Hello, Secret Scars ... Please read the posts above. Only YOU can train your emotional support animal, tho you can have any trainer of good reputation train YOU in how to train.

Anyone who advertises as or holds themself out to be a trainer of emotional support dogs is someone to be avoided unless what s/he advocate is their observing you and the dog working together in training and making comments, and occasionally doing something with the dog to show you the right way, then letting you immediately go back, repeating the technique just demonstrated.

Anyone (website or otherwise) who tells you your animal can be certified MIGHT be blowing smoke. There are 2 or more organizations that are involved in helping the FAMILY train a dog for their emotionally handicapped child. This is often an autistic child.

I did find a website quite willing to sell you certificates, very official looking and impressive, that your dog was a certified ESD (maybe even PSD) -- but no testing or observation was done, obviously -- you just filled out the form online and paid for the products.

Currently, there is no certification program of any kind for Emotional Support Dog/Animal or a Psychiatric Support Dog/Animal. But it may be different for Therapy Dogs and Cats (see here - http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...00&postcount=2

You can carry a copy of your doctor's/therapist's letter of need with you. You could even have Kinko's reduce it in size -perhaps so it would fit in passport case- this way it could still be read. Most businesses are aware of the federal law governing permitted access, but you could carry that, too.

If you live in a cooler climate, you can purchase a service dog vest to help people instantly identify your dog as a working dog. One place sells large tags that even carry a photo of your dog - too big for my Pekingese. These, too, are not "official", but an indicator.

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Now, perhaps you have heard about dogs (and other animals) who are used not as a personal EMD, but are dogs who work with specific handlers and are taken into nursing homes and such to visit with the residents? Those dogs are certified, but it is temperment and behavior that governs selection. They are expected to have NO stranger anxiety, NO aggression, and virtually impossible to startle, to be exceptionally well behaved, obedient, not excitable - very calm and sedate, and very people oriented, gentle and enjoying being petted and hugged by total strangers.

They must be unshakeable even when a patient with Alzheimer's or other dementia becomes emotionally excitable, whether vocally or physically. Golden Retrievers are often used. The dogs are washed, brushed well -thoroughly groomed- before they go out on a job so there will be no smell at all or any shedding.

Then they go home - they most usually live with their handler who is also trained and certified to accompany the dog.

I hope you are able to drop back by and read a lot of the threads here - especially the ones with the arrows pointing at them.

OneMoreTime