Whats the difference between an emotional support dog and a service dog?

I need my dog to go everywhere with me i have very bad anxiety and i was wondering what type of training i would need to train her/get her trained,and whats the difference between emotional support dog and a service dog. How do i know if i need an…

    Whats the difference between an emotional support dog and a service dog?

    I need my dog to go everywhere with me i have very bad anxiety and i was wondering what type of training i would need to train her/get her trained,and whats the difference between emotional support dog and a service dog. How do i know if i need an…...
    General Dog Discussions : Whats the difference between an emotional support dog and a service dog?...

    This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse this site, you are agreeing to our Cookie Policy.

    • Whats the difference between an emotional support dog and a service dog?

      Whats the difference between an emotional support dog and a service dog? General Dog Discussions
      I need my dog to go everywhere with me i have very bad anxiety and i was wondering what type of training i would need to train her/get her trained,and whats the difference between emotional support dog and a service dog. How do i know if i need an emotional support dog or a psychiatric service dog?

      Whats the difference between an emotional support dog and a service dog?

      Whats the difference between an emotional support dog and a service dog? General Dog Discussions
    • IMO service dogs should be for HANDICAPPED people like blind, disabled in a wheelchair - not for "emotional support". I think its crossing the line for those people that ARE disabled.Service dogs are obvious - they accompany the blind person or one in a wheelchair. I'd have a problem with someone coming into a restaurant or other store carrying a dog around for "emotional support".Added: - to Hector - I'm talking about the dog as a "service" dog for handicapped. I KNOW that Schiz is a disability but not to call it as needing a dog!

    • Emotional Support Animals are permitted to live in "no pet" housing, and that is it. Service animals are granted public access rights. You would qualify only for an ESA and not a Service Dog. Unless you have mobility issues, or "tasks" that the dog can do (note, making you feel more "at ease" is NOT considered as such), you are not qualified for a service animal.

    • You will find all the answers you need in the FAQ of the website below.http://www.psychdog.org/index.html@Ocimom: My wife's cousin has schizophrenia. I think he would be surprised to discover that some people do not regard this terrifying condition as a disability.@Ocimon: Thanks for replying. A small number of people with schizophrenia (and also bipolar disorder) are benefiting greatly from psychiatric service dogs. I would like to see more research and development in this area, rather than dismissing it because their disabilities are not externally visible. And I do know where you are coming from, because of the unfortunate propensity of some people to get a pet dog certified as a service animal merely so they can keep it in no-pet accommodation. For me, they rank with disabled parking badge abusers.http://www.aschizophrenicandadog.com/category/dogs/service-dogs/http://psychscoop.wordpress.com/category/psychiatric-service-dogs/

    • The two links below explain this better then I can. To be a service dog, your dog must perform an actual task to help you with your anxiety. Just being with you is not a task. The dog must actually do something to help you with your anxiety

    • An emotional support dog does not have public access rights but it needs no special training, where as a service dog does have public access right but requires trained tasks in order to be so. There are several things a service dog can do for you so it's important to talk to a service dog trainer about these options. For example, a dog can alert oncoming panic attacks, help lower stress and anxiety, it can lead you out of the store if your anxiety is over whelming. If you have night terrors the dog can wake you up from them. And there's several other things the dog can do. How do you know if you need a service dog or and ESA? Are your symptoms at home or in public? What good is an ESA if all your symptoms are in public places? Hope this helps, good luck!

    • Service dog: a dog specifically trained to perform tasks for a legally disabled person that they can not perform for themselves. If you are not legally disabled, and the dog is not trained to do something for that disability, you may not have a service dog. Service dog tasks are something the dog does physically, not how it makes you feel to have it with you. Emotional Support Animal: a pet for a legally disabled person that provides comfort/calming/some form of emotional stability. They do not require any special training. ESAs do NOT have any rights to go in public. Their only rights are to live in certain forms of no-pets housing and accompany their handlers on planes. That's it. Service dog training takes 18 months to 2 years and includes task training (what the dog does for a disability), exceptional obedience training and public access training. The overwhelming majority of pet dogs will not be able to pass. In fact, the majority of dogs raised by reputable service dog organizations are not able to pass. Not only should your dog be trained to do something for your anxiety such as alert you before a panic attack happens, lead you out of a crowd, etc., it should also have these standards of obedience. (It doens't have to actually take this test, but should be capable of doing what's outlined on it.) http://www.assistancedogsinternational.org/publicaccesstest.phpTrying to take your dog everywhere with you if it is not a legal service dog is a federal crime.

    • A "pet" which is prescribed by a board licensed physician or psychiatrist (NOT merely a therapist) is known as an "emotional support animal" or ESA. With a properly prescribed ESA, one may ask for a reasonable accommodation in housing and air travel, but that is where it stops. The handler of an ESA has no rights whatsoever to have their ESA in the public venue where pets are not allowed unless the state in which the ESA handler resides grants such rights. ESA's are regulated by individual state laws and are not mentioned in Federal law other than to state that: "The crime deterrent effects of an animal´s presence and the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition.” (source: www.ada.gov). An ESA is not a service dog. Individual states may grant the handler of an ESA the same or similar rights as the handler of a legitimate service dog, but that is on a state-to-state basis.Now the caveat: To have an ESA, one must meet the legal definition of "disabled", not merely have a condition, diagnosis or symptom. You MUST be disabled, which is legally defined as a limitation of a major life function. Driving in the rain, going shopping, riding in elevators and being in crowds are NOT examples of major life functions. Not being able to see, hear, walk and care for ones self ARE limitations on major life functions. Your pet would not qualify as either an ESA or service dog unless YOU are DISABLED by meeting the legal definition of such. Simply having symptoms or a diagnosis of "very bad anxiety" does not qualify one as being disabled. From what you have described here, you have a very nice pet, but that is all. You have no right to take your pet anywhere other pets are not allowed.You must have your primary care physician or your treating psychiatrist agree that having an ESA is an essential part of their prescribed treatment plan for your mental disability in order for you to even begin looking into making a reasonable accommodation request to have an ESA in "no-pets" housing or to travel on common air carriers. Even then, you still would have no public venue access rights with your pet.Some more research on your part is in order before you proceed further.

    • To "go everywhere" you need a service animal. They take about 2 years to train, and training starts at birth (I have bred service dogs). You will not be able to train your present dog.You can get a serrvice dog if you are disabled and a doctor prescribes one. They cost a bundle, but there are oganizations that donate them. Talk to your doctor.