC and beginning therapy work with your dog. C4C has an established relationship with a number of schools, nursing homes, hospitals, libraries, etc. throughout the area and you certainly can reach out to other facilities with whom they don’t yet partner.
service dog
According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, “a service animal is a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.” Service dogs are working dogs that fall under the American with Disabilities Act, and they are not pets or family dogs. Because of this, they can accompany their handler anywhere with permission. Even facilities like the grocery store, church, movie theater, restaurants, and other places that don’t normally allow dogs permit service dogs. There are a few exceptions, such as an operating room at a hospital, but for the most part, a service dog is permitted anywhere. A service dog serves on person and is focused on that person (occasionally there are three unit teams where a parent may be trained to handle the service dog on behalf of their child). Because of this, a service dog is not a pet or family dog. versus a therapy dog that may provide support to a number of people during a visit.
When many think of “service dog,” a mobility dog or seeing eye dog comes to mind. There are a variety of types of service dogs. Dogs who are individually trained to support a handler with autism, fetal alcohol exposure or drug exposure can also be service dogs. 4Paws for Ability specifically trains dogs to assist these individuals and also trains Multiple Purpose Service Dogs to partner with those diagnosed with ADHD, downs syndrome, and a variety of mental health diagnosis.
service dog training & organizations
4Paws for Ability is a service dog organization that is local to the Cincinnati area. It generally takes about 2 years after $17k in funds are raised to receive a service dog from 4Paws that is trained for your specific needs. Each dog “is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.” This means that the training is individualized and rigorous training.
Because of this long wait and expense, some families choose to select their own breeder, adopt a puppy and then work with a trainer to shape the dog to meet the needs of her handler. If you opt to go this route, it’s essential that you are extremely selective when choosing a breeder, that you do a large amount of preparation and research about how to train your new puppy, and that you immediately begin intentional training when your puppy joins your family. Service dogs undergo A LOT of very specific training. The exact advance training is specific to the needs of the handler, but every service dog requires basic obedience training and intentional socialization. Start taking your puppy to stores that are pet friendly while she’s young, striving to expose her to a myriad of new situations and environments. It’s essential that you help your puppy understand how you want her to act in exciting environments. For instance, service dogs are working dogs who should not be greeting strangers at the store.
emotional support animal
“Emotional support animal” (ESA) is more of a broad term. ESAs are pets or family dogs. They are not service animals. Airlines and other businesses do not accommodate or recognize ESAs the way they previously did. In 2020, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced a ruling regarding traveling with ESAs by air that “Defines a service animal as a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability… [and] No longer considers an emotional support animal to be a service animal.” But businesses & airlines not recognizing the work of an ESA doesn’t keep these dogs from providing real psychological support to their owners and family members.
Goldendoodles are very people-oriented dogs, and they are always happy to receive belly rubs, pets, and attention, which is very therapeutic for many. Being an emotional support comes naturally to goldendoodles and isn’t necessarily something that needs to be taught. They are a pretty intuitive breed. Some behaviors can be taught, such as laying on top of a child who needs to feel that pressure and closeness to help de-escalate, but generally goldendoodles are focused on people and naturally provide supportive companionship.
emotional support animal certfication
According to AKC, “to legally be considered an emotional support dog… the pet needs to be prescribed by a licensed mental health professional to a person with a disabling mental illness. A therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist must determine that the presence of the animal is needed for the mental health of the patient.”
Some service dogs are specifically trained to provide emotional support to an individual diagnosed with fetal alcohol exposure, drug exposure, ADHD, downs syndrome, and a variety of mental health diagnosis. These animals undergo rigorous training and performed specific tasks for the individual with the disability. Although these service dogs provide emotional support, they are legally service dogs and not ESAs.
therapy dog vs. service dog vs. emotional support animal
A therapy dog is a pet that visits different facilities with her handler to promote the psychological well-being of the people there.
A service dog is “is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability” (ADA). A service dog is NOT a pet or family dog, but rather serves only her handler.
Legally, an emotional support animal requires a prescription from a licensed mental health professional, but many families consider their family pet to be an emotional support animal, and certainly having a dog improves the mental wellbeing of the family.
Regardless of whether you intend for your new puppy to grow into being a therapy dog, service dog, ESA, or a family pet, it is essential that you prepare yourself prior to bringing your new puppy home. Be intentional about training your new puppy and be intentional about socialization her. Your efforts while she’s little will make a huge impact on her throughout her lifetime.