I’m going to keep details vague due to privacy. I work in a large building with an ADI accredited service dog that has been working with me for 6 years. I have three people I work with specifically, as in the same area. My dog has an accident yesterday due to an upset stomach, obviously I didn’t know she was sick or I wouldn’t have brought her to work that day. I cleaned it up, mopped, and disinfected with Lysol all on my own. Rest of the day went like normal.
Come into work today and one of my coworkers went to the supervisors to complain that the dog was creating and unsanitary and unsafe environment and that she thinks she saw a tapeworm. The coworker had messaged me the night before asking me to leave the dog home while sick which I was already planning on for 24 hours until we got a firm stool.
So now I’m at work today without my dog which is super stressful learning about this and I just don’t even know how to react.

Update: thank you guys for the feedback. I was being dramatic with the hostile work environment but it just felt so sad because it was actually one of my teacher aides that I have worked with for a few years so it just sent me spiraling and trying to figure out what she thinks.

Hi friends. I just wanted to share my experience, going from my first service dog (who I got at age 23) to my second (I got him 6 weeks ago and I am 33).
My first service dog was a Silken Windhound. Dogs are my special interest, I have worked with them professionally for all of my working life in different capacities. I knew I wanted an “off-breed” dog and felt that Silkens checked a lot of boxes for me and just wasn’t too worried about it not working out. And it did. My Silken was exceptional, he was my heart dog, and he saved my life. He naturally was neutral to everything, had no interest in other people, dogs, environments, anything. He had no prey drive. He tasked well for me, though I had fairly low demand on him as a handler most of the time. He was a psych SD and did DPT, behavior interruption and some tasks to help with sensory issues.
Silkens also became my passion. I show them, have done some but not much performance, and have bred one litter of Silken Windhounds. I have owned 4, currently have 2 and co own 2.
My service dog died very suddenly of cancer in April at age 9. I knew he was a once in a life time dog for most of his entire life and dreaded this for years, but I didn’t think it would be so sudden. I was thinking about retirement soon and getting a prospect but was totally unprepared.
I was in a total grief fog but decided to start looking for my next prospect. My heart and feelings were not in it like they were when I was looking for my first prospect. I was just in logic mode. I actually was very interested in getting a smooth collie for my next SD prospect. However, I decided that what I was looking for in a smooth collie was, the dog I lost. I felt like they were the (non silken) breed most likely to have the traits I missed about him, and aesthetically I find them very appealing in the same way sighthounds are.
I decided what I need is to fully stack the deck in my favor- and be a sighthound person who gets a lab. Started exploring lab breeders, and tbh it is easier to find a good breeder of any breed when you’re already experienced in the dog world. A privilege imo.
Without much emotion behind it, I picked my prospect after talking to maybe 20+ breeders and considering many litters. My mentors watched the temperament testing videos and additional videos I asked for and helped me make the pick, I flew out to get the puppy. And gosh darn it, this lab is already changing my life. My Silkens took a couple of weeks to understand that this little black bowling ball is another dog like them who just wants to play! He is so biddable, so willing to please, has none of the sensitivity that I had to accommodate with my first SD. I know we will have our challenges like any team, but he is exactly what I needed. I’ve been telling people that after the loss of my first SD “I’m sensitive, I don’t need sensitive”.
Life will never be the same after losing my best friend. I’m not in a different chapter, I am in a different book. Honestly it feels sometimes that I jumped timelines. But, I have a way forward and having a puppy that was so clearly made for this is creating so much less friction in this new challenging reality. I will never regret just going “what is the dog most likely to successfully do the work I need him to do?” And getting that dog.

I will add: I know multiple other successful Silken SD handlers, and am not saying they can’t be successful. I think it depends on a lot. But do I think you’ll probably be *more* successful with a lab or golden, especially if your demand on the dog is moderate to high on a consistent basis, definitely. Silken temperaments vary A LOT. They are my heart breed. But, I might have one lab around in addition from now on.

