[doglover5]

So I have social phobia, panic attacks, anxiety, the whole nine yards. I recently got a puppy (well he's about 10 months old now) and he has made a world of difference in my life already! I have a sleep disorder and he helps me get up in the morning when i have to be up by at a certain time. I have also trained him to lean his weight on me when i have panic attacks, which helps them pass quicker by slowing my breathing (he's a big dog ha). Overall, i feel less anxious when he's near me; not exactly sure why this is, I just know having him around helps calm and soothe me. Knowing this, I feel like being able to take him with me places, would help diminish the struggles I have with my social phobia. Basically I think having him with me would allow me to go more places and do more things that I would definitely not do otherwise.
So i was wondering if any of you have service dogs for your phobias/ anxiety/ panic, etc. and if so, how did you go about certifying a dog/ or training one/ etc. I have asked my pdoc, who i thought would be the one to handle it, but she had no helpful information! and the information i have found on the internet seems to be quite vague and lacking on information on this topic! i'm not wanting to purchase or acquire a new dog, I just want to figure out how to get my current dog certified, trained, or whatever, as my service dog. Any information would be helpful!

[lil-angel-wings]

check out these links
i dont know if you already have
i hope they might help you

my sister got her dog certified and i think all she did was asked her mental health provider for information and they helped her out by getting her a form for her doctor to fill out and then something eles... i dont remember it costing her anything but it might have
laws may be different in different citys and states
im not to sure

http://www.usservicedogregistry.org/


http://www.nsarco.com/registeryouranimal.html


http://www.ehow.com/how_6760346_can-certify-dog-service-animal_.html

[Ycart]

You can even buy the vest and call him your service dog. Some friends got their lab on a plane that way.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk fiverr.com/adnagam

[gma45]

I don't have any ideas for you just wanted to say that is wonderful you have found something besides a pill that helps! I really think that is great, let us know what you find out.

[michele#3]

I have a service dog too. And he has helped my immensely with my social phobia. Because of him I get out several times a day to walk him and get to chat with folks in the neighborhood.
Helps me with my depression too. I know others who have psychiatric service dogs too.
My service dog and a friends service dog aren't trained to be service dogs. They are just obediance trained. We got notes from are doctors stating that they are service dogs. My friend and I also carry cards saying that they are service dogs which can help. The card also has a phone# that they can call telling them the law in regards to service dogs. The phone # is of an agency that is part of the U.S. Department of Justice.

[greengrasshopper]

:-) I take my dog when i am doing something new. I have just mastered the petrol staion and the supermarket (only 3 items but hey its a start any more than 3 and i have told myself my dog can't come because he would be waiting in the car too long and might get too hot) My dog makes me feel like i can cope even if he has to wait in the car. I soooo wish i could take him everywhere with me! He is a very quite and sensitive dog i think its very possible he has anxiety issues of his own. When we got him off my brother he was three and for 6 weeks we had to push small dog biscuits into the side of his mouth just to get him to eat. Anyway last weekend he nearly died he ate grass and it got matted in his tummy, $3000 later i still have my dog and can still progress to trying new things but boy there was some panic especially when the vet said he will get better very quickly or he wont very quickly as in he will die aaaargh thank goodness he is okay now. Wow who knew this would get me talking so much, sorry. Maybe i should tell my T to talk to me about my dog then we wouldn't sit there in complete silence hehe. So long story short i don't know how you can get your dog certified but if you can let me know :-) Good Luck

[dazeofdolphins]

No ideas. Just wanted to say how cool it is that you have your pooch!
We have a dog and two cats but they're very ordinary. Good luck seeking info!

[lancetrot]

It depends on the individual dog and person. Dogs are sensitive to your emotions.As far as psychiatric service dogs are concerned, they would not be a good source of the type of information you seek because they are deliberately picked out for having rock solid temperaments. In other words, service dogs, and especially PSDs are chosen for their ability to handle stress.

[doglover5]

Thank you all for your replies and advice! I did lots of digging and reading and found that basically, a dog automatically qualifies as a service dog protected under ADA laws if he's trained to perform a specific task or tasks to assist his owner. No formal or official certification needed! If just obedience trained, like Michelle said, you need a letter from your pdoc stating the dog is your service dog.
Since there's no formal or official certification or licensure (besides the letter), these laws basically operate on the honor system. Business are only allowed to ask if your dog is a service dog or not, and may also ask what task he is trained to perform. (In the case of no task, you'd show the letter) They are violating ADA laws if they ask you what disability the dog is for, or if they ask to see proof that the dog is a service dog. However, most people don't know the laws on this subject. So carrying the identification cards & whatnot like Michelle, deters most people from asking questions! They can technically take you to court if they don't believe your dog is actually a service dog, in which case you would have to have your dog perform the trained task, or supply the letter from your pdoc.

