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Assistance dog: Difference between revisions

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An '''assistance dog''' is a dog trained to help a person with a disability.
An '''assistance dog''' is a dog trained to help a person with a disability.

Federal law (Americans with Disabilities Act, 1990) protects the rights of disabled individuals to be accompanied by their assistance dogs in public places. Many state laws also offer protection to individuals using assistance dogs.


There are three "types" in which an assistance dog may be classified. Most assistance dogs will be trained for only one of these, though "combination" dogs do exist.
There are three "types" in which an assistance dog may be classified. Most assistance dogs will be trained for only one of these, though "combination" dogs do exist.
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*'''[[Hearing dog]]s''', or '''Signal dogs''', help the [[deaf]] and [[Hearing impairment|hard of hearing]].
*'''[[Hearing dog]]s''', or '''Signal dogs''', help the [[deaf]] and [[Hearing impairment|hard of hearing]].
*'''[[Service dog]]''' is a term covering [[Mobility assistance dog]]s, [[Seizure response dog]]s, and [[Psychiatric service dog]]s.
*'''[[Service dog]]''' is a term covering [[Mobility assistance dog]]s, [[Seizure response dog]]s, and [[Psychiatric service dog]]s.

Assistance dogs may either come from a program, such as Canine Companions for Independence, or be trained by their handler (ideally with the help of a professional trainer). Assistance dogs are not required to have any sort of "certification" to prove that they are assistance dogs; however, most programs voluntarily certify their dogs.





Revision as of 17:29, 31 January 2007

An assistance dog is a dog trained to help a person with a disability.

Federal law (Americans with Disabilities Act, 1990) protects the rights of disabled individuals to be accompanied by their assistance dogs in public places. Many state laws also offer protection to individuals using assistance dogs.

There are three "types" in which an assistance dog may be classified. Most assistance dogs will be trained for only one of these, though "combination" dogs do exist.

Assistance dogs may either come from a program, such as Canine Companions for Independence, or be trained by their handler (ideally with the help of a professional trainer). Assistance dogs are not required to have any sort of "certification" to prove that they are assistance dogs; however, most programs voluntarily certify their dogs.