Educational Gateway and Minimum Training Standards
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Under federal law, members of the public are allowed to ask you two questions:
1. Is this a service dog?
2. What work or tasks has this dog been trained to perform?
Anything your dog does naturally or has taught itself to do does not qualify as a task or work. As well, any behavior that most dogs do naturally does not qualify as a task or work.
I understand that “emotional support” is not a qualifying task.
I understand that providing comfort or companionship is not a qualifying task.
I understand that all tasks or work must be things I have trouble completing due to my disability.
I understand that guard dog duty tasks are prohibited.
This means under federal law you must be prepared to describe some of the necessary tasks or work your dog is trained to perform, EVEN IF DESCRIBING THOSE TASKS OR WORK REVEALS THE NATURE OF YOUR DISABILITY.
While under the law members of the public are prohibited from asking you about your disability, describing the tasks or work your dog performs sometimes ends up revealing the nature of your disability. This may be unavoidable, however you are not required to discuss your disability beyond describing the tasks or work your dog performs.
I understand that saying “I am blind” or “I have multiple sclerosis” or “I have PTSD” do not describe tasks or work.
How do I describe the work or tasks that my dog is trained to perform?
First, remain calm and polite. Remember, you and your Service Dog may be the first team that someone ever meets. It is up to you to make sure that you leave them with an excellent impression.
Work or tasks are chores or behaviors that a Service Dog is trained to perform, on command or cue, to help a disabled person with something that they can not easily do for themselves due to their disability.
Work or tasks must be quantifiable in some way and described clearly, such as:
My service dog is trained to fetch medicine on command or on cue during a seizure (or episode).
My service dog is trained to alert to the presense of life threatening allergens.
My service dog is trained to open doors or drawers when I am unable.
My service dog is trained to alert on my blood glucose levels.
My service dog is trained to provide deep pressure therapy during a panic attack.
My service dog is trained to nudge me or lick me if I display panic or freezing behavior.
My service dog is trained to fetch someone to help me if necessary.
My service dog is trained to pick things up for me if I am unable.
My service dog is trained to alert me to specific sounds I have trouble hearing.
My service dog is trained to wake me from nightmares or night terrors.
My service dog is trained to paw me when I’m experiencing a panic attack (or episode).
My service dog is trained to ground me if I display a compulsive behavior.
My service dog is trained to guide me to a safe place during an episode.
My service dog is trained to guide me through areas that have low light.
I am prepared and willing to clearly describe some of the tasks or work my dog is trained to perform, even if doing so reveals the nature of my disability.
If you need more clarification, please
exit now
and seek a local Service Dog trainer for help.
