I will do a later thread about just how many right federal law gives the owners of Emotional Support Dogs. While there is a FEW places you can't legally go, if you have a Well-Trained dog that Behaves like a Service Dog in pubic places and around people, and your dog wears an identifying vest while working in public, you will have a great deal assistance.

This, of course, is very important for those of us who have difficulties leaving our homes and apartments, but who can handle going places with the emotional support of a dog.

SOME PEOPLE may already own a dog who gives you tons of love and affection, who makes life worth living, but IF you want a dog that can accompany you in public, that dog needs to meet certain behavioral standards.

Even in the selection and training of Professionally Trained SERVICE Dogs, it is very difficult to take a tiny puppy and predict which ones will eventually become successful Service Dogs and which ones will flunk out and have to become "just family pets".

Some training agencies are beginning to search for candidate dogs among younger adult dogs found in dog shelters. If you are looking for an EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DOG that you will be able to vest-up and take out in public to accompany you virtually everwhere, then this can help you SELECT an appropriate dog to be your companion.

This way of testing dogs was discovered via a professionally conducted study and produced high percentages of appropriate dogs who could be trained to the high level of a Service Dog. A dog passing this test will make a superior Emotional Support Dog for you.

Next Post will be the test with the PASS/FAIL criteria.

Teri

If the shelter or recovery agency has no such person, then it is best to pay for an hour of a qualified dog trainer's time to come to the shelter and thoroughly test a dog who seems to you and the attendants to be a potential good client to pass this test. Having a professional do this keeps YOU from possibly being bitten on the pain, pinch and the settle down test (where the dog is held in a submissive position).

If you decide to do this test yourself with a shelter employee nearby and helping with the test (don't forget the halloween or party mask), then print out these test procedures so you do them correctly and grade them exactly as directed.

Fetch
Take the dog to a small fenced in area (6.1 meters × 6.1 meters) and using a brightly colored soft rubber toy or tennis ball, get the dog’s attention by swinging it back and forth in front of you. Once the dog is attending to the toy throw it in front of you and then get involved in the catch—clap your hands, smile and use a lot of energy. If the dog brings the item back toward you, try to engage the dog in a bit of pulling and then repeat the sequence once you have removed the toy from the dog’s mouth.

Pass - Dog engages in any sort of game with handler. Ideally the dog retrieves the toy repeatedly.
Fail - Ignoring the handler; investigating area relentlessly throughout test.

The Pinch
The test requires a person to pinch between the dog’s toes and wait for a response, slowly pinching harder and harder until the dog responds.

Pass - Dog gently withdraws its paw; no response
Fail - Yelping; submissive urination; growling, or biting

Sensitivity
The handler should sit in an armless chair in a quiet area away from distractions and place the dog in front of him/her. Beginning at the haunches and working up towards the ears pinch the loose skin lightly all over the dog. The pinch should have some pressure, but should not cause pain.

Pass - Dog leans into the touch; dog solicits more interaction; dog accepts touch without moving.
Fail - Dog in constant movement; dog not interacting with handler; dog growls or bites.

The Stranger
While the handler is walking the dog, a stranger wearing a mask suddenly pops up from behind an object—or around a corner and walks toward the dog without looking at it.

Pass - Dog approaches stranger in calm and friendly manner; dog initially startles but quickly recovers and continues to walk.
Fail - Dog remains strongly focused on stranger; dog startles and does not recover after 10 seconds; dog growls or barks.

Umbrella Test
In a closed room, drop the leash and with a closed umbrella stand in front of the dog and open it. Place the opened umbrella on the floor on its side.

Pass - Dog initially startles but quickly recovers and approaches umbrella.
Fail - Dog startles and does not recover in 10 seconds.

Sound Sensitivity
While in an enclosed room, drop the leash and bang a spoon against a pan once, wait 5 seconds and then bang continuously every half second.

Pass - Dog approaches pan or handler in a calm manner; dog initially startles but quickly recovers.
Fail - Dog startles and does not recover in 10 seconds.

The Stare
Kneel down in front of the dog’s cage. While the animal is calm, look directly into its eyes without speaking. Continue for 30 seconds.

Pass - Dog stays in the front of the cage trying to interact with the handler while avoiding direct eye contact.
Fail - Constant direct eye contact; dog stays in the back of the kennel; dog does not solicit interaction.

The Object
While the handler is walking the dog, they should come across an unusual object such as a large animal figure.

Pass - Dog seems to ignore object; dog initially startles but quickly recovers and walks on.
Fail - Dog startles and does not recover.

Other Dog
While the handler is walking the dog on a leash, have another dog (large and of the same sex as the dog being walked) tied on a long leash near by. The handler should walk the dog past the tied dog staying about 5 feet from it.

Pass - Dog ignores other dog; dog approaches in play position; dog approaches in a submissive posture.
Fail - Dog approaches while barking and/or growling; dog is fixated on other dog, and the handler is unable to distract or continue walking the dog; dog approaches tail high and flagging, ears in forward posture and body stiff.

