(Taken from online publication at Alliance Therapy Dogs:  https://www.therapydogs.com/what-do-therapy-dogs-actually-do/)

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Therapy dogs are trained to provide comfort and affection to people other than their handlers or owners. That could mean visiting a variety of places where people need love and affection, such as hospitals, schools, hospices, nursing homes, disaster areas, and more. They are encouraged to interact with a variety of people and should have a friendly and warm disposition.

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The exact nature of their role differs from dog to dog and from institution to institution. Some include:

• Improving patients’ mental health through socialization and engagement

• Giving learning disabled children the confidence to read out loud

• Aiding physical rehabilitation by walking people through processes, with the aim of helping them to recover certain physical skills

 

Pets are increasingly used to support humans through difficulties, leading to different working titles and types of assistance support. As you now know a bit about therapy dogs, we’re going to tell you about two different canine careers.

 

Service Dog

A service dog is individually trained to perform specific tasks for a person with a disability — as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a federal law that prohibits discrimination and entrenches rights for people with disabilities.

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In this way a service dog differs from a therapy dog: While therapy dogs are encouraged to work and interact with a wide variety of people, service dogs are trained to help one specific individual with a disability.

 

Perhaps the most well-known type of service dog is the guide dog for the visually impaired. In recent years, more and more service dogs have also been trained to detect whether the blood sugar levels of the human in their care are too low or too high, in an effort to help people with diabetes.

 

These are only two of many types of service dogs that help people with physical disabilities, but it is worth noting that some service dogs also help people with mental disabilities, such as anxiety disorder. For example, a service dog can be trained to bring medication and water to a person during an ongoing anxiety attack.

 

Unlike therapy dogs, service dogs are granted full public access rights, which means that while assisting their human companions, they can enter areas animals are usually banned from entering.

 

Emotional Support Animals (ESAs)

Emotional support dogs are assistance animals that help their owner’s mental health and are solely tasked with providing support and comfort to that one person.

 

While they may be known colloquially as comfort dogs, a prescription from a doctor or mental health professional is needed in order to register an ESA. They don’t have to undergo the same rigorous training as service dogs, but their role in providing their owner with company and reassurance is extremely important.

 

Like service dogs, ESAs are protected under the Federal Fair Housing Act, which means owners are allowed to live with them in rental properties that don’t usually allow pets.

 

Therapy Dogs

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Therapy dogs are used in a wide range of settings and need to possess the traits required to be emotional support companions in any of them. They all have one essential thing in common: a gentle and loving temperament. For the safety of the dog as well as the client they’re looking after, all therapy dogs need to be patient and always respond to commands — even in unfamiliar places or if there are distractions present.
The most important qualities that a dog needs include:
 

•    Always open to interacting with strangers

•    Never jumps up or paws people

•    Not sensitive to rough or clumsy petting

•    Walks on a lead without pulling or getting anxious

•    Doesn’t display toy or food aggression

•    Never demonstrates guarding behaviors

•    A calm and docile disposition, no matter what’s going on

•    Tolerant to unusual sights and smells that may be seen in a medical setting

•    Obedient at all times

•    Not afraid of unsteady or sudden movements in people

•    Excellent standards of grooming

•    Usually, puppies under a year old aren’t suitable, but therapy dog  programs can certainly begin then.

Can I Train My Pet To Become a Therapy Dog?

As long as your puppy is healthy, it can be put to the temperament test. Therapy dog candidates undergo regular assessments to make sure they meet all the necessary criteria. There are specific attributes that your animal will be tested on, so this is where to focus your therapy dog training.
10 assessed qualities required of a therapy dog:
 

1.    Supervised separation: Your canine pal must be able to handle being separated from you for short periods.

2.    Handling distractions: The dog must be able to focus on one task without getting distracted.

3.    Reacting to fellow canines: A therapy dog must be able to sit patiently while you have a quick conversation with a fellow dog owner.

4.    Vocal commands: Your dog must be highly responsive to your recall commands.

5.    Behavioral commands: Canines must promptly obey basic commands such as sit and stay.

6.    Walking through a crowd: It’s critical that a therapy dog walk through a crowd without reacting negatively to anyone.

7.    Leash behavior: Walking on a loose leash with its owner is a required quality of a therapy dog.

8.    Petting: The dog must be able to sit patiently while being petted and fussed over.

9.    Approached by a stranger: Your dog must show the ability to remain calm when approached by a stranger.

10.   Grooming: A therapy dog must be able to allow someone other than their owner to check their feet and ears as if they were at the vet.