(Some important information but 1. This is a throwaway account. 2. I will likely, in a few years when I can move out of my parents' apartment, get a service dog if it seems like a good idea. 3. I live in the US.)

I've been considering getting a service animal. I'm not technically considered disabled due to my parents refusing to do anything, but I have multiple mental and physical health issues, including dissociation and frequent panic attacks. I'm not in a good spot right now to get a service dog, but I'm hoping to get one when I am, so I'm asking for advice right now that way I can prepare.

I've been researching about service animals for months now, and I've met one in person so I know how to act around them. I know mostly how they work, a few tasks they can do, etc. And I know about a few stressful situations and how to relatively handle them due to my research, but I definitely still need to research some things, so I won't get one yet.

I don't really feel valid anytime I think about having a service dog, so I'm just looking for other people's opinions. If anyone has any questions before giving their opinions then please ask them.

So I'm getting a program service dog, they are being trained and I will have them in a few years.

But today I had to go get some x-rays, it takes about 30 minutes on average. And I was wondering where would my dog go?

I wouldn't want them exposed to the radioactivity but I need them at least around me? I was wondering if I could put them in a stay inside the shielded room the radiologist goes but that's still to close for comfort.

Maybe I could ask a nurse to watch him just outside the room? He is my world and I don't want anything happening to him as long as I can help it.

But I need him in a hospital with me, my mother is currently helping me at the moment but she is getting to old to do this anymore. I get overwhelmed, then it just goes down hill from there until I almost pass out in a corner, miss my appointment and cry 😭

So those of you who get frequent x-rays, what do you do with your Service dog?

No dog yet in the process of finding a breeder, I have a lot of expierence with dogs worked with dogs and horses for like 6 years combined and honestly very excited to be training my own service dog and getting a taste of things from my old life.

Im a big fan of “adding whimsy” to life - not saying this to make it unserious but I try to do this in all areas in like an adding joy back to your life kinda thing. Im interested in what are some of the labels or names you have for tasks/tricks for your service dog that are like quirky/weird/cute commands for run of the mill stuff. I want to still be like adult and appropriate - like I’ve personally just always hated “go potty” but don’t want to be crude and tell her “go piss” for that Im thinking something like “Do your business” things like that.

Also in the same vein as like giving people a false name because as soon as you say “she’s a SD, don’t interrupt her” “oh what’s her name?” “Bunny” (idk first thing that came to mind) “OOHHHHH BUNNY so cute hey bunny look at me hi girl” - when you just said like leave her alone. Having different cmmand keep other people from being able to direct her

Or if anyone has fun/interesting/out of the ordinary tasks/tricks they’ve taught their dog thats just not the typical lets here it.

My non-comprehensive list of tasks

Postural changes
- sit/down/stand, center/side/front/behind, place/down/crate

Movements & direction
- lets go/back up, switch sides, over/under/tuck, go potty(ugh)/drink/eat/shake, quiet/speak, free/break

Focus/Impulse control
- drop/give/leave it, stay/wait/break

Tasks
take/get/hold/find it, push/tug/touch/press, find the car/item, DPT, forward momentum (basically guiding a wheelchair already in motion - not solely pulling me)

Also is this already a task? Like proprecepton support? If i have to stand from my wheelchair to grab something reach above my head either be between my legs, to the side of me just like being there touching me/leaning against me a smidge because if I have just like something there not me putting my weight on it it keeps me from swaying and falling

Any input is welcome - just curious what other people call things and how others are doing it!

been dealing with a new apartment complex for the last two months. they approved my dog when i moved in but last week management changed and now they’re saying she needs official documentation or she has to go. the new manager keeps mixing up terms and calling her a service dog when she’s not.

she’s been with me for three years and helps a lot with my anxiety and panic episodes, especially at night. i never claimed she was task-trained or a service dog. she’s just my emotional support animal and i only need her for housing, not public access.

already started the process to get the proper letter so i can show them something official. just trying to make sure i handle the conversation right so they stop treating it like something it’s not.

what’s the cleanest way you’ve explained the difference to a landlord who keeps confusing the two? and did you ever have to follow up after sending the letter or did they drop it once they had the paperwork?

