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{{short description|Working dog trained to aid or assist an individual with a disability}}{{Multiple issues|{{tone|date=August 2023}}
{{short description|Working dog trained to aid or assist an individual with a disability}}
{{Globalize|article|2=US|2name=the US|date=December 2024}}
{{more citations needed|date=August 2023}}}}[[File:RovingRebel door.jpg|upright=1.25|thumb|right|An assistance dog pressing a button to open an automatic door]]
[[File:RovingRebel door.jpg|upright=1.25|thumb|right|An assistance dog pressing a button to open an automatic door]]
[[File:Hearing dog, 2011.jpg|thumb|Hearing-assistance dog being patted on its head]]
[[File:Hearing dog, 2011.jpg|thumb|Hearing-assistance dog being patted on its head]]
An '''assistance dog''', known as a '''service dog''' in the United States, is a [[dog]] trained to aid or assist an individual with a [[disability]]. Many assistance dogs receive training from a handler (who is often aided by a professional [[dog trainer|trainer]]) or from an assistance dog organization.
An '''assistance dog''' is a [[dog]] that receives specialized training to aid an individual with a [[disability]] in navigating everyday life. Assistance dogs can be trained by an organization, or by their handler.


==Terminology==
== Terminology ==
"Assistance dog" is the internationally established term for a dog that provides assistance to a disabled person and is task-trained to help mitigate the handler's disability.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Assistance Dogs International |title=A Guide to Assistance Dog Law |url=https://www.assistancedogsinternational.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/ADI20062ndprint.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130811032712/http://www.assistancedogsinternational.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/ADI20062ndprint.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 11, 2013 |website=Assistance Dogs International |access-date=25 August 2018 }}</ref>
'Assistance dog' is the internationally established term for a dog that provides assistance to a disabled person and is task-trained to help mitigate the handler's disability. In the [[United States]], assistance dogs are also commonly referred to as 'service dogs'.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=General FAQs |url=https://assistancedogsinternational.org/resources/general-faqs/ |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=Assistance Dogs International |language=en}}</ref>


Assistance dogs are to not be confused with [[emotional support animal]]s, which are generally not protected by the same laws,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Americans with Disabilities Act |url=http://www.dol.gov/general/topic/disability/ada |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=DOL |language=en}}</ref> and typically have little to no training compared to an assistance or service dog.
Assistance dogs are not [[emotional support animal]]s (ESAs), which are generally not protected by the same laws<ref>{{Cite web |title=Americans with Disabilities Act |url=https://www.ada.gov/topics/service-animals/ |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=ADA |language=en}}</ref> and typically have little to no training compared to an assistance or service dog. Assistance dogs and ESAs are also both distinct from [[Therapy dog|therapy dogs]]. While therapy dogs are required to undergo training and become certified, they work for people other than their handler and are not covered by laws such as the US [[Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990|Americans with Disabilities Act]].<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Karetnick |first=Jen |date=July 9, 2024 |title=How To Train a Therapy Dog: Learning If Your Dog Is Fit For Therapy Work |url=https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/how-to-train-a-therapy-dog/ |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=American Kennel Club |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Three Steps to Making Your Dog a Therapy Dog |url=https://www.akc.org/products-services/training-programs/canine-good-citizen/articles/three-steps-to-making-your-dog-a-therapy-dog/ |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=American Kennel Club |language=en}}</ref>


==Distinctive features==
==Distinctive features==
Line 13: Line 14:
For a dog to be considered an assistance dog, they must meet the following criteria:
For a dog to be considered an assistance dog, they must meet the following criteria:


