What's the difference?

What’s the difference between an Assistance Dog, Therapy Dog, Companion Dog and Emotional Support Dog? 

If you’ve been exploring how a trained dog could support you or someone you care about, you’ve probably come across a lot of different terms: Assistance Dog, service dog, therapy dog, companion dog, emotional support dog. 

They sound similar, and people often use them interchangeably. But in Australia, they do not all mean the same thing. 

Some dogs are specially trained to support a person with disability and have public access rights. Others provide comfort, connection or wellbeing support in homes, schools or community settings, but do not have the same legal access. 

Understanding the difference can help you find the right kind of support for your needs. 

Assistance Dog or  Service Dog: is there a difference? 

In Australia, Assistance Dog is the clearer and more commonly used term. You may also see the term “assistance animal” used in legislation and government information. 

The term “Service Dog” is more common in North America, where it is often used to describe a dog trained to support a person with disability. In other parts of the world, including Australia, people may still use “Service Dog” informally, but it can sometimes create confusion. That’s because “Service Dog” can also be understood to mean a dog working in a public service role, such as a police, military, customs or emergency services dog.  

For most Australian readers, the simplest way to think about it is an Assistance Dog is specially trained to perform tasks that support a person with disability. These dogs are different from pets, therapy dogs or emotional support animals because they receive specialised training for a particular role and must meet strict standards and public access accreditation before working in public. 

What is a therapy dog? 

A therapy dog usually works alongside a trained professional, such as an occupational therapist, psychologist, counsellor or healthcare worker, to support therapeutic goals. 

In this setting, the dog is part of a structured therapy session. For example, a therapy dog may help a person stay calm and focused, practise communication or social skills, build confidence, or take part in activities that support movement, coordination or daily living skills. 

Therapy dogs can provide comfort and emotional support, but their role is different from an accredited Assistance Dog. They are not usually trained to support one specific person with disability in everyday public life, and they do not have the same public access rights as an Assistance Dog. 

What is an emotional support dog? 

An emotional support dog provides comfort and emotional wellbeing support, often through their presence, companionship and routine. 

Emotional support dogs can be very important in a person’s life. They may help someone feel less alone, more grounded or more confident at home. 

Unlike an accredited Assistance Dog, an emotional support dog is not trained to perform specific disability-related tasks and is not recognised in the same way under Australian public access arrangements.   

What is a companion dog? 

A companion dog is generally a pet who provides friendship, routine and emotional connection. 

For many people, the companionship of a dog can make a meaningful difference. Dogs can encourage daily routines, outdoor activity, social connection and a sense of purpose. 

While companion dogs provide valuable friendship and routine, they are not trained to perform disability-related tasks in the way an accredited Assistance Dog is.