# Psychiatric Service Dog



## princessxkay (Mar 21, 2018)

Has anyone with extreme anxiety ever gotten a service dog? I heard lots of good things about them and want to hear from other people's personal experience. Like who prescribed it, did it actually work, and so on and so forth


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## WillYouStopDave (Jul 14, 2013)

Can I get one that will eat my head while I sleep?


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## chrissyq3838 (Feb 23, 2018)

I want one so bad!!!


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## coeur_brise (Oct 7, 2004)

If I could, I would definitely get one. I'm not on disability though, so that might be a problem in getting one. They are so chill, the service dogs. Most likely because they're the best of the best graduated in training. I've never owned a dog in my life but it'd be nice to take care of something other than myself yet is not prone to psychological damage through my lifestyle (a human). :/


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## Cottonflower2 (Jan 25, 2018)

I have a service dog in training, Bellamy (which I've procrastinated on making a thread about haha oops).
I was never prescribed one, I just started looking into them and decided to try it since years and years of therapy have proven useless for me and medication only helps so much.
He's still in early stages of training so he hasn't learned any tasks yet, but I can tell you that just his mere presence has been helpful for me. I'm not exactly a social butterfly, but when he's with me in public I'm a little more open and just happier. Of course, a dog cannot be a service dog just for comfort/emotional support. A dog is only a service dog if it's trained one or more tasks to mitigate the handler's disability. 
Also keep in mind that even though having a dog with me gives me more confidence, it may not be the same way for you. A dog in a store or restaurant is sure to draw attention to you. While I don't mind it, a dog's presence may make you feel more nervous with all the extra eyes on you. People will point, stare, and also bother you with questions and comments. You'll need to be prepared for conflicts with ignorant businesses and people who try to kick you out because they don't know/care about the law, then there's the people that get butthurt when you ask them to not pet your dog when s/he is working. If you're prepared for all that, then you can consider getting a service dog and talk to your psychiatrist or therapist about it. Always weigh the pros and cons 
If you have questions or anything please do reply or PM me ^^ It may seem weird, but discussing service dogs and the ADA law is just something I'm very passionate about lol


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## Wren611 (Oct 19, 2012)

I would like to get a service dog, because animals keep me calm, but it isn't something that happens in the UK, unfortunately.


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## Cottonflower2 (Jan 25, 2018)

Wren611 said:


> I would like to get a service dog, because animals keep me calm, but it isn't something that happens in the UK, unfortunately.


The UK does have service dogs, though I believe they're better known as "assistance dogs" there. I don't know anything on UK service animal laws, but in the US emotional support or comfort is not a valid task for a service dog.


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## Lonely Hobbit (Aug 31, 2009)

What does a psychiatric service dog do?


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## Cottonflower2 (Jan 25, 2018)

Lonely Hobbit said:


> What does a psychiatric service dog do?


Basically what all other service dogs do: help their disabled handler live an independent life. However, there are many different types of service dogs. Psychiatric service dogs are just their own type of service dog, meaning they work for mentally disabled handlers rather than physically disabled. Their tasks can include grounding, deep pressure therapy, interrupting self harm behavior or stims, interrupting flashbacks, blocking handler from other people, reminding and/or pestering to take medication, etc


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## CloudChaser (Nov 7, 2013)

I tried to get a dog to service me once, but after smearing a liberal helping all over my crotch it turns out I had found the one dog who doesn't like peanut butter.


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## Cottonflower2 (Jan 25, 2018)

CloudChaser said:


> I tried to get a dog to service me once, but after smearing a liberal helping all over my crotch it turns out I had found the one dog who doesn't like peanut butter.


I'm not quite sure I understood that ?


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## SofaKing (May 9, 2014)

In the US, you can get a therapist to write a let to authorize an Emotional Support Animal.

You don't necessarily need a full fledged service dog.


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## Wren611 (Oct 19, 2012)

Cottonflower2 said:


> The UK does have service dogs, though I believe they're better known as "assistance dogs" there. I don't know anything on UK service animal laws, but in the US emotional support or comfort is not a valid task for a service dog.


That wasn't what I was saying. I know we have service dogs here, but they're for the physically disabled only.

Since this is a thread about "psychiatric service dogs", I replied saying that isn't something that's done here. I spoke to someone who works with a UK organisation (called Dogs for Good) about it last year, and they told me dogs in the UK are not trained to help people with mental health issues. I only asked them about it when I came across a film called "The Amazing Wizard of Paws", in which a dog becomes the service dog of a little boy with social anxiety, and wondered if that was something we did over here too because I'd be interested in it.

And I only mentioned the fact animals keep me calm because they do, not that I was assuming I knew that that was a task a service dog would be trained to do (I've no idea what they'd be trained to do for someone like me).


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## Cottonflower2 (Jan 25, 2018)

SofaKing said:


> In the US, you can get a therapist to write a let to authorize an Emotional Support Animal.
> 
> You don't necessarily need a full fledged service dog.


If you don't need a fully trained service dog to perform tasks, then yeah, an ESA will do for housing and planes


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## Cottonflower2 (Jan 25, 2018)

Wren611 said:


> That wasn't what I was saying. I know we have service dogs here, but they're for the physically disabled only.
> 
> Since this is a thread about "psychiatric service dogs", I replied saying that isn't something that's done here. I spoke to someone who works with a UK organisation (called Dogs for Good) about it last year, and they told me dogs in the UK are not trained to help people with mental health issues. I only asked them about it when I came across a film called "The Amazing Wizard of Paws", in which a dog becomes the service dog of a little boy with social anxiety, and wondered if that was something we did over here too because I'd be interested in it.
> 
> And I only mentioned the fact animals keep me calm because they do, not that I was assuming I knew that that was a task a service dog would be trained to do (I've no idea what they'd be trained to do for someone like me).


Ah alright. Apologies for the misunderstanding on my end~


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## Wren611 (Oct 19, 2012)

Cottonflower2 said:


> I'm not quite sure I understood that ?


Then you're too young to understand that. It was rude.


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## Cottonflower2 (Jan 25, 2018)

Wren611 said:


> Then you're too young to understand that. It was rude.


Ah, then now I'm curious as to how old one should be to understand it considering my 20 year old sister was very confused by it as well


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

Not really keen on big dogs in shops with narrow aisles (supermarkets, drugstores, etc.). Don't like getting close to them.


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## WillYouStopDave (Jul 14, 2013)

komorikun said:


> Not really keen on big dogs in shops with narrow aisles (supermarkets, drugstores, etc.). Don't like getting close to them.


 Why?


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

WillYouStopDave said:


> Why?


I don't want any physical contact with big dogs. Don't want their wet nose or slobber on me.

Now if they are proper a service dog for blind people that has been trained, that's not a worry. But these other types of "service dogs" often have little to no training and act like normal pets (jumping on people, barking, eat food found wherever).


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## WillYouStopDave (Jul 14, 2013)

komorikun said:


> I don't want any physical contact with big dogs. Don't want their *wet nose* or slobber on me.


 :lol

The wet nose I guess is something you either love or hate about dogs. I like to pinch them. I mean, not hard but I see a dog's nose and I just wanna pinch it. They kinda don't like it and kinda are just annoyed by it. :lol



> Now if they are proper a service dog for blind people that has been trained, that's not a worry. But these other types of "service dogs" often have little to no training and act like normal pets (jumping on people, barking, eat food found wherever).


 It's kind of neat how they can get a dog so well trained. Getting a dog to not act like a dog is hard.


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