Boo, the Psychiatric Service Dog
My dog was a tremendous amount of help to me when I was depressed. When I would cry, he would look up at me with his head cocked to the side and a concerned expression on his face like he was trying to figure out what was wrong with Mom. Then he would curl up by my side and just love me unconditionally, which was exactly what I needed. I had never considered, however, that dogs could be formally trained to help with psychiatric disorders until I saw this post from MsMustangGirl on the Depression Haven forum about her dog Boo:
A month after my breakdown, a foster dog was placed with me, a dog who had been abused and neglected by her former owner. Within 2 weeks of her coming to live with us, my husband noted that she would climb up on my lap when I would have an anxiety attack or a panic attack and she would lick my face trying to calm me down. She seemed to be able to anticipate when I would have an attack.
My husband, a certified dog trainer, began training her in basic obedience and expanded upon her natural instinct to calm me; he trained her to nudge me and nuzzle me until I re-focused from my anxiety to paying attention to her. The day I picked her up from the shelter, the first time I picked her up, I felt like her heart and my heart were connected and it was like she was saying to me, "I will heal you as you will heal me; we'll heal each other." And after a period of time, my husband certified her as a service dog for me. Now she accompanies me to all kinds of places that before caused me anxiety and stress. Without her, I am much more reliant on my medications. With her, I can go days, even weeks without taking a Xanax.
If you are interested in getting a psychiatric service dog like Boo to help you, check into a non-profit organization called Psychiatric Service Dog Society (PSDS), which is headquartered in Arlington, VA. You can visit their Web site for further information.
Comments
this is a good idea, good work, and besafe.
i have bioplore and i have had my share of anxiety attack and panic attack, i how been scared to get into relationship. everyone i get close to hurt me.
keep up the good work with the dog training ,god peace with you.linda
We have a pair of dogs who work with my husband and myself. I suffer from severe depression and I don’t know what I would do without my companion. My husband is bipolar and he browns out, our smaller dog can bring him back into reality in about 3-5 minutes. It’s a lot better than hospital visits and he hasn’t been unconscious in over 10 months. With the help of the dogs we are now able to attend meetings, go to church, movies out to eat. They know when it’s time to get under the tables and just listen. They are fox terriers so they aren’t big dogs, but they are huge in the job they do for us.
I have an emotional assistance dog. She also came from the shelter, but just had an inate sense of helping me with anxiety, panic and depression.
I take her everywhere with me, even church.
I’d be lost without her.
I went through a divorce, a breakdown and my dad past away in a 2 month span, I don’t know where I would be without my dog. She saved me.
Unfortunately there are some errors on the PSDS site which may lead people to erroneously believe an emotional support animal is the same as a psychiatric service animal. PSDs must be trained to perform tasks, not just offer emotional support, in order to qualify for use in public accommodations under the ADA.
For clarification on what constitutes a service dog under U.S. Federal law, contact the U.S. Department of Justice toll-free at 800-514-0301
Some states may have broader interpretations of what a service dog is and may include emotional support animals. Contact your state’s Attorney General to find out if your state is one of them.
Other states are more restrictive and may have criminal statutes to punish people claiming a dog as a service dog when it doesn’t qualify under that state’s statutes or under federal law, with a fine and/or jail time.
Check your rights with an attorney before assuming something is true.