Service Dog/Glossary

Terms as used on this project on service dog recognition-response training for PTSD, panic, etc. See also Service dog.


assistance dog is a general term for servce dogs. California service dog tags re AD tags. Private practitioners such as Dogs4Diabetics also use this term.

ADA Americans with Disabilities Act

DOJ Department of Justice

emotional support animal provides comfort by their mere presence but are not trained as service animals.

therapy dogs are used to benefit people needing therapy, but are not trained as service animals.

service dogs are individually trained to perform work or tasks that ameliorate a disability.


Glossary of psychology, training and legal ters reated to traing service dogs.


assistance dog is a general term for servce dogs. California service dog tags re AD tags. Private practitioners such as Dogs4Diabetics also use this term.

ADA Americans with Disabilities Act

Alert dog typically warns of diabetic blood sugar Crisis, onset of seizures, agitation or other undesired medica state.

Cognition theory underlies pattern recognition models used in this research to develope recognition.response traininbg protocols.

Comfort animal or comfort dog is synonym for ESA but perhaps broader, more colloquial and vaguely disdaiful.

DOJ Department of Justice

emotional support animal provides comfort by their mere presence but are not trained as service animals.

Lupocentric is a term John Bradshaw uses for old school theory which attributes dominance-seeking behavior to dogs, which he believes is erroneousy ased on captive rather than wild wolves.

Negative reinforcement can be a training method of withdrawing a reward.

Operant conditionng is behavioural science method of training by reinforcing actions of the subject (animal}.

Pet dog refers to companion animal, often US d as condescending comparison to SD.

Positive training is a school of thought which emphaszes rewards for gooid canine response and minimizes punishment.

Response dog addresses medical Crisis IN PROGRESS.

therapy dogs are used to benefit people needing therapy, but are not trained as service animals.

service dogs are individually trained to perform work or tasks that ameliorate a disability.


A glossary of terms pertaining to service dog training in the USA.

alert dog

assistance dog is a general term for servce dogs. California service dog tags re AD tags. Private practitioners such as Dogs4Diabetics also use this term.

ADA Americans with Disabilities Act

DOJ Department of Justice

emotional support animal provides comfort by their mere presence but are not trained as service animals.

Medical assistance dog

Medical response dog

Psychiatric service dog

therapy dogs are used to benefit people needing therapy, but are not trained as service animals.

service dogs are individually trained to perform work or tasks that ameliorate a disability.