service dog

American  

[sur-vis dawg, dog] / ˈsɜr vɪs ˌdɔg, ˌdɒg /

noun

1. a dog trained to assist a person with a disability, especially a disability other than blindness, such as by alerting a deaf person to important environmental sounds or a person with an allergy to the presence of their allergen in food.

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Etymology

Origin of service dog

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

She was told by airline staff that she did not have the required documents to travel with the animal as a service dog and was subsequently denied a boarding pass, police said.

From BBC • Feb. 20, 2026

If a veteran with a service dog tried to get onto a train and was denied, they’d be appealing to the Federal Transit Administration.

From Slate • Jul. 4, 2025

Guimaraes returned to his duties at Marina del Rey, but allegedly faced difficulties with his necessary accommodations, including having a service dog and requiring a well-ventilated workplace.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 4, 2024

Leighton said the results are clear evidence that partnership with a service dog may be a highly effective complementary medical intervention.

From Science Daily • Jun. 4, 2024

The 41-year-old veteran met his service dog, a pointer-black lab mix named Doc, in 2019.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 4, 2024