# The dog's handler must be disabled and meet the legal definition of disability in a specific country or region.
# The dog's handler must meet the legal definition of disability in a specific country or region.
# The dog must be specifically trained to mitigate the partner's disability in some way, e.g. opening doors, detecting [[Hyperglycemia|high blood sugar]] or [[Allergy|allergens]] and notifying of such, alerting to a ringing phone, and assisting those who are [[visual impairment|visually]] or [[mobility impairment|mobility impaired]].
# The dog must be specifically trained to mitigate the handler's disability in some way, e.g. opening doors, detecting [[Hyperglycemia|high blood sugar]] or [[Allergy|allergens]] and notifying of such, alerting to a ringing phone or other audible stimuli, and assisting those who are [[visual impairment|visually]] or [[mobility impairment|mobility impaired]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tasks performed by Guide, Hearing and Service Dogs |url=https://iaadp.org/membership/iaadp-minimum-training-standards-for-public-access/tasks-performed-by-guide-hearing-and-service-dogs/ |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=The International Association of Assistance Dog Partners (IAADP) |language=en-US}}</ref>
# The dog must be trained to be safe with members of the public and well-behaved, as well as healthy and not posing a hygiene threat.
# The dog must be docile and well-behaved, as well as clean and healthy.
Individual countries and regions will have specific laws and regulations, with these international criteria having broad recognition across the globe.<ref>{{cite web |last1=The Equality and Human Rights Commission |title=Assistance Dogs. A Guide For All Businesses |url=http://www.assistancedogs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/assistance-dogs-a-guide-for-all-businesses_0.pdf |access-date=25 August 2018 |archive-date=22 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170822154606/http://www.assistancedogs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/assistance-dogs-a-guide-for-all-businesses_0.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Standards |url=https://assistancedogseurope.org/standards/ |website=Assistance Dogs Europe |access-date=25 August 2018 |archive-date=3 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150103223352/https://assistancedogseurope.org/standards/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Individual countries and regions will have specific laws and regulations, with these international criteria having broad recognition across the globe.<ref>{{cite web |last1=The Equality and Human Rights Commission |title=Assistance Dogs. A Guide For All Businesses |url=http://www.assistancedogs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/assistance-dogs-a-guide-for-all-businesses_0.pdf |access-date=25 August 2018 |archive-date=22 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170822154606/http://www.assistancedogs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/assistance-dogs-a-guide-for-all-businesses_0.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Standards |url=https://assistancedogseurope.org/standards/ |website=Assistance Dogs Europe |access-date=25 August 2018 |archive-date=3 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150103223352/https://assistancedogseurope.org/standards/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=IAADP Minimum Training Standards for Public Access |url=https://iaadp.org/membership/iaadp-minimum-training-standards-for-public-access/ |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=The International Association of Assistance Dog Partners (IAADP) |language=en-US}}</ref>


== Training process ==
== Training process ==
[[File:Service dog in training resting.jpg|thumb|Assistance dog in training in its vest]]{{Importance section|date=August 2023}}
[[File:Service dog in training resting.jpg|thumb|Assistance dog in training in its vest]]
Assistance dogs have traditionally been trained by [[Charitable organization|charities]] and other organizations, who then partner a disabled person with a trained dog when the dog has completed its training program at approximately the age of 2. Increasingly, more disabled people are self-training their assistance dogs,<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Yamamoto|first1=Mariko|last2=Hart|first2=Lynette A.|date=2019-06-11|title=Professionally- and Self-Trained Service Dogs: Benefits and Challenges for Partners With Disabilities|journal=Frontiers in Veterinary Science|volume=6|pages=179|doi=10.3389/fvets.2019.00179|issn=2297-1769|pmc=6579932|pmid=31245394|doi-access=free}}</ref> whereby the disabled person selects their dog (often referred to as a 'prospect'). There is great variability in the training that any future assistance dog receives, but all assistance dog candidates go through certain stages.


Assistance dogs have traditionally been trained by organizations, but in countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia, assistance dogs can also be trained by their handlers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ADA service animals FAQ |url=https://www.ada.gov/resources/service-animals-faqs/#:~:text=Does%20the%20ADA%20require%20service%20animals%20to%20be%20professionally%20trained|access-date=2024-08-26 |website=ADA FAQ |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Assistance dogs UK |url=https://www.assistancedogs.org.uk/information-hub/training-an-assistance-dog/#:~:text=In%20the%20UK,%20assistance%20dogs%20can%20be%20owner%20trained|access-date=2024-08-26 |website=Assistancedogs.org.uk |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=healthdirect AU |url=https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/assistance-dogs#:~:text=While%20many%20dogs%20are%20trained,Australian%20Government's%20Disability%20Gateway%20website. |website=Healthdirect.gov.au| date=3 September 2024 |language=en}}</ref>
===Dog selection===
Assistance dog candidates are generally selected with care for appropriate health, temperament and characteristics. Large established organizations such as The Guide Dogs for the Blind select and maintain their breeding stock to ensure healthy pups with desirable traits.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Guide Dogs |title=Selection and monitoring of breeding stock |url=https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/about-us/national-breeding-centre/what-the-national-breeding-centre-does/selection-and-monitoring-of-breeding-stock/ |website=Guide Dogs |access-date=25 August 2018}}</ref> Some may carefully select prospective puppies from reputable breeders, or they may choose to commence training with a dog who was already part of the family.


