Anxiety is one of the most common mental health conditions in today’s world, and this condition can vary in severity. Many individuals don’t seek treatment for their anxiety, believing it to be normal or not wanting to be perceived in a negative fashion. However, as the stigma surrounding mental healthcare is disappearing slowly, numerous individuals are finally reaching out to get the help they need for their anxiety. Sometimes, that help might include a service dog.
Service dogs are incredibly beneficial companions, and these highly trained pups can help relieve some of the symptoms of anxiety and improve the overall quality of life for someone with an anxiety condition. Our article tells you everything you need to know about anxiety service dogs and how they help.
What Are Service Dogs for Anxiety?
Service dogs for anxiety are dogs that have been specifically trained to help with an individual’s disability by performing certain tasks or actions. There are a few different types of service dogs, including mobility support dogs, medical alert dogs, guide dogs, and psychiatric service dogs. All of these service animals are trained with complex tasks that help counteract some of the symptoms of a person’s physical disability or mental health condition, in addition to helping their owner go about their daily lives more easily.
It is important to note that only dogs and, in some cases, miniature horses are legally allowed to be classified as service animals. Both of these animals must be trained to complete tasks that directly help with an individual’s disability.
How Do Service Dogs Help With Anxiety?
Service dogs are incredibly beneficial for individuals with anxiety, and many scientific studies have been performed on the positives that these animals bring to individuals with mental health conditions. When it comes to anxiety, the service animals that provide assistance are generally referred to as psychiatric service dogs. Below, we give you an idea of some of the tasks that an anxiety service dog might perform for their owner:
- Retrieving water, medication, cell phones, and other items for their owner
- Leading other individuals to their owner in the case of an emergency
- Signaling to their owner about an anxiety attack before it starts
- Guiding their owner to a safe and quiet space to calm down
- Providing deep pressure stimulation or other grounding support by licking, touching, or laying on their owner
- Protecting their owner’s back in public to make them feel safe or placing themselves as a barrier between their owner and others
- Distracting their owner from an anxiety attack or negative behaviors such as self-harm to help ground and calm their owner
- Providing comfort and stress relief with their companionship and presence
Many service dogs complete training alongside their future owners and are trained to help with the specifics of each individual’s disability. This is what makes every service dog unique and an essential companion to their owner; this is not a complete list of tasks, and you can speak with a service dog’s trainer for more details on training certain tasks for your future service dog to complete.
How Can I Get an Anxiety Service Dog?
Adopting a service dog for anxiety may be possible depending on your situation, and your first step in this process is speaking with your doctor or a mental healthcare provider licensed in your state. Anxiety service dogs may be able to help many people with this condition regardless of how severe their anxiety is – the only thing that a service dog will need to do is relieve or mitigate some of the symptoms of your condition by completing certain tasks.
In general, to qualify for a service dog you must have a disability, illness, or mental health condition that impacts your life. You will need to be present during the training of your service dog, and you will need to be physically and financially able to care for your dog and give them commands. Most organizations will also require that you have a stable home environment for you and your dog and that you have a letter from your doctor or mental healthcare provider stating your need for an anxiety service dog.
Sometimes, individuals choose to train their own service dogs instead of adopting them from an organization or foundation. This is possible, as federal regulations don’t require that you acquire a service animal from a specific place, just that you train them to complete specific disability-related tasks. You will still need approval from your medical provider to add an anxiety service dog to your treatment plan.
Do Service Dogs Have Legal Protections?
Service dogs have legal protections for public access, housing, and travel so that individuals with anxiety can benefit from their service dog’s presence no matter where they are going. There are three different federal regulations that are important to keep in mind when it comes to service dogs, and we give you a brief overview of these below.
Americans with Disabilities Act
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), service dogs have the right to accompany you into public spaces and spaces that may not typically allow animals, such as restaurants, malls, and retail stores. This act ensures that individuals with disabilities are able to access goods and services the same way other individuals can and that any barriers or discrimination stopping service animals from entering a location are prevented.
According to the ADA, individuals are not required to answer any questions about their service dog except the following:
- Is this dog a service animal?
- What work or tasks has this dog been trained to perform?
