Therapy Dog vs Service Dog: Understanding the Differences and Benefits
These classifications are a common misconception.
Both are working animals, but their jobs are vastly different.
In this blog I’ll share what I’ve learned through several years of experience as a Therapy Dog Handler.
The job of a therapy dog: Trained to provide affection, comfort, and support to people, often in settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, schools, libraries, hospices, or disaster areas.
The job of a service dog: Trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.
Another quick way to remember this:
Therapy dogs are for the well-being of others
Service dogs perform tasks for their handler
Further Comparison of Therapy Dog vs. Service Dog
In the United States, service dogs have protected rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and are allowed public access.
Therapy dogs do not have the same rights and thus must be invited into non-dog-friendly places.
To be clear, therapy dogs are not service dogs. I’ll provide more information about therapy dogs and service dogs in the following sections.
More about Therapy Dogs
Therapy dogs are generally pets that volunteer with their handlers to help advance the physical, emotional, and social well-being of others through animal-assisted interactions.
They may volunteer in places such as hospitals, schools, and nursing homes.
Animal-Assisted Intervention
Scientifically measuring the impact of animal-assisted interventions (AAI) is challenging, but the initial research findings are promising.
For physical health, researchers have found that AAI:
lowers blood pressure
reduces the number of medications some people need
reduces anxiety
releases positive hormones such as Phenylethylamine, which has the same effect as chocolate
For mental health, researchers have found that AAI:
provides comfort
reduces loneliness
increases mental stimulation
can provide a happy distraction (UCLA Health)
My Experience with a Therapy Dog
Anecdotally, I saw first-hand the benefits of AAI while deployed overseas as an Army pilot. My unit had a dog named Zac, who would fly in our helicopters, spreading joy and happiness. Although Zac's impact was difficult to quantify, I know it changed the lives of many service members.
When I returned home, I decided to create the same type of impact in my local community.
My wife, Katie, and I got Ellie and trained her as a therapy dog. After that, we spent several years volunteering in schools, hospitals, and nursing homes, advancing the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of others.
How Do I Certify My Dog as a Therapy Dog?
Therapy dogs must undergo training that includes exposing a dog to various people and situations. Above all, temperament is a crucial trait of a therapy dog.
Most organizations require dogs to be at least a year old and to demonstrate confidence and control in various situations, such as:
Getting around people
Group sit/stay
Meeting another dog
Visiting with a patient
Reaction to unusual situations
Reaction to children
Leave it
Entering/exiting rooms
Therapy dogs often must pass the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Test, a 10-skill test that is essentially a behavioral examination.
Dogs that pass the CGC then take a separate certification test through the therapy dog organization they would like to work with. Some therapy dog organizations in the United States include Pet Partners, Therapy Dogs International, and Alliance of Therapy Dogs.
If you have an interest in training your pup to become a therapy dog, I have multiple training blogs that will help you get started.
Interacting with Therapy Dogs
When I volunteer with Ellie, I often put a "Pet Me" tag on her harness to welcome others to interact with her.
However, I recommend to always ask the handler first before interacting with a dog. A simple, "could I pet your dog?" would be appropriate.
Be open if the handler guides you in interacting with the dog. For example, the handler may mention where the dog likes to be pet or that they should have all “four paws on the floor” before you begin to pet them.
That’s a brief overview of the role of therapy dogs, so now let’s talk about service dogs.
More about Service Dogs
Service dogs can be any breed or size.
These dogs are trained to perform a task directly related to a person’s disability.
Examples of Service Dog Tasks
A person who uses a wheelchair may have a dog that is trained to retrieve objects for them.
A person with depression may have a dog that is trained to perform a task to remind them to take their medication.
A person with PTSD may have a dog that is trained to lick their hand to alert them to an oncoming panic attack.
A person who has epilepsy may have a dog that is trained to detect the onset of a seizure and then help the person remain safe during the seizure. (ada.gov)
The guidelines for interacting with a service dog are different than with a therapy dog.
These guidelines are essential because interacting with a service dog could interfere with the dog's focus and inhibit his ability to pick up commands, which could harm the dog's owner.
How to Interact with a Service Dog
Interact with the handler, not the dog.
Service dogs often wear a harness, vest, or leash that says "Do not pet" as a reminder they are working.
Do not pet the dog.
Do not try and get the dog's attention.
Do not offer food to a service dog.
Do not allow your dog to try and interact with the service dog.
Do not take photos without permission.
Working Dogs
This article covers therapy dogs and service dogs, which may be the most frequent type of working dogs you see in the community.
Other working dogs include:
police dogs
military working dogs
detection dogs
search and rescue dogs
herding dogs
The impact of all working dogs is truly incredible!
If you have any questions about the process for your pup to become a therapy dog, please leave a comment below.
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