A prospective assistance dog candidate will go through socialization and desensitization training, where the dog is exposed to unfamiliar locations, sounds, scents, and other stimuli. This training sets the foundations for the assistance dog to remain focused while working. An assistance dog prospect will also go through obedience training to ensure they remain under control of the handler.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AKC |url=https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/service-dog-training-101/|website=AKC.ORG|language=en}}</ref>
The first period of a prospect's life as a [[puppy]] is normally spent in socialization rather than formal training. Some organizations often use puppy foster parents during the pups' first year, so the prospect grows up in a normal family environment surrounded by the sights, sounds and smells they will later work in to make them more effective.<ref>{{cite web |title=Become a Puppy Parent |url=https://caninepartners.org.uk/get-involved/volunteering/puppy-parents/ |website=Canine Partners |access-date=25 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Can you help us Train a Puppy |url=https://www.hearingdogs.org.uk/volunteering/puppy-socialising/ |website=Hearing Dogs for the Deaf}}</ref>


After completing [[Dog training|obedience training]], an assistance dog commences specialized task training. During this training, the assistance dog will learn to perform tasks that will aid their disabled handler. The tasks that an assistance dog is trained to perform will differ based on the handler's disabilities and needs.
=== Task training ===

Once a puppy is old enough, they will commence their specialist training, which will include training in work and/or tasks. The tasks that an assistance dog prospect will learn all depend on the disabilities that their current or future handler has, and there is therefore almost no limit on the types of tasks a dog can be trained to. These may vary from picking up dropped items and taking laundry out of a washing machine to interrupting self-harming behaviors to providing deep-pressure therapy for an autistic person.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Froling |first1=Joan |title=Assistance Dog Tasks |url=http://www.iaadp.org/tasks.html |website=IAADP |access-date=25 August 2018}}</ref> In the US, the only two questions an assistance dog handler may be asked to confirm their dog is an assistance dog is whether they have a disability and whether the tasks the dog does mitigate that disability.<ref>{{cite web |last1=US Department of Justice |title=Frequently Asked Questions About Service Animals and the ADA |url=https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/service_animal_qa.html |access-date=25 August 2018}}</ref>[[Image:BoltonPriory AssistanceDogs.jpg|275px|thumb|right|"Assistance Dogs welcome" sign in [[Bolton Priory]]]]
At the same time as learning their unique tasks to support their handler, an assistance dog candidate needs to learn how to be well-behaved, and polite and to present acceptably in public. Many owner-trainer support groups recommend following established dog obedience schemes such as the [[Kennel Club]] Bronze, Silver and Gold obedience training programs to gain a high and dependable recognized standard of obedience and behavior followed by the [[Public Access Test]], which evaluates a dog's ability to behave appropriately in public, and in places not normally deemed pet friendly where a person may enter with an assistance dog, such as a supermarket or restaurant.<ref>{{cite web |title=Public Access Test |url=http://www.iaadp.org/iaadp-minimum-training-standards-for-public-access.html |website=IAADP |access-date=25 August 2018}}</ref>
Examples of tasks include alerting to a fire alarm or doorbell, retrieving a medication during a medical episode, pulling a wheelchair, retrieving an item that has been dropped by the handler, and turning on lights. Some tasks may require a larger dog with healthy joints, while others (e.g. alerting to a sound) can be performed by a dog of any size.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Froling |first1=Joan |title=Assistance Dog Tasks |url=http://www.iaadp.org/tasks.html |website=IAADP |access-date=25 August 2018}}</ref>

[[Image:BoltonPriory AssistanceDogs.jpg|275px|thumb|right|"Assistance Dogs welcome" sign in [[Bolton Priory]]]]


