People often ask me to train their dog to be an Emotional Support Dog (ESD). There is a great deal of confusion over what constitutes an ESD and what legal rights are associated with having one. As a result, a lot of people are getting scammed by individuals claiming to breed, train, and sell ESDs.
Let's start by explaining what an ESD is and is not.
Legally speaking, an Emotional Support Dog is nothing more than a pet. They have no special rights or privelages nor do they perform a trained service. Restaurants, retailers, and transportation services have no obligation to allow ESDs to enter their premises - even if you have a letter from your doctor or therapist claiming the dog is an ESD.
Compared to true working Service Dogs, ESDs are simply companions. This is not to say that your dog does not provide you with emotional support. It may even help you manage anxiety or fear. But that is not a result of an specific training the dog has received. It's merely an outcome of the special relationship you've formed with him.
Service Dogs, on the other hand, are dogs who perform a highly trained service such as alerting on an impending seizure, blood sugar changes, anxiety responses, assist with physical disabilities, etc. These dogs do come with Legal protections to accompany their handlers where other dogs are not allowed. Service Dogs are usually selected by an agency as young puppies and raised in foster homes until they are ready to enter formal training. They are then put through extremely rigorous and expensive training to ensure that they will consistently perform the services regardless of distractions or duress. The level of testing these dogs undergo is extensive and many do not make it through to certification.
While there are dogs who naturally will alert on seizures or perform tasks to help their owners, these dogs are not true service dogs. Without formal training, these dogs will rarely perform consistently in all conditions and must not be relied upon to do so. In fact, many of these dogs would not make it through the rigorous training required to be a Service Dog. Service Dog training starts from the time the puppy is very young and continues for their lifetime of service. They are not pets. They are working dogs who are on the clock 24x7 to provide a highly specialized service.
In summary,
ESDs are companions. Any dog with whom you form that bond can provide emotional support. It requires no specialized training or certification and there are no legal protections or privelages for a dog you rely upon for emotional support. If you want a dog to be able to go more places with you, the only training required is good obedience along with environmental neutrality. But don't expect to be allowed to take your dog places where dogs are not allowed even if you have a doctor's note.
Service Dogs are highly trained working dogs. They are selected at a very young age by agencies, raised in foster homes, then undergo rigorous training and certification. Very few dogs make it through the training. While Service Dogs live with their family and can be wonderful companions, they are not family pets. Their purpose is to do a specialized job under all conditions 24x7. As such, they are afforded legal protections and privelages to enable them to accompany their handler at all times to keep them safe.
If someone tells you they breed, train or sell ESDs - run away.
If someone offers to train your family dog to be a Service Dog - run away.
They are not legitimate.