I hope this info is able to help some others as well!!

Since my dog is trained to wake me up in the mornings, he counts as a service dog- however with that task, he's only protected by law when it comes to housing, not going out in public. (this is what a court would rule)

I'm still iffy on whether or not the pressure therapy for anxiety/ panic attacks "counts" (aka: would hold up in court) as a "task assisting me in daily functioning." I'm sure it'd sound like enough to satisfy an inquiring business, along with an identification card, but just as sure as I say that, I'm sure I'd end up in court with my bad luck!! Lol

Anyway I'm going to ask my pdoc about a letter when I see her next week. I'll let you all know what she says! Thank y'all so much for all the help and support!

[njal]

Hi There,

I just had to chime in when I read this thread. We currently have two dogs, one a three year old golden retriever is a certified therapy dog through therapy dogs international. The process was pretty easy and involved basically a canine good citizenship and a high level obedience certification. My wife is his certified handler as therapy dogs and handlers need to be paired. She takes him in to do hospice, hospital and children's reading workshops at the schools and he's always a big hit.

Now me, I suffer from severe anxiety so I don't do anything with the therapy dog outside our home but I recently got a new german shepard puppy and over the last 4 months she has been the single largest improvement to my anxiety problems. She's now just over 6 months old and about 60lbs of pure awesome. From the start we had a connection she gravitated to me from her brothers and sisters and we immediately had a connection. She's way more in tune with me than I am at times. She can tell if I'm going to have a panic attack before I do and she will climb up on my lap and just lean against me until it passes. When I start to get too anxious she will come over with a toy to try to get me to refocus my attention. I used to be too anxious to go walking in public but with her I can. She knows if I'm getting apprehensive of a stranger approaching (or whatever it happens to be) and she tucks in closer to my side to give me a little nudge of support. She sleeps on her own bed in our room at night and when I have bad dreams she comes and lies next to me until it passes and then moves back to her own bed. I never met a dog so in-tune with me before. The right dog can be fantastically theraputic. She's now going through obedience (which she really has down pat) and will get her canine good citizenship soon. I never actually looked into having her registered as a service animal but this thread is making me consider it.

One thing I just make sure I do is give her as much love and support as she does me.

-Nj

[roads]

Originally Posted by doglover5

So I have social phobia, panic attacks, anxiety, the whole nine yards. I recently got a puppy (well he's about 10 months old now) and he has made a world of difference in my life already! .... Overall, i feel less anxious when he's near me; not exactly sure why this is, I just know having him around helps calm and soothe me. Knowing this, I feel like being able to take him with me places, would help diminish the struggles I have with my social phobia. Basically I think having him with me would allow me to go more places and do more things that I would definitely not do otherwise.
So i was wondering if any of you have service dogs for your phobias/ anxiety/ panic, etc. and if so, how did you go about certifying a dog/ or training one/ etc. I have asked my pdoc, who i thought would be the one to handle it, but she had no helpful information! and the information i have found on the internet seems to be quite vague and lacking on information on this topic! i'm not wanting to purchase or acquire a new dog, I just want to figure out how to get my current dog certified, trained, or whatever, as my service dog. Any information would be helpful!

I just came across this recently & thought it might update what you already have.

[lostmyway21]

I have a service dog for PTSD. I got him when he was 8 wks old and trained him on his tasks and then got him licensed by the city when he was 1.5 yrs old. He's a Yorkie. Service dogs have to know at least three tasks defined by the ADA (look them up they have psychiatric tasks). If they don't know tasks, then they are only an emotional support dog and they DON'T have rights to public access.

[michele#3]

I guess my dog is an emotional support dog then. Whatever the case, he really helps my PTSD. He gets me out around people and is a wonderful way for me to sooth my anxiety.

[Mike_J]

Don't have a "service dog" but do have a dog, and she is great with helping me get out and do things. You don't feel so alone and out of place in public when you have your dog with you (at least I don't) there is no way my social phobia would let me take a walk without Lindsey there at my side.

Used to have two dogs, Sara passed away about a year and a half ago, she was super great at lifting me out of depression, when I was feeling really down she would hunt me down where ever I was at in the house, I wouldn't hear her come into the room, I would just start to feel a bit better and there she would be at my feet, then curling up with her would always make me feel lots better.

Dogs are GREAT for your mental health (any pets really)

[michele#3]

Mike, you are right! Animals are great for mental health issues.
Like you, I wouldn't get out much without my dog. I would be much more lonely too.