==Types==
==Types==
In the [[United States]], assistance dogs fall into two broad categories: service dogs and facility dogs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cci.org/site/c.cdKGIRNqEmG/b.4011017/k.2900/Canine_Companions_Assistance_Dogs.htm|title=Canine Companions for Independence|access-date=2015-07-24|archive-date=2016-11-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161120092627/http://www.cci.org/site/c.cdKGIRNqEmG/b.4011017/k.2900/Canine_Companions_Assistance_Dogs.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> Service dogs are defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act as dogs that are individually trained to work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. State and local governments, businesses, and [[nonprofit organizations]] that serve the public generally must allow service animals to accompany people with disabilities in all areas of the facility where the public is normally allowed to go.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm|title=ADA 2010 Revised Requirements: Service Animals|website=www.ada.gov|date=28 March 2023 }}</ref> Facility dogs are used by working professionals to aid multiple people.<ref name="facility dogs">{{Cite web |url=http://www.cci.org/site/c.cdKGIRNqEmG/b.4011121/k.830A/Facility_Dogs.htm |title=Facility Dogs - CCI |access-date=2015-07-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150725013717/http://www.cci.org/site/c.cdKGIRNqEmG/b.4011121/k.830A/Facility_Dogs.htm |archive-date=2015-07-25 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Therapy dog|Therapy dogs]], a subset of facility dogs, are specifically trained to provide [[emotional support]], [[affection]], and comfort to individuals in various settings, such as [[Hospital|hospitals]], [[Nursing home|nursing homes]], [[School|schools]], and [[Emergency management#Psychological first aid|disaster relief areas]]. These dogs play a crucial role in improving mental health, reducing stress, and creating a sense of well-being among the people they interact with.<ref>{{cite web |title=What is a Therapy Dog? |url=https://myserviceanimal.org/blog/what-is-therapy-dog/ |website=MyServiceAnimal |date=6 September 2022 |access-date=18 April 2023}}</ref>

[[Image:Mobility Service Dog bracing his handler.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Mobility assistance dog]] helping his handler stand up]]
[[Image:Mobility Service Dog bracing his handler.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Mobility assistance dog]] helping his handler stand up]]
Common examples of assistance dogs include:<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-02-15 |title=Types of Services Dogs & What They Are Used For - UDS |url=https://udservices.org/types-of-service-dogs/ |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=udservices.org |language=en-US}}</ref>
Common examples of assistance dogs include:
* [[Guide dog]]s
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:AstroCourthouseFacilityDog.jpg|thumb|right|Astro the courthouse facility dog assists a child witness in court.]] -->
* [[Hearing dog]]s
* Guiding dogs assist the [[Blindness|blind]] and the [[Visual impairment|visually impaired]]. They are often called by the name of the training charity, often either [[Guide Dogs]] or [[Seeing-eye Dogs]]
⚫
* [[Mobility assistance dog]]s
* [[Hearing dogs]], or '''signal dogs''', help the [[deaf]] and [[Hearing impairment|hard of hearing]].
⚫
* [[Medical response dog]]s
* Mental health assistance dogs - respond to mental health crises and distress often using pressure or distraction, or in some cases (usually PTSD) by keeping other people away.
* [[Mobility assistance dogs]]
* [[Seizure response dog]]s
* [[Medical response dogs]]
* [[Psychiatric assistance dog]]s
** [[Seizure response dog]]s
* [[Autism assistance dog]]s
* [[Psychiatric service dogs]]
* [[Autism service dog|Autism Assistance dogs]]
Common examples of facility dogs include:<ref name="facility dogs"/>
* [[Courthouse facility dog]]s are typically handled by professionals working in the legal system. They are often used to assist crime victims, witnesses, and others during legal proceedings.
*Facility dogs in educational settings are usually handled by [[Special education#Instructional strategies|special education teachers]] to facilitate interaction with the students.
* [[Therapy dogs|Facility dogs in healthcare environments]] are typically handled by physical [[Therapist|therapists]], [[Psychologist|psychologists]], and other healthcare professionals to facilitate recovery and symptom management for patients.

