💛HEAR FROM THE TRAINER💛
Many people don’t know that there are differences between a service dog, therapy dog, and support dog and use the terms interchangeably. The following are the differences:
Service Dog - A service animal is not a pet. The animal is trained to perform tasks related to the owner’s disability identified by the ADA. State and local laws also have their definition. A service animal cannot be denied access to a business if it is well-behaved. Faking a service dog is illegal and thousands of dollars in fines and/or months of jail time. Real service dogs go through months of training to learn to be calm and focused on their job. Service dogs are not required by law to wear a vest. The advantage of them is to notify others that the dog is a working dog. The ADA spells out your rights when going into a business. The dog will be given an ID card to use if the need arises.
Therapy Dog - A Therapy animal gives its heart to making people feel better. A Therapy Dog gives smiles and hopes to people in hospitals and long-term nursing care, children who need extra love, and anyone who needs the caring only a dog can give. Therapy dogs typically must pass the Canine Good Citizen test and join a group or organization dedicated to therapy dog work. These dogs must be calm and enjoy being handled by strangers and given a lot of attention.
Emotional Support Animal - An emotional support animal is any animal that helps someone with psychiatric or mental issues to lead a more fulfilling and normal life. To qualify for an ESA, the mental diagnosis has to be diagnosed by a licensed professional. While these animals don't require any specific training, they are much more than pets. These animals provide therapeutic benefits based on companionship. Many places do not allow ESA dogs into businesses where dogs are not allowed. Some mental illnesses that can benefit from an ESA include anxiety, stress disorder, panic attacks, bipolar disorder, depression, and PTSD
Canine Good Citizen Certification - This is the certification class that I conduct where there are ten tasks tested and once the dog passes all ten tasks in one given test, then is certified as a canine good citizen. This is not a therapy dog or even an ESA dog. It prepares the dog for these other duties. Your dog is not insured with a CGC certification and should not go into facilities under any other disclaimer other than a certified canine good citizen dog. You can get a homeowners discount with some insurance companies if your dog is certified and with some dogs, it is mandatory to have the breed. There are additional CGC certifications specific to urban and community living.
Any further questions, please text Sonya @ 702-860-0234
