Service Dogs
We give thanks this month, as we should every month, to animals that provide service to us humans. It is easy enough to purchase official-looking vests and patches online, but can be difficult to know the difference between the classifications of animals that provide us with such valuable assistance. What training does it take to be a therapy dog? A service dog? The information below will help clarify these differences.
Canine Good Citizens
The AKC’s Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Program was started in 1989 and designed to reward good manners at home and in the community. It is a two-part program that stresses responsible pet ownership for owners and good manners for dogs. There is a 10-step test. The CGC Program is the foundation for other AKC activities such as obedience, agility, tracking and performance events. Amador shelter dogs that go through the Karma Rescue/Paws for Life Prison Program earn CGC certificates.
Therapy Dogs
Therapy dogs are not the same as service dogs. Therapy dogs go with their owners to schools, hospitals, libraries, nursing homes and other community locations. They do not have the same access as service dogs. AKC therapy dog titles are earned by dogs that have been certified by AKC-recognized therapy dog organizations. Most, if not all, therapy dogs have earned a GCC certificate or met the standards of the GCC program. Specifically-trained dogs who work with a professional’s clients or residents, such as live-in dog at a nursing home, are therapy dogs.
Service Dogs
Service dogs are intensively trained to perform specific tasks to help a person with a disability or condition. There are many different types of service dogs:
Search and Rescue (SAR) Dogs
SAR dogs are used in wilderness tracking, mass casualty events and natural disasters and to search for missing people. There are three types of SAR dogs:
What are NOT “service animals”?
Emotional Support Animals work with an individual who needs comfort. There is no required specialized training, has no public access, and can be any species.
Courthouse Companions are trained to work with children or adults in a courtroom setting while giving potentially difficult testimony. It helps lower tension, provide distraction, and give support. Amador County has a courthouse companion.
Fake Service Dogs: Dozens of organizations, such as the U.S. Dog Registry, claim to offer registry, certification, licenses, or other documentation for service dogs. These are all scams. If someone does not have a disability, he/she does not qualify for a service dog. No equipment--vest, harness, ID card, patch or anything else can make your dog a service dog unless you are disabled and your dog has been specifically trained to perform tasks or work that you would have difficulty doing because of your disability. Be aware that in California there is a $1,000 penalty and six months in jail for pet owners who falsely imply that their animal is a service dog.
Canine Good Citizens
The AKC’s Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Program was started in 1989 and designed to reward good manners at home and in the community. It is a two-part program that stresses responsible pet ownership for owners and good manners for dogs. There is a 10-step test. The CGC Program is the foundation for other AKC activities such as obedience, agility, tracking and performance events. Amador shelter dogs that go through the Karma Rescue/Paws for Life Prison Program earn CGC certificates.
Therapy Dogs
Therapy dogs are not the same as service dogs. Therapy dogs go with their owners to schools, hospitals, libraries, nursing homes and other community locations. They do not have the same access as service dogs. AKC therapy dog titles are earned by dogs that have been certified by AKC-recognized therapy dog organizations. Most, if not all, therapy dogs have earned a GCC certificate or met the standards of the GCC program. Specifically-trained dogs who work with a professional’s clients or residents, such as live-in dog at a nursing home, are therapy dogs.
Service Dogs
Service dogs are intensively trained to perform specific tasks to help a person with a disability or condition. There are many different types of service dogs:
- Visual or hearing-impaired assistance dogs
- Dogs that provide assistance with a medical condition such as seizure and diabetic alert dogs, psychiatric service dogs, etc.
Search and Rescue (SAR) Dogs
SAR dogs are used in wilderness tracking, mass casualty events and natural disasters and to search for missing people. There are three types of SAR dogs:
- Air-scenting (to locate humans in general)
- Trailing (following the scent of a specific person)
- Following ground disturbances
What are NOT “service animals”?
Emotional Support Animals work with an individual who needs comfort. There is no required specialized training, has no public access, and can be any species.
Courthouse Companions are trained to work with children or adults in a courtroom setting while giving potentially difficult testimony. It helps lower tension, provide distraction, and give support. Amador County has a courthouse companion.
Fake Service Dogs: Dozens of organizations, such as the U.S. Dog Registry, claim to offer registry, certification, licenses, or other documentation for service dogs. These are all scams. If someone does not have a disability, he/she does not qualify for a service dog. No equipment--vest, harness, ID card, patch or anything else can make your dog a service dog unless you are disabled and your dog has been specifically trained to perform tasks or work that you would have difficulty doing because of your disability. Be aware that in California there is a $1,000 penalty and six months in jail for pet owners who falsely imply that their animal is a service dog.
