Assistance dog

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An assistance dog is a dog that receives specialized training to aid an individual with a disability in navigating everyday life. Many assistance dogs receive training from a handler (who is often aided by a professional trainer) or from an assistance dog organization.

'Assistance dog' is the internationally established term for a dog that provides assistance to a disabled person and is task-trained to help mitigate the handler's disability. In the United States, assistance dogs are also commonly referred to as 'service dogs'.

Assistance dogs are to not be confused with emotional support animals, which are generally not protected by the same laws^[1] and typically have little to no training compared to an assistance or service dog.