11/08/2025
We get a lot of questions about training service dogs, so let’s clear up some common confusion.
Service dogs are highly specialized animals trained to perform tasks that directly help someone with a disability—everything from alerting to medical conditions, providing mobility support, or assisting with PTSD. They require the right temperament, just like law enforcement K9s, and many dogs simply don’t make it through service dog training. In North Dakota, the only accredited facility we know of is Service Dogs for America in Judd, ND. They only train dogs bred specifically for this purpose, and the cost can be around $25,000. Your pet dog cannot be trained to become a service dog through their program.
This is very different from emotional support animals (ESAs), which provide comfort and companionship but aren’t trained to perform specific tasks. ESAs require a letter from a licensed mental health professional and have some protections under housing laws and certain air travel rules—but they don’t get the same public access rights as service dogs.
Therapy dogs are another category entirely. They are trained to provide comfort to groups of people in hospitals, schools, and care facilities. Their training focuses on obedience and calm behavior, but they do not have public access rights under the ADA.
A few things to remember about service dogs: they don’t need a vest or certification to be a service dog, and distracting them can actually harm the handler since the dog’s focus is critical. Unfortunately, some people try to pass off an ESA as a service dog, which makes things harder for individuals who truly rely on them.
Most people looking for a “service dog” may really need an ESA, but understanding the difference helps protect everyone and ensures service dogs can do their life-changing work without distraction.