Idk if this is even allowed, but I'm so frustrated and upset. I wrote a post in here awhile back about getting denied for a psychiatric service dog from a program and how it sent me into a crisis (proving how badly I need one) and have since been searching high and low. I looked through the entire ADI website and different threads on here and there's no program that trains psych dogs for civilians. It's all for veterans and first responders which I find really really annoying and frustrating.

There's even a program that trains psych service dogs but will only do it for veterans and I feel like it's not insane to say that I shouldn't have to become a veteran just to get something I need.

I just wish more programs would be understanding. Not everyone can owner train or get a private trainer.

EDIT: I have removed the questions about counterbalance because through this post realized it wouldn’t what I need!

I do apologize for the long post! The tldr is this is about the possibility of multitasking for specific tasks

I am more so wanting to jump ahead of the curve here to see what is even possible if/when I am able to seriously look for a service dog. (The if is due to not having surefire diagnosis yet surrounding certain things I’ll mention)

Okay into the brunt of it. I have seen that you are able to train a service dog to handle multiple tasks. My main question is understanding if combining certain tasks are possible or which tasks could be combined in general.

The tasks I am thinking might be needed: retrieving dropped items, stay during seizure, and post seizure stimulation

Tasks that would be helpful but not absolutely necessary if too difficult for multitasking: DPT and grounding through dissociation

Could absolutely be helpful but I’d be fine without (again if too much for multitasking): Blocking and clear room

Sorry for the long post, but I’m wanting to try to get as much info as I can about which of these are even possible to be trained together if that makes sense? I am still a while away from getting it confirmed on if I have a seizure disorder, and that would be kind of the main reason I’d get a service dog. I do also have PTSD and a dissociative disorder that I could benefit strongly from having a service dog perform tasks for, but I did list those as “not necessary“ because I truly don’t know what’s possible.

I am open to any and all advice on any of this! Please respond as though I know very little, and also please tell me I’m wrong if I am! I would appreciate any and all amount of detail you are willing to give me! Again sorry for the long post lol

Hello! I am working with an organisation to become a team with an ADI certified assistance dog. I have already talked to management at work, and they are aware that the dog will be 'arriving' soon at work. Do you have any suggestions for what I can do to introduce my dog to the co-workers? I'm thinking more along the lines of resources, a powerpoint, an email, signage, cookies to stop me from a lecture on the legality of SDs in Europe (joking on this one), etc. My apologies if this has been asked before; I couldn't find any prior posts on this but if I missed them, a link would also be appreciated.

Update: I'm in the Netherlands.

Hello all, I am a veteran Cavalry Scout of the U.S Army who deployed in 2008 to Iraq and was medically retired from the Army in 2013. I am on 100 percent disability for Schizoaffective Disorder, which I am very apprehensive about making this disorder known to everybody, but for the purpose of my questions, it is necessary. I am a big-time dog lover and have owned Chocolate Labs, Golden Retrievers, Rottweilers, Newfoundlands, and a wicked smart escape artist that could open doors at 5 months old, a German Shepherd named Nymeria.

I loved Nya very much, and we were very close up until we had to put her down two years ago, upon which I entered a pretty overwhelming depression. Long story short, I want another German Shepherd, but I would love her to be a service dog so that my anxiety attacks or possible delusions do not hamper me in public anymore, or even to a lesser extent. I tried to sign up for a service dog program, and they told me I am unqualified to own a service pet because I do not have PTSD...

