“Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?”
“What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?”
Those are the two questions that you can be legally asked to confirm the legitimacy of your service dog.
People frequently contact me and ask if I can train their dog to be a service dog. But the real question should be:
“Will you help me train my dog to do (TASK) in order to help me with (DISABILITY)?”
Per the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), your service dog does not need to be certified by any organization. Your service dog does not need to wear an identifying vest. Your service dog does not even need to be professionally trained! Your service dog does need to be able to perform a specific task on your behalf - one that you can explain when asked. “She guides me safely in public,” is a task. “He alerts me of my blood sugar levels,” would also qualify. These are by no means the only appropriate answers. However, please note that these are concrete, definable jobs that mitigate the effects of a disability - not ambiguous titles which we assign to the dog.
Emotional support, comfort, companion, or therapy dogs are not considered service animals under the ADA and are not entitled to the same freedoms as service dogs.
Though professional training is not a requirement, you will also want to ensure that your service dog, if you need one, is well-behaved and fully housebroken, or it can be excluded from public places like any other dog. You must be able to control your service dog at all times, with or without a leash. The handler of a dog that is out of control can be legally ordered to leave a public space if they cannot control their dog.
In 2020 the US DOT implemented additional criteria unique to the airline industry. These include (but are not limited to):
The requirement to be leashed
Limiting a person to 2 service dogs in transit
Limiting the space a service dog may occupy in-flight
Specifically excluding emotional support dogs
Acknowledging the legitimacy of psychiatric service dogs (distinct from ESAs)
Requiring a DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form attesting to the dog’s training and behavior
If you have a legitimate need for a service dog, I highly suggest hiring a trainer who specializes in training the type of service you require.
Because nobody is required to professionally train their service animals, there is no certifying body, central authority, or directory of all available trainers of service dogs. However, Assistance Dogs International has a pretty extensive directory you can use as a starting point:
For more information on service animal laws, please follow up with these ADA and DOT sources: