Terminology and Distinctive Features
– 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.
– Assistance Dogs International notes that there is some variability of terminology in different states, particularly within the United States.
– Assistance or service dogs are not to be confused with Emotional Support Animals, as Emotional Support Animals are not protected under ADA laws.
– To be considered an assistance dog, the dog’s partner must be disabled and meet the legal definition of disability in the specific country or region.
– The dog must be specifically trained to mitigate the partner’s disability in some way, such as opening doors or detecting allergens.
– Assistance dogs must be well-behaved in public, safe with members of the public, and not pose a hygiene threat.
Training Process
– Assistance dogs have traditionally been trained by charities and organizations, but more disabled people are now self-training their own assistance dogs.
– Some disabled individuals select their own dog (often referred to as a prospect) and train the dog themselves to become their eventual handler.
– The length and type of training for assistance dogs can vary, but all candidates go through certain stages.
– Assistance dog candidates are selected based on health, temperament, and desirable traits.
– Socialization and task training are important stages in the training process of an assistance dog.
Selection and Socialization
– Assistance dog candidates are selected based on appropriate health, temperament, and characteristics.
– Large organizations like The Guide Dogs for the Blind maintain their own breeding stock to ensure healthy pups with desired traits.
– Prospects can be selected from reputable breeders or rescue dogs from shelters.
– The selection process can involve careful consideration and evaluation of the dog’s potential as an assistance dog.
– Puppy prospects spend their early life in socialization rather than formal training.
– Socialization helps the dogs adapt to different sights, sounds, and smells they will encounter during their work as assistance dogs.
– Socialization also includes toilet training and ensuring the dogs are well-adjusted in various environments.
Task Training and Obedience
– Once a puppy is old enough, they begin their specialist training, which includes training in specific tasks.
– The tasks an assistance dog prospect learns depend on the disabilities of their current or future handler.
– There is almost no limit to the types of tasks a dog can be trained for, ranging from picking up items to providing deep pressure therapy.
– Assistance dog candidates learn how to behave well and present acceptably in public while also performing their unique tasks.
– Public Access tests evaluate a dog’s ability to behave appropriately in public and in places not normally pet-friendly.
Types and Legal Considerations
– In the United States, assistance dogs fall into two broad categories: service dogs and facility dogs.
– Service dogs are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities, protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
– Facility dogs are used by working professionals to aid multiple people.
– Therapy dogs, a subset of facility dogs, provide emotional support, affection, and comfort in various settings.
– Assistance dogs, including facility dogs and therapy dogs, are protected by laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act.
– The Equality and Human Rights Commission provides a guide for businesses regarding assistance dogs.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assistance_dog