[nbritton]

What tasks do you have your assistance animal help you with?

[Victoria'smom]

Mine isn't official

Refuses to leave my side when depressed
Demands to be pet when I'm in bed awake
Wakes me up
Tells me if my hallucinations are dangerous
Initiated play when manic
Will scratch at the door if I'm in the bathroom to

There's several things I would like to teach
Call crisis line
Med reminder
Get husband

[dshantel]

I'm actually wondering how you get your dog officially registered and trained if anyone knows please tell me. I live in TN. I got a dog to help with depression and the negative thoughts. So far it's been helping. He gives me something else to do and helping with scheduling and going on walks gives me alone time and keeps my anxiety about going places or doing things alone down.

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[Victoria'smom]

I have a prescription for my dog but Start by training canine good citzanship certificate. Then the public test and at least 3 work tasks.

[dshantel]

Originally Posted by Miguel'smom

I have a prescription for my dog but Start by training canine good citzanship certificate. Then the public test and at least 3 work tasks.

Where do I go to do this? How did you get a prescription dog? What if I just got a puppy?

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[secretgalaxy]

You do not need to register a service dog but you do need to have an illness that is considered disabling. So having a diagnosis for depression isn't enough, it needs to be a disability as well.

If you can train a dog yourself then you can train your own dog, but it isn't easy. I would recommend getting a trainer who specializes in training service dogs. You need a dog with solid temperament, so whether you get a puppy or a rescue, make sure not to get one because of looks. It can take months finding the right dog to do the job and not all puppies are service dog worthy. There are a ton of rejects in service dog organizations.

After all of that is taken care of and you have the dog, it will take a year or two before they are fully trained if they are an adult and more if it is a puppy. Going into public with your dog may sound fun, but there will always be people who try to cause problems.

Overall, having a service dog isn't something that is easy to have.

My dog isn't a service dog as I do not have a disability, but he does help me.

Doesn't leave my side during an episode.
Keeps me busy if my thoughts aren't healthy.
In stores that allow dogs, he buffers me and other people by standing behind me.
Because of my joints I sometimes have a hard time getting up from the floor so he will stand in front of me and I can use him to get up.

[Captinbipolar]

You can also register your dog after a doctors recommendation as an emotional support animal. This gives you all the rights a service dog has without the training. You can fly with It, bring it into stores and everything else I believe. Worth looking into as I almost did it for my dogs. You don't need a recognized disability for one nor does it need to be trained just a doctors recommendation and paperwork to do. My girlfriend was going to register hers for her agoraphobia and anxiety. We are still looking into this so forgive my incomplete answer.

[secretgalaxy]

No stores for an ESA (or emotional support animal). To be able to go into stores your dog needs to be VERY well-mannered. No greeting people, eating food off the ground, barking, etc. They need to be rather invisible until you need them. Only Service dogs can be in public stores.

With an ESA, you just get to rent anywhere, even places with no-pet contracts and don't need to pay a pet deposit, fly in cabin, but there are some restrictions, and that is it. It doesn't have to be a dog, it can be a cat, small horse, bird, or even reptile!

[Victoria'smom]

Petsmart is $300 for training cgc. Then you have to find a private trainer for work skills which is 90/hr some times. Then you have to find a place hat does the public service training. After all that then you can register as a service animal.

I have a script from my former psychologist saying I need my pet. Turning him into a esp.

[Skywalking]

I don't have a dog, but my cat is helpful because he refuses to let me stay in bed too long.

He'll sit his 20-pound butt on my head, purring in my ear, until I get up and feed him. If that doesn't do it, then he will bite me and run away because he knows that will get me moving.

My cat is like the a-hole version of a service dog. He doesn't make me feel better, but demands I pay attention to him instead of sitting there feeling bad. He's not too useful at other service tasks, though.

[secretgalaxy]

Originally Posted by Skywalking

I don't have a dog, but my cat is helpful because he refuses to let me stay in bed too long.

He'll sit his 20-pound butt on my head, purring in my ear, until I get up and feed him. If that doesn't do it, then he will bite me and run away because he knows that will get me moving.

My cat is like the a-hole version of a service dog. He doesn't make me feel better, but demands I pay attention to him instead of sitting there feeling bad. He's not too useful at other service tasks, though.

Reminds me of mine, who likes to sing an hour before his scheduled feeding time, lol. He wants to make sure we know that it is almost time for him to eat! :P