Editing Assistance dog (section)

== Terminology ==
'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. In the [[United States]], assistance dogs are also commonly referred to as 'service dogs'.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=General FAQs |url=https://assistancedogsinternational.org/resources/general-faqs/ |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=Assistance Dogs International |language=en}}</ref>

Assistance dogs are not [[emotional support animal]]s (ESAs), which are generally not protected by the same laws<ref>{{Cite web |title=Americans with Disabilities Act |url=https://www.ada.gov/topics/service-animals/ |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=ADA |language=en}}</ref> and typically have little to no training compared to an assistance or service dog. Assistance dogs and ESAs are also both distinct from [[Therapy dog|therapy dogs]]. While therapy dogs are required to undergo training and become certified, they work for people other than their handler and are not covered by laws such as the US [[Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990|Americans with Disabilities Act]].<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Karetnick |first=Jen |date=July 9, 2024 |title=How To Train a Therapy Dog: Learning If Your Dog Is Fit For Therapy Work |url=https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/how-to-train-a-therapy-dog/ |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=American Kennel Club |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Three Steps to Making Your Dog a Therapy Dog |url=https://www.akc.org/products-services/training-programs/canine-good-citizen/articles/three-steps-to-making-your-dog-a-therapy-dog/ |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=American Kennel Club |language=en}}</ref>