Assistance Dogs Quiz

Assistance dogs are trained to aid individuals with disabilities and are different from emotional support animals, which are not protected under ADA laws. The term assistance dog is internationally established and denotes a dog that provides assistance to a disabled person and is task-trained to help mitigate the handler's disability. Assistance dogs must meet certain criteria to be considered as such, but countries and regions may have specific laws and regulations. Assistance dogs can be trained by charities or individuals and are selected for appropriate health, temperament, and characteristics. The training process for assistance dogs includes socialization, task training, obedience, and public access. Assistance dogs can fall into two broad categories in the United States: service dogs and facility dogs. Service dogs are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities, while facility dogs aid multiple people. Therapy dogs are a subset of facility dogs that provide emotional support, affection, and comfort to individuals in various settings. Facility dogs undergo a rigorous training process and are trained by canine professionals or their owner for a period of 18 to 24 months. Therapy dogs, on the other hand, are trained by their owners and undergo a less rigorous training process. Both therapy dogs and facility dogs require permission from facilities they visit before they can enter with their animal.