Service Dog Questions: What You Need to Know About Training, Rights, and Daily Care

When people ask service dog questions, working dogs trained to perform tasks for people with disabilities. Also known as assistance dogs, they’re not pets—they’re medical equipment with fur. Most of those questions come from folks who’ve seen a dog in a store, on a plane, or walking beside someone with a cane and wonder: Is this real? What can they do? How do you even get one?

The truth is, service dog training, task-specific work taught to mitigate a person’s disability. Also known as task-trained dogs, it’s not about being cute or well-behaved—it’s about precision. A service dog might alert to low blood sugar, block panic attacks, retrieve medication, or guide someone who’s blind. That’s not something you learn from a YouTube video. It takes months, sometimes years, of focused work. And no, just putting a vest on your golden retriever doesn’t make it a service dog. The law doesn’t care about the vest—it cares about the task.

That’s why service dog rights, legal protections allowing trained dogs to accompany their handlers in public spaces. Also known as ADA rights, they’re clear: businesses can’t ask for proof, can’t charge extra, and can’t deny entry just because they’re scared of dogs. But they can ask two things: Is this a service dog? And what task is it trained to do? That’s it. No paperwork. No certification cards. No ID tags. Those are scams. Real service dogs don’t need them.

And then there’s the confusion with emotional support dogs, animals that provide comfort but aren’t trained for specific tasks. Also known as ESAs, they’re not service animals under federal law. They don’t get into restaurants or planes unless the business lets them. People mix them up all the time—and that hurts real service dog teams. When fake service dogs misbehave, it makes businesses nervous. And when businesses get nervous, they start asking harder questions… for everyone.

So if you’re asking service dog questions because you’re thinking about getting one, here’s what you need to know: it’s not a shortcut. It’s a commitment. You need a diagnosed disability. You need a dog with the right temperament. You need time, patience, and probably a professional trainer. And you need to understand that your dog’s job isn’t to be loved—it’s to work. That’s the difference between a pet and a service dog.

Below, you’ll find real answers from people who’ve lived this. From what to feed a service dog on the go, to how to handle public pushback, to why some vets won’t even recommend certain supplements for working dogs. No fluff. No marketing. Just what works—for the handler, and the dog.