The criteria is Psychiatric Service Dog vs emotional Support Dog
The training for each is different and the task they demonstrated are different
-The psychiatric Service dog is trained and can demonstrate doing a safety check of a room for a PTSD individual and/ or trained to search a room for a PTSD individual
- block a PTSD individual I a dissociative episode
- prevent or interrupt impulsive or destructive behaviors
These animals have been specifically trained to provide and can demonstrate the behaviors
EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL FOR PTSD
Has not been taught or can not demonstrate the behaviors preciously listed however does support and calm the individual
One of the key difference in the training of these two animals is of course their ability to demonstrate the trained behaviors, but also the ability to recognize the need for the task.
Many individuals with PTSD will call their dogs to them when they need them but the dog may not be specifically trained to pick up on cues and act on them that the service dog would
If you go to the psychitric service dog organization web site it is discussed there.
Also:
National Empowerment Center
The invisible disabilities are the hardest.
Anyone who challenges you can only ask if your animal is a service dog and what specific tasks they provide for your disability. They will also watch to observe those tasks.
The "task" of emotional support without the specific behaviors is not enough to get the service dog privileges. No one can ask for a letter from your doctor etc. but it is never a bad idea to have one. Remember-- there is NO official service dog registry, and people who screen for service dog know this - they are looking for the specific tasks that were listed above.
I almost missed an overseas flight one time because the people at the gate challenged my service dog and wanted to see the behavior she was trained to cue to -- was a real mess because the plane was loading but I finally found someone to set off an alarm and another to clap loudly for my dog to respond to the cue so they could watch her! Almost missed the darn flight!