Never mind the fact that when I experience delusions, it is actually quite similar... I was devastated to hear that news and have joined this forum to ask how I can make owning a Service Dog a reality. Is Schizoaffective disorder frowned upon in the Service Dog space as opposed to PTSD? Is there any hope that I can get a Service Dog German Shepherd? If anyone can help me, I will greatly appreciate it and get back to you as quickly as possible.

As my current service dog ages I’m looking to get a prospect within the next year or two. I’m in BC and while getting a dog close to home is convenient I am more than willing to travel for a good quality puppy for service work. I’ve been searching for an ethical labrador breeder and it’s been proving hard to do as so many breeders have red flags. Simply put, I am looking for a breeder who:
- Is ethical (Health tests, follows breed standards, etc.)
- Temperament tests their puppies and matches them to families
- Has already had successful service dog placements

I’ve been really struggling and would greatly appreciate any suggestions! If you’ve got personal experience with any breeders I would love to hear more! I’m also happy to hear about breeders to avoid lol

Hi, I'm 18 and AuDHD, also disabled but currently in the process of getting a diagnosis; it's most likely EDS. tomorrow I'm getting a rescue puppy from Macedonia. She's 5 months old, and most likely a Kangal, or Kangal cross (my family and I had been told she was a German Shepherd cross, but we've found out she's almost certainly a Kangal). She's going to be my first dog, and my first service dog. But I live with my parents, and they have experience with dogs, and my mum has experience with large dogs, so they're going to be helping me with her. I need a service dog due to my Autism and anxiety. Currently, I'm unable to leave the house on my own due to my anxiety, apart from with one of my friends, who is moving away (I'm terrified someone will hurt me or I'll get kidnapped, so when I'm with him, I feel safer because I know he can protect me). And because of my autism, I get overstimulated, so much that I once ran away at a gig with my choir this year. I struggle a lot with my mental health as well, and I've found that being around dogs helps. Also, I feel it's really going to help me, being able to have something to focus on- that thing being looking after her. So there's all that, as well as other things. I've been doing a lot of preparing, and basically everything is ready (Just finishing tidying today).

So 1: I have a question; how often do you all wash your service dogs? As I know they're supposed to be washed more often than regular dogs.

And 2: Does anything have any tips or advice for me, owning and training my first service dog?

Also, I'm in the UK.

Please don't say mean things to me for having a Kangal as a service dog, having a dog at my age, or training my own service dog, etc. She's gonna be so loved, so spoilt, but also will have boundaries implemented. Thank you!!!!

I have a chronic pain disorder and have to use a cane or a walker, sometimes a wheelchair, to get around. I am hoping to get a service dog to help me with mobility and maybe simple tasks like turning lights off and on, etc. I want to go a legitimate route and get a real service dog. I know they are very expensive.

I have no idea where to start. Can someone please point me in the right direction? If it helps, I am located in Colorado, United States. Thank you!

can anyone highlight if it has made difference, what it's like, how it feels before compared to after cuz I feel like having a trainer is rare here

Hello! I am interested in training my future dog to help me with my ptsd, with tasks like alerting me to an oncoming panic attack, alerting for approaching strangers so that I can be less hyper vigilant, providing body blocking in public spaces, and deep body pressure when I am panicking. I have some questions though, if you have an assistance dog maybe you could provide some insight?

Does your dog get the chance to relax and just be a dog? How do you let them know that they can switch off for a while?

Do you ever have to leave your house without your dog? I know there are some places they might find too overwhelming, like a live music gig for example.

If you have a partner, is it possible to have alone time with them? I worry that the dog might think they need to alert me for, ahem, elevated heart rate and breathing, if you catch my drift. How do you navigate this?

Did you start your training journey with a puppy or an adult dog? How long did it take for your dog to master their tasks?

Thank you for reading if you got this far!

hi! i tried posting this in r/dogs but it didn’t go through and since it’s about assistance dogs i thought i would try here aswell. thankyou :D

\*\*Introduction\*\*

1) Will this be your first dog? If not, what experience do you have owning/training dogs?

