Definitions
ACAA: Air
Carriers Access Act. This is the Federal Act which covers Service
Dogs on airplanes.
Access Encounter:
When the civil rights of a disabled person are violated by someone
who objects to the presence of the person's Service Dog in a
public place. These can range from "you can't bring that
dog in here" to more extreme cases.
ADA: Americans
with Disabilities Act 1990. This is the Federal Act that, under
most circumstances, covers Service Dogs.
Alert: When
a dog signals his partner. A Hearing Dog might alert his partner
to a knock at the door. A Seizure Alert and Response Dog might
alert his partner to an upcoming seizure. Fergus
alerts me to when I am doing too much and need to rest to avoid
a flare up of my disability.
Americans with Disabilities
Act 1990: This is the Federal Act that, under most
circumstances, covers Service Dogs.
Assistance Dog:
A dog that has been individually trained to mitigate his or
her partner's disability. This is not the term that is used
in the ADA, but it is commonly recognized.
Certification:
A hot topic in the Service Dog Communities. Certification is
currently not required under Federal Law. The only certification
currently available is that which is provided by a program,
trainer, or service dog partner. There is the perception among
some that this might lead to able bodied people pretending that
their pets are service dogs; however, this rarely occurs. There
is also the perception that some people might try to pass off
pet dogs who are not adequately trained as Service Dogs. Dogs
who do not exhibit appropriate public behavior may be asked
to leave public places whether or not the dog has certification.
Clicker Training:
This is a method of dog training used by many Service Dog trainers
and partners. Click here for more
information about this method.
Dog Guide:
See Guide Dog
Dressed: A
Service Dog is "dressed" when he or she is wearing
a harness or vest that indicates that he or she is a Service
Dog. A Service Dog In Training (SDIT) is dressed when he or
she is wearing a harness or vest indicating that he or she is
a SDIT.
Fair Housing Act:
This is the Act that covers Service Dogs and applies to housing
issues.
Guide Dog:
A Service Dog who is partnered with a blind person.
Hearing Dog:
A Service Dog who is partnered with a deaf or hard of hearing
person.
In Training:
Dogs who are learning to become Service Dogs are labeled as
In Training. Some states have laws that allow these dogs into
places where pets are not allowed.
Owner Trained:
A Service Dog who was trained by his or her disabled partner.
Psychiatric Service Dog:
A Service Dog who is partnered with a person who has a psychiatric
disability.
Seeing Eye Dog:
A Guide Dog from the Seeing Eye School in Morristown, NJ.
Seizure Alert and Response
Dog: A Service Dog who alerts his or her partner
to oncoming seizures, and who also assists his partner during
and after seizures.
Seizure Response Dog:
A Service Dog who assists a person during and after seizures,
but who does not alert to oncoming seizures.
Service Dog:
A dog that has been individually trained to mitigate his or
her partner's disability. This term is sometimes used to refer
to dogs that are partnered with a physically disabled person
who is neither blind nor deaf.