==Similarities and differences between facility dogs and therapy dogs==

Since both may aid people in similar settings such as healthcare environments, facility dogs are often mistakenly called [[therapy dogs]]; however, there are several important distinctions between them. Facility dogs are trained by accredited assistance dog organizations and therapy dogs are trained by their owners. Facility dogs may be handled by a wide variety of working professionals, while therapy dogs must be handled by their owners.

Facility dogs are trained by canine professionals or by their owner for a period of 18 to 24 months and must pass very rigorous tests before graduating from an assistance dog organization.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.assistancedogsinternational.org/standards/assistance-dogs/standards-for-dogs/training-standards-for-facility-dogs/ |title=Training Standards - Assistance Dogs International |access-date=2015-07-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150724081342/http://www.assistancedogsinternational.org/standards/assistance-dogs/standards-for-dogs/training-standards-for-facility-dogs/ |archive-date=2015-07-24 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In contrast, registration for therapy dogs by a therapy dog organization does not require enrollment in obedience classes or therapy dog classes, meaning that therapy dogs often undergo a much less rigorous training process. Furthermore, the tests that therapy dogs must pass are less complicated and challenging than those taken by facility dogs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tdi-dog.org/HowToJoin.aspx?Page=Testing+Requirements|title=Therapy Dogs International|website=www.tdi-dog.org}}</ref>


In the United States, the [[Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990|Americans with Disability Act]] states that there is no formal certification or registration required for a dog to become an Assistance Dog.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-02 |title=ADA Requirements: Service Animals |url=https://www.ada.gov/resources/service-animals-2010-requirements/ |access-date=2024-05-10 |website=ADA.gov |language=en}}</ref> State and local governments, businesses, and [[nonprofit organizations]] that serve the public generally must allow service animals to accompany people with disabilities in all areas of the facility where the public is normally allowed to go.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm|title=ADA 2010 Revised Requirements: Service Animals|website=www.ada.gov|date=28 March 2023 }}</ref>
A person with either a therapy dog or a facility dog must have permission from the facilities they visit before they can enter with their animal. They do not have the right to demand access to places where pets are not generally permitted, or to have fees associated with their pets waived.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.servicedogcentral.org/content/node/158|title=Rights - Service Dog Central|access-date=2015-07-24|archive-date=2021-04-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415020637/http://www.servicedogcentral.org/content/node/158|url-status=dead}}</ref>


== See also ==
== See also ==
{{div col}}
{{div col}}
* {{annotated link|Assistance animal}}
* {{annotated link|Assistance animal}}
* {{annotated link|Autism service dog}}
* [http://www.caninepartners.org.uk Canine Partners] (in the UK)
* [http://www.caninepartners.org.uk Canine Partners] (in the UK)
* {{Annotated link|Cell dog}}
* {{Annotated link|Cell dog}}
* {{annotated link|Bravehound}}
* {{annotated link|Bravehound}}
* {{annotated link|Courthouse facility dog}}
* [[Dogs for Good]] (in the UK)
* [[Dogs for Good]] (in the UK)
* [[Hearing Dogs for Deaf People]] (in the UK)
* [[Hearing Dogs for Deaf People]] (in the UK)
⚫
* {{annotated link|Medical response dog}}
⚫
* {{annotated link|Mobility assistance dog}}
* {{annotated link|Psychiatric service dog}}
* {{annotated link|Seizure dog}}
* {{annotated link|Working dog}}
* {{annotated link|Working dog}}
{{div col end}}
{{div col end}}


==References==
==References==
<references/>
<references />


==External links==
==External links==
*{{curlie|/Society/Disabled/Service_Animals/Dogs/|Service Dogs}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100107022320/http://www.deltasociety.org/Page.aspx?pid=302 Delta Society's National Service Animal Resource Center]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100107022320/http://www.deltasociety.org/Page.aspx?pid=302 Delta Society's National Service Animal Resource Center]


Latest revision as of 10:10, 10 December 2024

An assistance dog pressing a button to open an automatic door
Hearing-assistance dog being patted on its head

An assistance dog is a dog that receives specialized training to aid an individual with a disability in navigating everyday life. Assistance dogs can be trained by an organization, or by their handler.