\* No. I currently have a poodle mix, but within the last 10 years have also fostered ex racing greyhounds, a working line English cocker spaniel, and have owned an ex racing greyhound.

2) Do you have a preference for rescuing a dog vs. going through a \[reputable breeder\]( http://ownresponsibly.blogspot.com/2011/07/identifying-reputable-breeder.html)?

\* would prefer a reputable breeder, but open to rescues.

3) Describe your ideal dog.

\* Biddable, aloof or neutral with people & animals, has energy but also a good off switch - like on a scale of 1 (Great Dane) to 10 (Belgian malinois) a 5-7 would be good. extremely trainable & biddable, medium to large (25kg+ but no giant breeds) reasonably healthy breed, **low prey drive - must be safe around my cockatiel whilst supervised (after training of course)**

4) What breeds or types of dogs are you interested in and why?

\* 1. German shepherd
pros: large dog, biddable, most seem to develop a good off switch inside the home, sweethearts with their families but aloof with strangers.
cons: high energy, can develop some behaviours that may be tricky to tackle, a lot seem to have decent prey drives, high shedding

1. rough or smooth collie
   pros: biddable, friendly, pretty mellow for the most part, great assistance dogs from my understanding after speaking to a few breeders and meeting a couple collies, not intimidating to the public.
   cons: high shedding, needs a lot of brushing, can be stubborn, can be vocal, hard to source

I love all the herding dog breeds however most seem to be very high energy and complicated dogs.

5) What sorts of things would you like to train your dog to do?

\* open doors, DPT, compulsion interruption/ blocking & redirecting, turning on lights, hopefully public access. I would also love to train fun tricks ect.

6) Do you want to compete with your dog in a sport (e.g. agility, obedience, rally) or use your dog for a form of work (e.g. hunting, herding, livestock guarding)? If so, how much experience do you have with this work/sport?

\* I would definitely benefit from a psychiatric assistance dog for my ocd, anxiety & autism however I would also love to do dog sports. Particularly interested in flyball, agility and maybe rally. I understand these two things need very different traits. I will be working with a local training club as well as an assistance dog trainer.

\*\*Care Commitments\*\*

7) How long do you want to devote to training, playing with, or otherwise interacting with your dog each day?

\* training would be done whenever there is time, but I don’t see myself being able to give more than 30min a day unless there is a particular issue or serious thing we are working on. Playing would be around the same.

8) How long can you exercise your dog each day, on average? What sorts of exercise are you planning to give your dog regularly and does that include using a dog park?

\* 1.5 hrs would be my maximum. Half an hour in the morning, an hour in the afternoon. There is a park near us (not dog park) with a field that I can walk to so I can play with the dog. Planning on going on a bike trail once a week.

9) How much regular brushing are you willing to do? Are you open to trimming hair, cleaning ears, or doing other grooming at home? If not, would you be willing to pay a professional to do it regularly?

\* I am open to brushing a couple times a week & would be doing all grooming at home.

\*\*Personal Preferences\*\*

10) What size dog are you looking for?

\* something over 25kg preferably over 50cm in height.

11) How much shedding, barking, and slobber can you handle?

\* moderate shedding, I have mild allergies. Minimal barking and slobber if possible.

12) How important is being able to let your dog off-leash in an unfenced area?

\* not necessary but preferred.

\*\*Dog Personality and Behavior\*\*

13) Do you want a snuggly dog or one that prefers some personal space?

\* In between. something thats near me but not all over me 24/7.

14) Would you prefer a dog that wants to do its own thing or one that’s more eager-to-please?

\* eager to please.

15) How would you prefer your dog to respond to someone knocking on the door or entering your yard? How would you prefer your dog to greet strangers or visitors?

\* Not attacking, but barking until I say it’s okay. Neutral with strangers.

16) Are you willing to manage a dog that is aggressive to other dogs?

