What to Know About Service Dogs

A service dog works like a personal health assistant for someone with a physical or psychiatric condition. Just as a home nurse might monitor vital signs, assist with mobility, retrieve medications, and help manage daily healthcare needs, a service dog performs tasks that address the health challenges their handler faces. 

In technical terms, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) describes a service dog as “a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.” If your dog meets this definition, they can be at your side in areas where pets aren’t allowed, like stores and airplanes.

There are countless ways a service dog lends a “helping paw”. When someone can’t reach their dropped medication, their service dog retrieves it. When a person can’t hear the fire alarm, their service dog alerts them. When someone with anxiety has a panic attack, their service dog performs pressure therapy to help soothe them. 

In this guide, we’ll give clear answers from service dog experts to all the questions you’re probably asking about service dogs. 

In this article:

• What a service dog is
• Basic eligibility for service dogs
• Health conditions for service dogs
• Jobs performed by service dogs
• Verifying service dog status
• Psychiatric service dogs: support for invisible disabilities
• Service dog training requirements
• Service dog laws in the U.S.
• Flying with a Service Dog
• Dogs that can qualify as service dogs
• Service dog registration and certification
• Service dogs for veterans
• Is a service dog right for me?

What a Service Dog is

A service dog is defined as any dog that is trained to perform a task that helps with a person’s disability so they can function day to day. A service dog can be any breed and size, and help with both physical and mental health conditions. They are working animals that are legally recognized, and their handlers get amazing public access rights. These are the most common types of service dogs:

• Guide Dogs 
• Hearing Dogs 
• Mobility Assistance Dogs 
• Medical Alert Dogs 
• Psychiatric Service Dogs 

Basic Eligibility for Service Dogs

To be eligible to call your dog a service dog under ADA guidelines, these requirements have to be met:

1. The handler must have a qualifying disability
2. The dog must be specifically trained to perform tasks that help with the disability
3. The dog must be under control and well-behaved in public settings

For a detailed breakdown of these requirements, including training standards and behavioral expectations, visit our complete guide to service dog requirements. 

Service dogs are not required to wear special vests, have certification papers, or be registered in any official database, though many handlers voluntarily choose these options for practical reasons. What truly matters is the handler’s health status and the animal’s training and behavior.

Health Conditions for Service Dogs

Under the ADA, a qualifying health condition (i.e., a disability) for a service dog is  “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.” Many health conditions qualify for a service dog under this definition, like the following:

• Mobility impairments (paraplegia, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, etc.)
• Visual impairments (blindness, low vision)
• Hearing impairments (deafness, hearing loss)
• Psychiatric disabilities (PTSD, severe anxiety, bipolar disorder)
• Neurological conditions (epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease)
• Autism spectrum disorder
• Diabetes

For a thorough list of health conditions a service dog can help, explore our detailed guide on qualifying disabilities for service dogs. Unsure about whether you have an eligible psychiatric condition? You might be interested in getting a PSD letter. 

Jobs Performed by Service Dogs

Here are just a few examples of the jobs performed by service dogs:

• Retrieval tasks: Picking up dropped items, fetching medications, bringing phones during emergencies
• Mobility assistance: Providing counterbalance, bracing for transfers, pulling wheelchairs
• Medical alerts: Detecting seizures, blood sugar changes, allergic reactions
• Guide work: Navigating obstacles, finding doors, locating specific places
• Psychiatric assistance: Interrupting harmful behaviors, anxiety service tasks like providing deep pressure therapy, creating space in crowds

Some service dogs perform multiple tasks to address different health concerns. A service dog might be trained to both alert to low blood sugar for someone with diabetes AND provide mobility support by retrieving dropped items or helping with balance. They’re essentially handling two critical jobs with one wagging tail. For veterans with PTSD and a physical disability, their service dog might create a buffer in crowded spaces to reduce anxiety while also helping with physical tasks like opening doors or providing counterbalance when walking.

A service dog must also be trained to do their job dependably in various environments and perform on cue or automatically in response to specific situations. For example, a mobility assistance dog that maintains perfect heel position through bustling city streets, quiet libraries, and chaotic airports alike, consistently staying in position regardless of distractions. 

For an in-depth exploration of over 50 tasks, service dogs can perform across different disability categories, check out our list of service dog tasks. This resource can help you identify which tasks might benefit a specific health concern.

Verifying Service Dog Status 

The ADA permits businesses to ask only two questions to verify a service dog’s status:

• Is this a service dog required because of a disability?
• What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?

