Anyone else have a psychiatric service dog for ptsd?

[ViolenceAtWork]

I do and it's wonderful! My young service dog in training is able to help me with the three requirements from the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 that were revised just last year in the area of mental health: animal must be trained to help with 1.) impulse control; 2.) self destructive behavior; and 3.) feeling unsafe.

 

[Meadowsweet]

I've never heard of this. It would be good if you could say a bit more about it.

 

[PoeticWillow]

I've heard about psychiatric service dogs and I would love to have a psychiatric service animal exactly for those reasons, but one of my triggers is unfortunately dogs. When they changed the law to specify only dogs, they sort of made it impossible for me to get an alternative animal.

I'm trying to get a service dog for my sister who has Epilepsy and was wondering what your experience has been like when taking the dog in public? How do people respond? Are there any complications in owning a service dog?

 

[ViolenceAtWork]

Meadowsweet, here's what the ADA released.

Effective March 15, 2011,
“Service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a ... psychiatric...or other mental disability...The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the handler´s disability. Examples of work or tasks include, but are not limited to...helping persons with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors...”

The ADA requires that reasonable accommodation be made to provide individuals with disabilities equal access to services, programs, and opportunities, such as employment and housing. The ADA also prohibits discrimination in public services, public transportation, and “public accommodations,” such as:

Hotels & Motels
Malls & Shopping Centers
Commercial Airlines
Restaurants & Bars
Apartments & Condos
Public Pools & Beaches
Sporting Events
Movie Theatres
Banks & Post Offices
Public Buildings & Parks
Grocery Stores
Doctor & Dentist Offices
Cruise Ships
Bus & Train Stations

<Text formatting removed by cherryblossom. Please use default font in posts, thanks.>

 

[ViolenceAtWork]

Hi, PoeticWillow.

1.) the dog has been allowed everywhere in public without hesitation since the U.S. law is so old now;
2.) people usually do not approach me or the dog because of the service dog vest and badge he wears (I also have an identification with a doctor's note, proof of completion of an Internet based home study course, and shot records on me at all times just in case); and,
3.) yes, since my service dog in training is only nine months old, when he's "off duty" (i.e., back home without the vest but still able to help me in all areas described earlier), he can be a "terrible two year old or teenager" (as would be expected with any healthy puppy) - so, I have been angry and frustrated at or about him and his behavior (e.g., chewing up magazines, eating ends of towels, eating socks, etc.) and then ironically he is the one who usually helps calm me down just by me looking at him, petting him and having him kiss or lick my face - go figure.

ViolenceAtWork

 

[PoeticWillow]

Thanks for taking time to answer some of my questions. It really helped, so now I know how to advise my sister more realistically on what it'll be like if/when she gets a service dog.

 

[ClairBear226]

Popeye has a PTSD service dog named Abby, and Deaf Global Nomad has a non-PTSD service dog named Bright. DGN is a moderator here. Somewhere here is Popeye's original posts about when he first got Abby. Definitely worth doing a search for.

I have dogs... but mine just shed. ;)

 

[ClairBear226]

[DLMURL]https://www.ptsdforum.org/c/threads/service-dog-rollercoaster.12742/[/DLMURL]

Here ya go!

 

[Lionheart]

I had never heard of a psychiatric service dog before. I find it fascinating. I could have used that type of support some years ago when I was a practicing alcoholic, 'cause maybe the dog could have bit me in the keyster to prevent me drinking. :p

Seriously though, I think it is a wonderful thing that you have this service dog and I really appreciate your posting about it here!!!
:)
Best of luck,
LH

 

[Sammy]

I am curious about the online course you took. I have a 6 month old German Shepherd puppy I want to train as a service dog for myself. For now, we just want to get to his CGC. My 6 month old pup can be terrible but he is also one of the few that can make me laugh and because of his breed, he makes me feel safer. Anyway, could you share more about the course? Thanks.

 

[ViolenceAtWork]

Sure, Sammy. Here's the checklist.


Qualify My Dog


It is illegal to represent that you require a service animal, unless you have a disability requiring such an animal.

The First Step

Working with your dog in Public

The law: You may be asked to remove your service dog from a premises if:

1) The animal is out of control and the animal's owner does not take effective action to control it
2) The animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others.

The following questions are to assist you in determining if your service animal is qualified to assist you in public

General Requirements:

1) When walking in public, your dog must obey your commands and not be distracted by outside influences, noise or other animals and people.

2) While entering a building, your dog should walk beside you. The dog's attention should not be diverted nor should it want to investigate other areas of the building

3) When exiting a vehicle or public modes of transportation, your dog should exit with you or wait until you give a signal for the dog to exit.

4) Inside a building or public transportation the dog should not be distracted by other people or try to go to them. Most people realize it is improper to pet a service animal. The animal should not want attention from other persons surrounding you.

5) In a restaurant, your dog should be comfortable on the floor beside you or under the table. The dog should not be expecting food from the table and should not be startled by foot traffic in a restaurant.

6) When a person, adult or child approaches your dog to pet them. The dog should look to you for guidance. The dog should allow petting by others without any aggressive behavior

7) Your dog should obey all commands without hesitating. Sit and stay should be a onetime command

8) If for some reason you drop your dogs leash, as soon as you command the dog must stop and wait for you to regain control.

The forgoing information is just a general guideline for working with your dog in public. The most important thing is that you have full control of your dog at all times.

I verify that my dog complies with the above guidelines

<Edited by KP the Nut for incorrect formatting>

 

[maddog]

Wow! I think my guide dog would fail this self test... must comply with your commands all of the time? Never get distracted by others? Look to you for guidance if patted?

I'm not being argumentative, truly I'm not, more just bemused than anything, but I do think this checklist could be worded a little better, as it presents a rather unrealistic portrayal of just how a service dog will behave.

I agree absolutely and wholeheartedly that the final premise that your dog must be under your control at all times is critical and I am probably more passionate about this than most people find tolerable... I *hate* out of control service dogs and irresponsible handlers, and we have plenty of them around here.

But I also do think that realism is necessary, for the sake of the handler and the uneducated public who often understand very little about what a service dog is and does, through no fault of their own, only that it's not a concept or practice with which many people are familiar.

Dogs are dogs. They are like children. They have good and bad days, sometimes challenge the handler, are not always perfect and do make mistakes. If you don't realise that... you soon will.

And of course I'm not speaking to you specifically ViolenceAtWork, that's a generic "you".

I find there are many many many public misconceptions about what a service dog does. I use a guide dog, which is the oldest and most recognized and accepted form of service animal, and yet I could write a book and several sequels about the bizarre and often very difficult encounters I have had with people in relation to the dog.

And that's all bearing in mind that here in Australia we have a culture of very high acceptance of guide dogs (the general service dog industry is comparatively young as compared to the US, but it's evolving rapidly). I have very very few public access challenges, most of the challenges are in relation to people interfering with my dog, patting/talking to her etc, as well as the strange ways in which I am treated as her handler.

Unfortunately some of this behaviour is horrifically triggering for me... which is another topic I suppose, and is one of my greatest social/public challenges thesedays.

ViolenceAtWork, I'd be really interested to know what specific behaviours your dog has been trained to perform to help you address the issues of impulsive or self destructive behaviour, sense of safety, and whatever else you require. I don't know a lot about psychiatric service dogs either and would be interested to learn more.

Sorry for the rant everyone.

Maddog