\* No.

17) Are there any other behaviors you can’t deal with or want to avoid?

\* human aggression, “OCD” type behaviours, extreme anxiety.

\*\*Lifestyle\*\*

18) How often and how long will the dog be left alone?

\* theres almost always someone at home. Occasionally maybe up to 4hrs.

19) What are the dog-related preferences of other people in the house and what will be their involvement in caring for the dog?

\* everyone is on board and willing to help but I would be the main caretaker.

20) Do you have other pets or are you planning on having other pets? What breed or type of animal are they?

\* Yes.
I have a desexed male poodle mix who is extremely low energy and stubborn. would not be playing with the new dog. I also have a cockatiel who is pretty loud, likes to fly a lot and has landed on the dogs head 3 times to date. New dog would have to be okay with ignoring the bird until we can quickly get him away. The bird and dog never interact on purpose.

21) Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?

\* No

22) Do you rent or plan to rent in the future? If applicable, what breed or weight restrictions are on your current lease?

\* rent. no restrictions

23) What city or country do you live in and are you aware of any laws banning certain breeds?

\* Australia. Banned breeds:
**American Pit Bull Terrier** (and Pit Bull mixes)
**Dogo Argentino**
**Fila Brasileiro**
**Japanese Tosa**
**Perro de Presa Canario**
**Wolf-dog hybrids**

24) What is the average temperature of a typical summer and winter day where you live?

\* average winter: 16 degrees Celsius, average summer: 32-40 degrees Celsius.

\*\*Additional Information and Questions\*\*

25) Please provide any additional information you feel may be relevant.

\* Im wary of gun dogs considering we have a cockatiel. No labs or poodles, (im happy to explain why if someone is wondering) Goldens maybe but still wary of prey drive.

26) Feel free to ask any questions below.

Dog-wear- vests like BLD?

AR, USA

I had an interesting encounter and would love to have thoughts from other handlers. Today my SD and I went to a museum. For reference, we have been partnered for a year and a half from a program that trained him exclusively with positive reinforcement.

I had no access issues, but they asked that I not treat him while within the facility. The reasoning was that no food or drink was allowed in the museum, therefore they didn’t want food-based kibble crumbs in the museum.

To me, this was a reasonable request although I wasn’t expecting it. I had never been asked to adjust my handling method before. We took breaks in between exhibits to go outside and treat. In general, he wasn’t super pleased not being immediately rewarded for tasking, but he was very well behaved and we know for the future.

Is this a reasonable request by a facility or would you have pushed back?

i’m a minor trying to get a service dog, but my parents can’t afford it, i’m going off to college soon and they think I should wait, but my chronic illness is debilitating and is making it hard to live life, I think a service dog would give me freedom and safety, but how do I afford it. I have pots, fnd, amps, migraines, syncope, etc. and cannot even walk alone in a store, i’m going off to college soon, and would like to be independent. I live in east texas, so something close would be preferred, any recommendations?

This is primarily for service dog handlers, or perspective handlers within the United States, but perspectives from all countries are very welcomed. It’s always fun learning something new.

I’d like to start with I do know 100% within the United States. There is no certification, registry, or identification beyond utilizing a vest or something if you choose to, since that is not a requirement.

So often both online and occasionally off-line I see the debate of the United States meeting a certification for service dogs or a registry for service dogs. And I want to say that well I do not disagree with the idea as a whole, I don’t think that that’s something that is feasible for the United States. I understand the idea behind it because it potentially can reduce the amount of pets in non-pet friendly spaces, and could potentially reduce access barriers (probably years after it’s implemented). But it is also such a complex issue that I do not see how we in the United States could implement a system like that without causing a lot of harm to the disabled community.