Staff cannot request documentation, ask about the disability, require special identification, or ask the dog to demonstrate tasks. A service dog may legally be removed if it becomes disruptive, aggressive, or isn’t housebroken.

Fake service dogs can be identified primarily through their behavior. A properly trained service dog typically:

• Remains focused on their handler
• Stays calm and quiet in public settings
• Doesn’t seek attention from strangers
• Shows no interest in other animals
• Performs specific tasks when needed
• Maintains good leash manners

While the ADA doesn’t require service dogs to wear special equipment, many handlers use vests, patches, or harnesses so others can immediately recognize their dog has a special status:

• Reduces unwanted public interaction
• Helps the dog understand when it’s working
• Makes public access smoother
• Provides quick visual identification

Common service dog supplies include:

• Vests with “Service Dog” patches
• Specialized harnesses for specific tasks (guide, mobility, etc.)
• ID cards with handler and dog information
• “Do Not Pet” patches or badges

Remember that equipment alone doesn’t make a dog a service animal — proper training does. For example, the presence or absence of a vest isn’t proof of service dog status. The ADA focuses on behavior and task training rather than appearance and the use of accessories.

Remember, if you’re a service dog owner and you don’t have these accessories or forget them at home, you can’t be denied entry on that basis. Conversely, you can’t use these items as the sole way to prove to a staff person that you own a service dog. 

Psychiatric Service Dogs: Support for Invisible Disabilities

Unlike emotional support animals that provide comfort just by hanging around, psychiatric service dogs (PSDs) perform specific trained tasks to help with mental health disabilities.

PSDs are a type of service dog that assist with mental health issues like PTSD, severe anxiety disorders, panic disorder, and bipolar disorder through trained tasks like:

• Providing deep pressure therapy during panic attacks
• Creating personal space in public settings
• Interrupting self-harming behaviors
• Guiding handlers to exits during dissociative episodes
• Room searches for PTSD triggers
• Medication reminders

If you want to learn more about how these remarkable dogs assist with psychiatric disabilities and how to qualify for one, check out our comprehensive guide on psychiatric service dogs. 

Service Dog Training Requirements

Service dogs are required to be trained in two essential skills: performing tasks that help with your disability and behaving properly in public.

The basic stages of training look like this: First comes basic obedience — your dog needs to reliably sit, stay, come when called, and leave things alone when told. Next, they learn the specific tasks that will help with your disability, whether that’s retrieving dropped items, alerting them to sounds, or sensing an oncoming seizure. Finally is the public access piece, where your dog learns to keep their cool in busy stores, restaurants, and other distracting places.

There are a few ways to get a trained service dog. You can get one from an organization that handles all the training (though this often means joining a waiting list and costs anywhere from $15,000-$30,000). You can train your own dog with help from professionals or books, and video programs. Or, if you have the experience, you can train independently without any outside help.

Want to dig deeper into training methods and what to expect? Check out our handy Service Dog Training Guide. For a detailed breakdown of expenses and budgeting considerations, see our complete guide on how much it costs to train a service dog. 

Service Dog Laws in the U.S. 

Three federal laws govern service dog rights in the United States. Understanding these laws can help you assert your access rights as a service dog handler with confidence.

The ADA is the primary federal law protecting service dog handlers’ public access rights. Key provisions include:

• Service dogs must be allowed in businesses, government facilities, and nonprofit organizations open to the public
• Only two questions may legally be asked: (1) Is this a service dog required for a disability? and (2) What tasks is the dog trained to perform?
• No documentation, identification, or specific training certification can be required
• Businesses cannot charge extra fees for service dogs
• Service dogs can be excluded if they are out of control or pose a safety or health threat to others

For more information on ADA protections, visit our guide to ADA Service Dog Laws.

The Fair Housing Act gives service dogs housing protections:

• Applies to most housing providers 
• Prohibits pet fees or deposits for service dogs
• Overrides “no pets” policies and breed restrictions

Learn about your housing rights with our detailed Fair Housing Act guide.

Lastly, the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) governs air travel with service dogs:

• Airlines must allow service dogs in the cabin at no additional charge
• Carriers cannot require specific training certification
• Airlines may require a 48-hour advance notice

For travel-specific regulations, review our Air Carrier Access Act guide.

