Everything You Need To Know About Service Dogs for Anxiety

Service dogs, defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), are dogs of any breed or size that are trained to perform tasks directly related to their owner's disability and the challenges that accompany it. This umbrella term covers various types of dogs, including service dogs for anxiety and guide dogs for individuals with limited sight.

The tasks performed by psychiatric service dogs are diverse and depend on the specific needs of their owners. For example, they can retrieve objects for individuals with mobility limitations, remind someone to take medication or ensure the safety of someone with epilepsy by detecting and responding to seizures.

One of the most critical benefits of service dogs is that they have the right to accompany their owners almost anywhere, even in places where regular pets are not allowed. This means service dogs can enter restaurants, stores, schools, hotels, hospitals, and even apartments or housing units that typically don't allow pets, such as university dorms and government housing programs.

A Psychiatric Service Dog (PSD) is specifically trained to aid individuals with mental health conditions. For example, a service dog for anxiety can perform deep pressure therapy by lying on top of the owner's body during a panic attack. They can also be trained to fetch medication for someone with depression or prevent their owner from engaging in self-harming behaviors.

Psychiatric service dogs offer numerous benefits to individuals with anxiety and other mental health challenges. They provide unwavering support and promote a sense of calm. Simply being around dogs regularly can also provide additional advantages. They encourage regular exercise and time spent outdoors, reduce feelings of loneliness, and effectively combat stress.

Training a psychiatric service dog for anxiety may include a variety of functions tailored to the individual's needs. For example, these tasks could include:

• Detecting the early warning signs of anxiety attacks

  
  

• Retrieving medication or water

  
  

• Finding someone to help their owner when they're in distress

  
  

• Preventing strangers from getting too close when the owner is in distress

  
  

• Calming their human during an anxiety attack by licking their face or offering a paw

  
  

• Performing deep pressure therapy by lying on their human

  
  

• Retrieving the phone for someone experiencing an anxiety attack or even using a special phone to call for help

  
  

• Reminding someone to take their medication regularly

  
  

• Performing safety checks or turning lights on for veterans and others with PTSD

  
  
• Waking someone up when they have a nightmare or night terror

Before getting a service dog for anxiety, it is crucial to ask yourself some critical questions, including:

1. Do I have a diagnosed anxiety or mental health condition, such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?

   
   

2. Will this dog perform a task related to my condition that I couldn't otherwise perform myself?

   
   

3. Do I have the time and resources to train this dog?

   
   
4. Can I afford to purchase a dog that has already been trained?

You probably qualify for a psychiatric service dog if you answer "yes" to these questions.

One of the most common and convenient ways to train your psychiatric service dog is through online training programs. Many organizations, such as Felicitails, offer online courses connecting you with master trainers who guide you throughout the training process. These cost-effective programs allow you to participate from the comfort of your home, which is especially beneficial for individuals with anxiety. For more information on our Free My Paws Training Program for Psychiatric Services Animals, please click HERE.

If you prefer working with a face-to-face trainer you can search for dog trainers in your area who specialize in training psychiatric service dogs. These trainers may come to your home to work with your dog or ask you to bring your dog to their training facility. However, this type of expert training does not come cheap, and the training can take months or even years.

Yes, you can buy a ready-trained psychiatric service dog if you don't have the time to train one to perform specific tasks. Some breeders specialize in raising and training dogs to be service dogs from a young age. They consider important factors such as the temperament and overall health of the parents to provide the best match for individuals in need of service dogs.

Psychiatric service dogs have no specific size or breed restrictions for anxiety or other conditions. However, the dog needs to be well-behaved in public places. If the dog causes problems in public, such as damaging property or scaring others, you and your dog may be asked to leave.