First let’s define the difference between a service and therapy dog.

Service Dog/Service Dog Training: A service dog is defined as a dog that performs a service for a person with a disability.  Disabilities recognized by the ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) are various but may include anxiety, blindness, autism, diabetes, seizures, amongst others.

Service dogs and service dogs in training are granted access into public places such as restaurants, airplanes, hotels, theaters, grocery stores, etc.

There is no federal guideline stating what level of training a service dog has to attain, rather the guidelines for service dogs state that a service dog can’t be a perceived threat to other guests, patrons, or visitors of public places.

CommuniCanine offers a proprietary certification that is designed to ensure that your dog is socialized well enough, trained well enough, and is equipped to accompany you in public.  Our service dog certification is not dependent on the type of disability you may have as that is between you and your doctor.  Our certification program is designed to certify your capacity to be in public with your dog.

A certified dog cannot be denied access to a public place unless the dog is posing a threat.

Therapy Dog Certification:  A therapy dog is a dog that is used to give comfort or provide therapeutic support in a number of capacities.  Many therapy dogs will work in hospitals, homes for the elderly, children’s hospitals, etc.

A therapy dog does not have the same rights as a service dog and is not legally granted access to all public places.

Organizations, hospitals, clinics, etc. may set their own standards for what type of certification they will accept for therapy animals in their facilities.  If you are considering getting a certification make sure to inquire with the facility where you wish to give therapy if they accept our certification.

The foundation for any service or therapy dog is obedience.  The dog must be capable of being highly obedient in even highly distracting areas and scenarios.  Our Perfect Dog and Perfect Dog Plus programs will enable dogs with suitable temperaments to obtain their certification as either a service or therapy dog.

We also offer services for Veterans and others who need a Service Dog for PTSD, mobility or other such issues where we can help you find the right dog and train it from scratch to be your constant companion.  Contact us for more information on this service.