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making my dog a companion/service dog??

13K views 35 replies 9 participants last post by  Criosphynx 
#1 ·
hey all

im wondering if/how its possible to get my dog to be a service dog for stress. i like having him around and he distracts me from things that usually bother me. i think it would be great if i could bring him everywhere with me.

would i just be able to ask my doctor for a note saying my dog helps me cope with stress and i should bring him places with me?

does he have to pass some sort of test? this doesnt seem too logical as the test should probably be "are you stressed at times?", "yes", "does your dog help?", "yes", "your dog passes the test for helping you cope with stress!"

is it as simple as me declaring that my dog helps me and thats that?

thanks for any input/ advice!
 
#3 · (Edited)
My understanding is that a phych dog does not have the same rights as a service dog. To have a service dog you must be bonafide disabled legally and he dog must be able to assist you in TWO or more tasks that you wouldnt be able to do yourself :). Just taking a dog in places and saying its a service dog isnt legal

But a phych support dog is not the same as a service dog and youll find most places can refuse you entry :)
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#4 ·
Wait didn't cesar have an episode once about helping a woman with anxiety get her dog to learn to ignore things like other people and certain objects so the dog could pass the test so she could take him with her to stores? Maybe it is a more restricted access thing, or she had her dr give a diagnosis (which could be done for stress). Hmmmmmm I do think it makes sense what Crio said, places could deny you access. Sorry I just kinda went in a circle
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#6 ·
If you have bonafide panic attacks or fall down yes you can have a dog for that. But you cant just bring a dog with you if you have anxiety. The dog must actually perform tasks not just be som'thing to love on. The lady on the cesar ep had a very severe panic disorder iirc.

I have aspergers and anxiety but i dont qualify for a dog since i CAN function in public. Just being "nervous" doesnt count. You have to be severe enough to NEED a dog to function or to help you if you have a meltdown

Service dogs OTOH generally do tasks physically. Opening doors retrieving etc

But to answer the ops question yes you can train your own service dog. Chili has been taughy lots of servicd dog stuff. BUT since i am not disabled i cannot claim he is my service dog and just march him into wallmart. If that makes sense
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#8 ·
As others put it, unfortunately you cannot have a dog that is considered a service dog unless you are disabled as defined by the ADA. Comfort animals are not afforded the same rights, so if you were able to certify him as a companion (I'm not sure how one goes about doing that, but it is possible) you would still not be allowed to bring him into stores. Feeling stress is not a disability and having a SD goes a lot beyond just a few questions and a simple doctors note.

I'm not sure what comfort animals are allowed to do more so than any other dog, though. Sorry I can't help you there.
 
#10 ·
You are absolutely allowed to train a service dog yourself, but you have no access to public places with it unless you are disabled by terms of the ADA. You are not, so you cannot go into public businesses generally denying dogs with your dog.

To be a "qualified" service dog, the dog has to perform at LEAST 3 physical tasks that you cannot do because of your disability. (open doors, call 911, retrieve meds/administer meds)

If you were disabled, you would need no formal training or doctors note to gain access to businesses(though you would not be allowed in public schools), and you would not have to show proof of any such disability or prove the dogs' tasks to anyone at the store. It is a catch 22 that many people abuse since a store manager cannot ask you to prove you are disabled, so many will take dogs that are not qualified service dogs with them. They often act like terrible representations of the breed, ruining privliges for the truely disabled.
 
#11 ·
hey

Question, I have been diagnosed with a mental disorder that can cause psychotic episodes during those I only feel safe around my dog or my boy friend. I also have severe paranoia still and don't want to raise my dosage, would I be able to talk to my doctors bout using my dog as a service dog for these thing?
 
#12 ·
Question, I have been diagnosed with a mental disorder that can cause psychotic episodes during those I only feel safe around my dog or my boy friend. I also have severe paranoia still and don't want to raise my dosage, would I be able to talk to my doctors bout using my dog as a service dog for these thing?
The dog must be able to do TASKS for you like we touched on above. A dog cannot simply comfort a patient to be a service dog. If say your dog could alert u to an impending episode get your meds and stop you from falling. Those would legit service dog activities.

All what does the paranoia stem from? People in public? Dogs are goin to draw attention to you and many strangers will approach that wouldnt have otherwise.
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#13 ·
Just wanted to throw this out there since someone already mentioned it. My uncle trained his Husky to be a service dog and he would take him to restaurants with him and the hospital and some stores to. His dog was not registered as a service dog but my uncle really is disabled, and his dog was trained to help with certain tasks. He never had a problem taking the dog with him and most of the time people didn't even ask him about the dog.
 
#14 ·
Yep, dogs don't have to be "certified" or "registered" with any organization, the handler just has to be ADA certified disabled and the dog has to be trained. If the business wanted to press charges for admittance, the dog would have to perform said actions in court to prove he is a service dog. Only the court can ask you to prove it, though. ;)
 
#21 ·
it does not have to do anything else. that IS its task. there does not have to be 3
You're incorrect. Very much so. A dog must know at least 3 TRAINED demonstrable tasks. You can train a dog to respond to a seizure, but not alert to it, and thus, though the dog is alerting, it is not trained and is not demonstrable on command.
 