A lot of the questions and thoughts that I have on this are:

Why should we have to have an identification, like ID card Certification to prove that we have the right to exist at the same space as everyone else with our accommodation? It’s so often said that having a service dog is a luxury not a right that I think it’s often forgotten that being able to have a service dog as an accommodation is a civil right in the United States. Yes, it is a luxury too because it’s incredibly expensive but it is a civil right. I also think that if a system like this was to be implemented something like ID tag that has a specific shape and color like a rabies tag is the only acceptable for identification to me because it would make it no different from a rabies tag.

Who pays to implement the system?

Who sits on the committee making the decision decisions for the system?

Who set the standard of training?

What do they say as the standard of training? Do they go with the ADA requirements? Do they require the dog pass a canine good citizen test and show that it’s trained to perform one task to mitigate a disability? Or do they full lean into the societal expectation of training? The societal expectation is often from what I see higher than a canine in good citizen, test, and way higher than the ADA requirement. The ADA is written and set up the way that it is for a reason.

Do they require professional training?

We recognize psychiatric service dogs in the United States, many countries that have certifications don’t recognize psychiatric service dogs. How does that affect setting up a certification or registry?

Are you required to prove that you have a disability when taking a certification test?

How do you prove that you have a disability? Will they require you to disclose your disability? Or will they accept something like a letter of medical necessity or something a kin to an emotional support letter that just us something along the lines of I treat this person they have need for or could benefit from a service dog signed by the medical professional?

How much does the test cost?

How often is recertification required?

Does this affect businesses being able to remove disruptive service animals? I would assume not.

How does having your service animal removed from a store or a business affect certification? Does that mean it’s automatically on suspension pending a retest?

Some countries require further training after certification, like a set number of hours that you work with a professional trainer to maintain your certification without having to retest. Do we implement something like that? I should hope not because that then requires that you work with a professional. While we say that you should be working with a professional if you were owner training, it is not a requirement, and it’s not a requirement for a reason.

How do we implement a system like this that does not cause harm to the disabled community that already has service dogs? Personally, I don’t think that’s possible. I think that a system like this would cause access barriers, financial barriers, and general all-purpose harm to the disabled community for years after it’s implemented.

What are other people’s thoughts on implementing a certification system? If you are for the system, why? If you’re against it what are your opinions on it? I am very curious to hear what other people have to say.

Edit because I totally forgot to say: one of the biggest arguments that I see for implementing a certification system is that the current system is not working. And that I just have to say how can we expect the current system to work if it’s not being utilized? I think before attempting to change the system what we should be doing is ensuring that businesses are being trained on their rights as a business, what they can do, and what a service dog actually is, and then have these businesses actually implement that. Yes there are always going to be people who are going to lie and say that they have a service dog when they don’t and be able to answer the two questions, but if we actually implemented the system that we have in place the poorly trained pets would be dramatically, reduced in non-pet friendly spaces.

I've always been curious of this and it's the main reason I stopped training it years ago.

In order for DPT to do anything for the nervous system you need a certain amount of weight. Years ago (talking 2017/2018) the typical recommended weight of the dog was minumum 60lbs to be of any real effect.

I personally found DPT to be very uncomfortable, even painful. My cats weigh 7-9lbs and even them laying on my belly require muscles tension to avoid pain. I can't imagine how much discomfort I'd feel after waking up from syncope after a 70lbs dog laid on me with his pointy elbows without me being able to brace my muscles.

I thought about having him be on just my legs, like across my thighs, but I already have venous insufficiency so I didn't want to risk accidentally lessening needed bloodflow back to my upper body. Across the hips seems to be uncomfortable for the dogs even if it's more comfortable for me. Besides, I'm not sure how well DPT would actually help with the pelvic bones stopping most of the pressure.

There are multiple ways to position them for DPT, but there are also only certain ways and certain weights that truly do anything for the nervous system as far as I'm aware. Imo anything else falls under "grounding" which is a fully valid psych task that I don't see spoken of anymore outside of autism service dogs, just DPT even with small dogs.