Terminology

[edit]

'Assistance dog' is the internationally established term for a dog that provides assistance to a disabled person and is task-trained to help mitigate the handler's disability. In the United States, assistance dogs are also commonly referred to as 'service dogs'.[1]

Assistance dogs are not emotional support animals (ESAs), which are generally not protected by the same laws[2] and typically have little to no training compared to an assistance or service dog. Assistance dogs and ESAs are also both distinct from therapy dogs. While therapy dogs are required to undergo training and become certified, they work for people other than their handler and are not covered by laws such as the US Americans with Disabilities Act.[1][3][4]

Distinctive features

[edit]

For a dog to be considered an assistance dog, they must meet the following criteria:

  1. The dog's handler must meet the legal definition of disability in a specific country or region.
  2. The dog must be specifically trained to mitigate the handler's disability in some way, e.g. opening doors, detecting high blood sugar or allergens and notifying of such, alerting to a ringing phone or other audible stimuli, and assisting those who are visually or mobility impaired.[5]
  3. The dog must be docile and well-behaved, as well as clean and healthy.

Individual countries and regions will have specific laws and regulations, with these international criteria having broad recognition across the globe.[6][7][8]

Training process

[edit]
Assistance dog in training in its vest

Assistance dogs have traditionally been trained by organizations, but in countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia, assistance dogs can also be trained by their handlers.[9][10][11]

A prospective assistance dog candidate will go through socialization and desensitization training, where the dog is exposed to unfamiliar locations, sounds, scents, and other stimuli. This training sets the foundations for the assistance dog to remain focused while working. An assistance dog prospect will also go through obedience training to ensure they remain under control of the handler.[12]

After completing obedience training, an assistance dog commences specialized task training. During this training, the assistance dog will learn to perform tasks that will aid their disabled handler. The tasks that an assistance dog is trained to perform will differ based on the handler's disabilities and needs.

Examples of tasks include alerting to a fire alarm or doorbell, retrieving a medication during a medical episode, pulling a wheelchair, retrieving an item that has been dropped by the handler, and turning on lights. Some tasks may require a larger dog with healthy joints, while others (e.g. alerting to a sound) can be performed by a dog of any size.[13]

"Assistance Dogs welcome" sign in Bolton Priory

Types

[edit]
Mobility assistance dog helping his handler stand up

Common examples of assistance dogs include:[14]

In the United States, the Americans with Disability Act states that there is no formal certification or registration required for a dog to become an Assistance Dog.[15] State and local governments, businesses, and nonprofit organizations that serve the public generally must allow service animals to accompany people with disabilities in all areas of the facility where the public is normally allowed to go.[16]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "General FAQs". Assistance Dogs International. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
  2. ^ "Americans with Disabilities Act". ADA. Retrieved 2024-08-24.
  3. ^ Karetnick, Jen (July 9, 2024). "How To Train a Therapy Dog: Learning If Your Dog Is Fit For Therapy Work". American Kennel Club. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
  4. ^ "Three Steps to Making Your Dog a Therapy Dog". American Kennel Club. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
  5. ^ "Tasks performed by Guide, Hearing and Service Dogs". The International Association of Assistance Dog Partners (IAADP). Retrieved 2024-10-25.
  6. ^ The Equality and Human Rights Commission. "Assistance Dogs. A Guide For All Businesses" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 August 2017. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  7. ^ "Standards". Assistance Dogs Europe. Archived from the original on 3 January 2015. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  8. ^ "IAADP Minimum Training Standards for Public Access". The International Association of Assistance Dog Partners (IAADP). Retrieved 2024-10-25.
  9. ^ "ADA service animals FAQ". ADA FAQ. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
  10. ^ "Assistance dogs UK". Assistancedogs.org.uk. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
  11. ^ "healthdirect AU". Healthdirect.gov.au. 3 September 2024.
  12. ^ "AKC". AKC.ORG.
  13. ^ Froling, Joan. "Assistance Dog Tasks". IAADP. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  14. ^ "Types of Services Dogs & What They Are Used For - UDS". udservices.org. 2020-02-15. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
  15. ^ "ADA Requirements: Service Animals". ADA.gov. 2024-05-02. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
  16. ^ "ADA 2010 Revised Requirements: Service Animals". www.ada.gov. 28 March 2023.
[edit]
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