An Assistance Dog is a dog that has been trained to perform a specific set of tasks and focus on a single person. Most people will think of Guide Dogs for the Blind as a good example but did you know there are many recognised organisations that are members of Assistance Dogs UK? You may also have heard of Hearing Dogs or Medical Detection Dogs.
A Therapy Dog is often a pet dog belonging to a volunteer who visits establishments or the community to provide comfort. Therapy Dogs are used in Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) or Animal Assisted Intervention (AAI) to improve mental, physical, social and emotional functioning with the aid of animals.
Dogs will be temperament assessed for the role they will fulfil such as visiting schools to help children with reading, working with autistic adults and children, visiting the sick or elderly, or increasingly associated with large corporations as part of their staff well-being programme to reduce stress in the workplace.
TDN does not train or provide Assistance Dogs. We would recommend you contact Dogs for Good who are better placed to help you.
