Besides, you are going to end up depending on your dog pretty heavily, so it’ll just work better if you pick one that’ll develop a strong bond with you. Tendency to Bond StronglyĪlthough independent dog breeds can be wonderful in some circumstances, most good service and support dogs tend to be touchy-feely dogs who bond strongly with their owners. If you are in need of an emotional support dog, you may be able to get by with one in the latter category, but a strong work drive is an important trait to seek when picking a service dog. Some dogs have a strong desire to work with their owner, while others are happy to lounge on the couch all day and have their stomach scratched. However, it won’t matter to you or him – you’ll just know that you make each other’s lives better. The exact way your four-legged assistant is classified will affect the logistics of having him accompany you in your daily activities (for example, service dogs are allowed nearly everywhere, but therapy dogs are restricted from some places). Some dogs are trained to monitor autistic people and even sit at their feet during meltdowns to help calm them. There is occasionally a bit of crossover between the various categories.įor instance, a dog that is trained to take active, well-defined steps to help stop their owner’s anxiety attacks (as in the earlier example) is probably better characterized as a service dog for anxiety rather than an emotional support dog because he’s performing a specific task. ![]() Some help wheelchair-bound owners open doors, while others are trained to notify deaf owners of ringing doorbells, fire alarms, and other important sounds. The classic example of a service dog is a German shepherd leading a blind owner around, but there are a variety of other tasks service dogs have been trained to complete. Unlike these other dogs, which primarily provide value by just being lovable floofs, service dogs are trained to perform specific and essential tasks for people with a disability. Service dogs are quite different from therapy dogs and emotional support animals. However, rules vary between businesses, and service dogs are the only animals allowed full access to various businesses and public spaces. There are ways to officially register your dog as an emotional support animal, which can (in some cases) provide added protection against landlords who don’t traditionally allow pets, and may allow you to access certain spaces with your dog where normal pets cannot go. That being said, there are certainly sets of skills we’d recommend for training an emotional support dog. This is often helpful for stopping the attack and allowing their owner to relax and feel safe.ĭogs don’t actually need to have any kind of specific training or experience to qualify them as emotional support animals. Some do so by simply hanging out with their person, soliciting scritches, and generally being a dog, while others will intervene during acute attacks of anxiety or fear.įor example, if the owner of an emotional support dog starts showing signs of an impending anxiety attack, the dog may jump up on his person’s lap and start doling out kisses and affection. This means that you may be able to find your next service dog at your local rescue!Įmotional support dogs are usually expected to help their owners cope with fear, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, or other emotional challenges. Mixed breed dogs can make absolutely fantastic service dogs, so long as they have a compatible disposition. The truth is that - while not all individual dogs make good service animals, any dog has the potential to be a great service dog, so long as they are even-tempered, calm, and have a strong work drive. They’re also pretty smart and easy to train, and most pit bulls have a strong work drive. ![]() In fact, pit bulls are one of the friendliest breeds around, and well-trained individuals are generally very well-behaved in public situations. ![]() Many people fear pit bulls, but these fears are the result of ignorance and sensationalistic coverage by the media – in truth, the vast majority of pits are loving, gentle dogs. Pit bulls (and their American Staffordshire terrier cousins) often make excellent service dogs for people, although you’ll have to be prepared to deal with the negative (though mistaken) perception of the breed.
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