Any other requests about your service animal or denial of service for failure to prove that your dog is a service animal via performing certain tasks is a violation of the ADA.
Fair Housing Act
The Fair Housing Act is a federal regulation that aims to prevent discrimination against individuals who need to live with their service animals. This act requires landlords and rental agencies to make reasonable accommodations for individuals who need to live with a service animal or an emotional support animal. Additionally, individuals with service or support animals aren’t required to pay any pet rent, deposits, or fees associated with living with their companion animal.
Air Carrier Access Act
When it comes to traveling with your service animal, the main federal regulation to keep in mind is the Air Carrier Access Act. This act ensures that individuals with service animals are able to travel with their pets in airplane cabins, though each airline has its own policies regarding notifying staff about your service animal and registering them to bring them on board.
You should also note that while you can travel domestically with your service animal under the Air Carrier Access Act, other countries and international destinations may have varying requirements about bringing your dog into or out of the country. Make sure you understand these requirements before traveling with your service animal.
Frequently Asked Questions About Anxiety Service Dogs
Service dogs for anxiety may inspire questions in individuals who are thinking about adopting one. Our answers to frequently asked questions about service dogs for anxiety below can help give you more important details.
How Much Does an Anxiety Service Dog Cost?
Service dogs range in price depending on the breed of dog you are adopting, the specific organization you are adopting from, and the types of tasks that your dog needs to be trained in. On average, a service dog for anxiety can cost between $15,000 and $30,000, and it is unlikely that insurance will cover the cost of your service dog.
There are many organizations and foundations that provide service dogs to individuals in need for low cost or no cost, and it is important to research these local and national organizations if you are in need of an anxiety service dog but are unable to purchase a fully trained one.
Can I Train My Dog to be an Anxiety Service Dog?
It is possible to train your own dog as an anxiety service dog, as the Americans with Disabilities Act doesn’t require that you adopt a fully trained dog or a dog that has been through a specific training program. The only requirement that your service dog needs to meet is that they are well-behaved in public and that they are trained to help you by performing specific tasks related to your disability.
Does My Anxiety Service Dog Need to Be a Specific Breed?
Your anxiety service dog doesn’t need to be a specific breed, size, or age, but you should keep in mind the tasks you need to be completed by your dog as you adopt one. If you need things like medication retrieved and deep pressure stimulation, a very small dog might not be the best choice, as they likely don’t have the size and strength needed to complete these tasks. However, if you need a lap dog to comfort you and complete other tasks, a small dog may be appropriate.
Always keep in mind how an anxiety service dog might help your needs as you decide which type of dog to adopt.
Will an Emotional Support Dog Help With My Anxiety?
In certain cases where your anxiety condition isn’t too severe, you may be able to add an emotional support dog to your life instead of a service dog. An emotional support dog provides relief and comfort from your anxiety symptoms with their presence, their cuddles, and the routine or companionship their presence in your life provides.
Because emotional support dogs aren’t trained with specific tasks that help your condition, they don’t have the same federally protected public access rights as service animals. The Fair Housing Act also covers emotional support animals, but these dogs are not permitted in spaces that might not typically allow dogs, such as restaurants and malls where service dogs might be allowed.
Can My Anxiety Service Dog Be Turned Away?
Your anxiety service dog may be turned away from certain locations depending on their behavior. In general, any business or housing unit will need to accept your service animal under federal regulations, but if your anxiety service dog is out of control, not listening to you, acting fearful, aggressive, or dangerous, they may not be permitted into any space.
It’s also important to note that fake anxiety service dogs may be spotted this way, as a fully trained and focused service dog is unlikely to ignore their owner or be out of control in public.
Acquiring a Helpful Anxiety Service Dog
Acquiring a service dog for your anxiety is essential for many individuals whose condition affects their daily lives. The first step to adopting an anxiety service dog is consulting with your doctor or licensed mental healthcare provider to ensure that adding a service dog for anxiety to your treatment plan is the right choice. From there, you can train your own anxiety service dog or start the process of adopting a fully-trained service dog. No matter which method you use, once your anxiety service dog is in your life, you can begin living alongside your pup and achieving relief from your symptoms.