According to the American Kennel Club, therapy dogs "volunteer... where they provide comfort, affection, and even love in the course of their work. Therapy dogs are trained to be comfortable in new environments and to interact with different people. They should have a calm temperament, be unfazed by unfamiliar noises and movements, be comfortable being handled, and love people."
The training of a service dog is much more targeted than that of a therapy dog. Service dogs are trained to perform specific actions that aid people with disabilities (guiding those who are blind, alerting those who are hearing impaired to noise, recognizing signs of seizures or panic attacks, etc.). In contrast, the training of a therapy dog focuses on their temperament and reaction to new stimuli.
Unlike therapy dogs, emotional support dogs do not require any training. The American Kennel Club states that "in order to be considered an emotional support dog, it must be prescribed by a mental health professional for a patient with a diagnosed psychological or emotional disorder."
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