What distinguishes a therapy dog from a service dog?

The correct understanding highlights that a therapy dog is trained to assist multiple people, particularly in settings such as hospitals, schools, and nursing homes, providing comfort, emotional support, and companionship. This role often involves interacting with numerous individuals rather than focusing solely on a specific handler.

In contrast, a service dog is specifically trained to perform tasks for an individual with a disability, giving them a level of independence that might otherwise be unattainable. The nature of their training includes the ability to respond to commands and mitigate their handler’s disability. Therefore, therapy dogs and service dogs serve distinctly different purposes, with the former generally aiding multiple people in various environments.

While it may seem that a service dog should only focus on its owner, the statement claiming it "ignores everyone but its owner" does not accurately represent the broader capabilities and purpose of service dogs, which also includes being social but focused on assisting their specific handler. Similarly, the other options regarding the restrictions of therapy dogs and the singular function of service dogs are not accurate in describing their roles. Understanding these differences is crucial for recognizing the various ways both types of dogs contribute positively to society.