#22 · (Edited)
The number in my head was 2 tasks, but I would not be surprised if it was 3, either way I do know that their MUST be tasks, and comforting the person isn't a task...and they must be tasks that the person needs help with physically ...also, for example, if a dog opens doors but your disability doesn't have anything to do with that, its moot and doesn't count towards the tasks.

I am sure a great majority of dog people would feel "more comfortable" or "less nervous" with their dog with them...it doesn't make it a bonafide need. Once again, I am autism spectrum and have moderate anxiety and can't get a service dog (and shouldn't have one)...and to be honest, it would be selfish of me to want one, kinda like parking in a handicap spot for a twisted ankle...



 
#24 ·
careful what you wish for!

on a lighter note, have you seen they are training those tiny horses for service work??? Som' of them are VERY impressive...I'd imagine that would attract alot of unwanted attention tho...

The first thing I personally noticed when I have my dogs in public is that I get approached waaaay to much, and being that my anxiety stems from being approached, it kinda nixed the idea of persuing it anyway..

I have been teaching Chili lots of SD tasks, because I DO want to be good at teaching such tasks, as with the way my body is falling apart, I may need a SD one day, and I'd naturally want to train my own dog...

I don't think alot of people realize how much training is involved in teaching these dogs...they have to ignore everything, not be reactive, and learn their tasks with distractions...the idea of just carrying in a pet and calling it a SD is kind of insulting. Not that its intentional...I just don't think the average person realizes whats really involved.
 
#25 ·
careful what you wish for!
I wish for a million or so dollars!

on a lighter note, have you seen they are training those tiny horses for service work??? Som' of them are VERY impressive...I'd imagine that would attract alot of unwanted attention tho...
Yea its pretty amazing. Service dogs normally wear the jackets which show people they shouldn't approach. I have dealt with a service dog for a legally blind guy and then some. He wore a spiffy harness and it had a symbol on it and "I am working" on it too.

I don't think alot of people realize how much training is involved in teaching these dogs...they have to ignore everything, not be reactive, and learn their tasks with distractions...the idea of just carrying in a pet and calling it a SD is kind of insulting. Not that its intentional...I just don't think the average person realizes whats really involved.
I don't even understand how a dang dog learns how to detect seizures, help during a seizure, call 911, etc lol
 
#26 ·
I don't even understand how a dang dog learns how to detect seizures, help during a seizure, call 911, etc lol
Seizure DETECTION cannot be taught. That is something that is an innate talent in individual dogs. But things like calling 911 or picking objects up are pretty simple to teach.

Also, the ADA is/has been reworded to exclude animals in service work other than dogs (no more "service snakes" monkeys, rabbits, etc).
 
#27 · (Edited)
interesting...I wondered* why all the service ponies were in europe...

Yea its pretty amazing. Service dogs normally wear the jackets which show people they shouldn't approach. I have dealt with a service dog for a legally blind guy and then some. He wore a spiffy harness and it had a symbol on it and "I am working" on it too.
anyone can buy those vests online. I've wanted to get one and put a "training" patch on it, just to see if people will stop approaching Chili when we work on stuff at shopping centers and outdoor mall. Not to gain him entry. The ponies I saw had custom vests! :p

We get a small number of guide dogs in training that come into the store, I know to ignore them (tho one did nose me and I looked down and said 'um hello?") but being cute squishy lab puppies, I can't imagine having to chase off kids all the time.

I don't even understand how a dang dog learns how to detect seizures, help during a seizure, call 911, etc lol
like Xeph said, dialing 911 wouldn't be that hard to teach, I imagine you'd teach the dog to retrieve the phone off you, and teach them how to press a programed button...you'd teach the dog that you falling or seizing or whatever is the cue to perform that task
 
#28 ·
I've wanted to get one and put a "training" patch on it, just to see if people will stop approaching Chili when we work on stuff at shopping centers and outdoor mall.
They don't. I've noticed that people approach much less when my dog does not wear his vest. Put on his vest and everybody seems to think they need to touch him.
 
#30 · (Edited)
yeah, I am beginning to think an airhorn and a baseball ball are needed to get people to leave you alone in public. Then again, young unsupervised kids wouldn't pay any attention to those things...

did you have the huge "do not pet, working" patches? Do you think those make any difference?

Also the training a dog to do that stuff in my book is not easy.
what I mean is that a SD trainer or som'one with enough experience to be training their own SD would not find training that task to difficult...I don't mean to imply its so easy that any dog should just be taught that along with sit because its simply cake to teach
 
#34 ·
Haha. Granted. My dog is a 12lb fuggy mutt. There really is no built in "scary dog" auto deterant:).
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Haha, that's true. Xeph and I both have GSDs, so I guess we're a bit lucky. I would imagine a cute smaller dog (not known to attack and take down criminals) would have an equal chance of getting approached either with or without the vest. ;)

"OOOH, a cute puppy, let's pet it!"

"OOOH, a cute puppy with a VEST, let's pet it!" :eek:
 
#36 ·
:rofl: yep. Even when he was really reactive before/during his training people people found that cute and would make "ooooOO widdle guy thinks hes tough" comments and then try and pet him. Ive mastered the body block and firm "dont touch him" like a friggin jedi

I guess that speaks to my issue not wanting to talk to strange people in public. Wanting to put a sign on the dog to avoid convos..

Imagine that. You could put he FAQs on the vest. His name age breeds etc. Lol. So when people approach me i can just say " please read the dog" :p
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