All service dogs are not created equal; the difference between service and therapy dogs, or any other kind of dog, is what it’s trained for. Although to most people, service dogs are those cute furry friends who come visit us in the hospital when we are sick, a service dog is not at all the same as a therapy dog, which is not the same as an emotional support dog which is not the same as a companion dog which is not the same as a pet.
When you are walking in the supermarket or airport and you see a well-behaved dog seemingly immune and unaware to the world around it, this is a service dog. A service dog is with its handler to mitigate a physical or significant psychological disability.
Although some handlers are willing to chat with you about their dogs, you should not engage the person, particularly if the dog is working in that moment.