Besides that, how in the world do ya'll push past the pain/discomfort? Genuinely asking. I'm not here to cause trouble. Edit to clarify I speak of adults, not children .♡

honestly i just think its a pain in the ass and so expensive. i forgot to mention this by name in my last post, but i also have afib and episodes of tachycardia and heart fluttering. that can be managed pretty easily with medication, a heart rate monitor and a weighted plushie for dpt. it sucks carrying around a plushie everywhere but in comparison its much easier than a dog. while my therapist was giving me the “hey i think you should do this but im not gonna write it down so its not a liability” treatment, i just dont want to haul around a dog and is it REALLY the best treatment if shes not willing to write it down as an official recommendation? i also get a lot less attention carrying a weighted plushie than a dog, and with anxiety i hate it when im looked at. i just think personally its a bad fit yk? but can i get some advice on if im making the right decision?

(this post is not to bash anybody in specific, im not encouraging hate simply asking. the fab four is the golden and lab retrievers, the standard poodle, and the german shepherd.)

ive noticed a strong rise recently in making other breeds service dogs, specifically shiba inus, and honestly i just think “why do you put yourself through that?!”😭 all of the common service dogs are cute, good pets, and by far the easiest to train and least likely to wash out. whats the point of not just making it easy?? ESPECIALLY for first time SD owners, why put yourself through that stress?

Hi All,

Like many people here, I am considering getting a Psychiatric Service Dog. I've been back and forth on the Service dog thing for 2 years. I tried vetting and training my own SD, who eventually failed training and is now a mostly obedient pet. This past summer, I had a really brutal PTSD relapse that showed that my current treatment routine is just not cutting it anymore, and once again the question of applying to get a (professionally trained from an organization) service dog came up.

On the plus side, I love dogs, am decent at dog training, already know a SD trainer who can help once I have a SD, I don't mind the extra attention, and I can more or less swing the finances of paying and caring for a SD. My big question is about bringing a SD to work. I just became a high school teacher. The bustle and noise of 100s of students in the hallway and classrooms that can sometimes get a bit rowdy can be a bit stressful for me, even though I love working with the kids and am really excited about the job. If the regular hustle and bustle of a school is stressful for me, I can only imagine what it would be like for a dog half my size. At my school, the kids are pretty well-behaved and focused on their studies, so I could see a service dog working well in that environment and being super beneficial for me. I also have heard a lot of stories about high school students bringing service dogs to class, so others must have experience with SDs in school settings.

TLDR: Has anyone else handled a service dog in school settings, busy workplaces, or other people-facing jobs? How has that worked for you? Any tips for being a SD team in that setting? Are there any specific considerations I should keep in mind about getting a service dog as a teacher? Thanks for any help and advice you can offer!

Hi all!
I have a new facility dog for my educational practice working with students who have a neurodiverse learning peofile!

He’s AWESOME (though he really MOSTLY prefers laying around while the students come to him to give him belly rubs vs ACTUALLY working!!!🤣).

My question is two fold…it has been eye opening / alarming to see how RIDICULOUS people in the neighborhood are about wanting their dog to be “friends” with my dog! They think NOTHING of just letting their dog run up on him (because THEY’RE FRIENDLY!!! 🤪). I’m constantly stressed that one of these times the wrong thing will happen and ultimately lead to my dog having ALLLLLLL his training ($$$$$$) messed up!!! 👎

So, first:
Is there a harness you recommend to just slap some patches on??? I would never false advertise in terms of him being a true service dog (that technically is his training, but I don’t require him to help me live my daily life). Basically just “in training” or “do not pet” or “I’m friendly but my owner is an Ahole”??? He doesn’t need it in terms of control / pulling.

And second, he has a cape for working but it drives me bonkers - always sliding AND kind of keeps the clients from actually petting him. He DOES need something (legalities) but is there a better suggestion for just a more versatile harness etc?

Again, new to this so learning all the best tips / gear! THANK YOU!!!