Flying with a Service Dog

Service dogs have the right to board flights without charge. Here are a few things to know about flying with your service dog: 

• Only dogs are recognized as service animals on flights
• Airlines will ask you to submit a Department of Transportation Service Animal Form
• Forms can be required up to 48 hours before travel
• Service dogs must remain within your foot space during flight
• Handlers are responsible for their dog’s behavior throughout travel

If you’re flying with a service dog for the first time and need some advice on what to expect, see our Flying with a Service Dog Guide.

Dogs That Can Qualify as Service Dogs

The ADA doesn’t restrict service dogs based on breed, size, or weight. Any dog — from a Chihuahua to a Great Dane — can legally be a service dog as long as they’re properly trained to perform tasks that help with their handler’s disability. What matters more than breed or size is the dog’s temperament, trainability, and ability to perform needed tasks.

While Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, and Standard Poodles are commonly chosen for service work due to their general trainability and work ethic, many successful service dogs come from unexpected breeds or mixed-breed backgrounds. Small dogs can excel at medical alert tasks and can be ideal for handlers with limited strength or space constraints. 

For example, a tiny Yorkshire Terrier can provide life-saving diabetic alerts through scent detection. A medium-sized Border Collie mix can be a psychiatric service dog for a veteran with PTSD by performing anxiety interruption. A powerful Great Dane can be a mobility assistant, helping with everything from wheelchair pulling to retrieving dropped items.

Many handlers find that rescue dogs make outstanding service animals once properly trained. The key qualities in any potential service dog include a stable temperament, focus, adaptability to various environments, and a willingness to work. If you’re interested in a dog that performs psychiatric service work, check out our guide to the 10 best psychiatric service dog breeds. 

Service Dog Registration and Certification

This may surprise you, but under the ADA, service dogs don’t need to be registered, certified, or have a service dog ID. The law was intentionally designed this way to prevent additional barriers for people with disabilities.

So why do some handlers choose to register their dogs anyway? Simply put, for convenience. While registration doesn’t grant any additional legal rights, many handlers find it reduces access challenges when a skeptical employee sees an ID card and registration details. Some handlers register simply to reduce the explanations they need to provide in public or because an uninformed staff member or landlord keeps insisting on it. 

If you’re considering registration for practical reasons, our guide explains how to register your service dog. We also cover what it means to certify a service dog. 

Service Dogs for Veterans

Veterans face unique challenges that service dogs are well-equipped to help with. After serving our country, many veterans return home with physical injuries, PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, or other conditions that impact their daily lives. Service dogs offer these veterans a path to greater independence and healing.

For example, for veterans with physical disabilities from combat injuries, service dogs can provide mobility support, help with balance issues, retrieve items, and assist with daily tasks that might otherwise require human help. This restored independence can be transformative for someone who’s accustomed to being highly capable and self-sufficient.

Service dogs also help many veterans with PTSD manage symptoms that can be debilitating. These specially trained dogs can:

• Interrupt nightmares and panic attacks
• Create a physical buffer in crowded spaces
• Perform room searches to help reduce hypervigilance
• Provide deep pressure therapy during anxiety episodes
• Alert to increasing stress levels before symptoms become severe
• Ground their handler during flashbacks or dissociative episodes

Beyond the specific tasks, many veterans report that having a service dog provides a sense of purpose and routine that eases the transition to civilian life. The responsibility of caring for the dog and the structure it brings to daily life can be therapeutic in itself.

Check out our guide for veterans seeking service dogs if you’re a veteran or know a veteran who might need a service dog. 

Is a Service Dog Right for Me?

Service dogs aren’t for everyone, even if you have a qualifying disability. Before attempting service dog ownership, be completely honest with yourself in answering these questions:

• Does your disability actually create barriers that a trained dog could help overcome?
• What specific tasks would make your daily life measurably better?
• Have you consulted your healthcare professional about less intensive interventions like medication or assistive devices? 

If you’re convinced a service dog is right for you, here are some practical points to help you prepare for the process to get one:

Practical Preparations:

• Research the financial aspects, including initial training/acquisition and ongoing care costs
• Evaluate your living space to ensure it accommodates both you and a service dog comfortably
• Consider how your current routine will adapt to include a canine partner

Setting Expectations:

• Understand that training is an ongoing process, not a one-time event
• Recognize that while public education about service dogs has improved, you may occasionally need to explain access rights
• Appreciate that the bond with a service dog develops over time and strengthens with working together

While the responsibility of having a service dog is significant, the benefits often far outweigh the adjustments. A service dog can provide independence, safety, and assistance that fundamentally transforms daily life for people with disabilities.