Settle
This test will always be the last test given. Gently but forcefully place the dog on its side and hold it down by bracing one hand on the neck, and the other on the haunches. Remain in this position for 40 seconds or if earlier, when the dog is still.

Pass - Dog calmly collapses into position.
Fail - Dog struggles; dog submissively urinates; dog growls or attempts to bite.

The following are observations gathered over the entire time of all the tests.

Activity Level Observation
The tester will walk the dog into a empty room, quickly remove the leash and exist the area. Observation should begin immediately after handler has exited. The dog’s activity should be recorded or observed thru a 1-way mirror during one 4 minute session. Activity Level amounts consists of "ground covered", amount of vertical elevations or rearings (such as risising up on chairs, tables, the doors, windows or walls, and the amount of sniffing done around the room.

Pass - Average level of activity; little to no vertical activity.
Fail - Excessively high or low activity; high vertical activity; panic behavior.

Jumping at People
A record will be kept of the number of times the dog jumps on anyone at any time during the testing sessions.

Pass - Dog does not jump on tester, or jumps on tester only one time.
Fail - Repeated jumping on tester.

Play Aggression
A record of any play aggression (i.e., barking at handler while wagging tail, play nips, etc.) at any time during the testing sessions will be kept.

Pass - Little to no play aggression
Fail - More than one instance of play aggression

The Gut Level Impression

Once all items have been administered, the tester/handler, and the videotaper/observer make a record of their “gut prediction” for the success of the dog they just tested.

What did the study prove? That dogs that respond well to human contact are likely to be more pleasant to train.

When the dog first comes to live with you and you begin to teach him how to walk calmly and correctly on a leash, you can begin to learn what kinds of rewards YOUR DOG finds the most rewarding and reinforcing.

Different Dogs respond to different KINDS OF REWARDS

In the study, here is how it worked out for the types of reinforcement needed:
verbal praise (13 dogs, 17%)
food (12 dogs, 16%)
food and praise together (21 dogs, 28%)
high-energy verbal encouragement praise (14 dogs, 18.6%)
(this is where you show your excitement over the dog's responses by high-energy body language along with generous effusive praise)
high level of physical patting (7 dogs, 9.33%)
(lots of physical love, for dogs who crave that body love)
collar corrections (8 dogs, 10.5%)

Do not think you can simply hire a trainer to train your dog, for the relationship is not to be the trainer and your dog, but you and your dog. The dog needs to have that strong training bond with the person who will be living and working with the dog. It IS okay to hire a trainer to come to your home to observe the two of you as a team, to demonstrate correct training to you, and to coach you. Notice - the trainer is for you, not your dog.

I would definitely not recommend enrolling your dog to "training classes" because of the crowds and dogs of all ages and conditions -- non-stop barkers, jumpers, hyperactive, nervous, aggressive. It can be a real zoo. You can end up going home, both of you nervous wrecks and with little confidence in yourself. Best to train at and around your home in peace and calm.

1. Retrieve in home Base situation: A dog should be expected to retrieve in the home base situation with few to no corrections.

2. Retrieve with a male stranger present: A stranger can be threatening or distracting to some dogs, and it should be expected that more corrections would be needed in this situation, but that an ideal dog would not be affected.

Further Training should consist of taking your Vested dog to shopping centers and other busy noisy environments.

Vests, collars and leashes identifying your dog as a trained (or "in training") are available online for very modest cost. They help in the acceptance level of people you encounter, and you can have many opportunities to teach, whether you chat or whether (when they want pet your dog) to simply, "He's busy working now and can't stop to talk" or something to that effect, then carry on.

So realize that a properly thoroughly trained Emotional Support Dog can be available to anyone who can afford the adoption fee of an adult animal at any number of shelters in your area. You get the chance to spend more and better time, and get the testing done at a shelter than you do in buying a dog privately or going thru most breed-speciality rescue organizations.

The idea of a puppy can be very appealing, but if what you want and truly need is an emotional support dog, then a puppy is a very risky bet. Even if he is professionally screened for you, the odds still against the puppy growing up into the dog your need.

On the other hand, with an adult dog, you know EXACTLY who and what you are getting. Plus you are gaining a valuable assistant to make your life better for you and go places with you within two months.

I am already planning to secure my own Emotional Support Animal. Living in an apartment, I will have to get print-outs of all the needed federal law details to provide the manager along with the prescription from my doctor (the prescription can ALSO come from your therapist).

I was looking at getting a tiny toy dog, but decided to get a medium sized dog who can jump on the bed and off without risking a broken leg. Also, I need the exercise and a toy dog can get all the exercise they need in a very short distance -- and I need a couple of miles a day.

Teri

my resource for information about that study - found in an earlier given study...

Selecting Shelter Dogs for Service Dog Training
Emily Weiss
Department of Psychology
Wichita State University
Wichita, Kansas

published in the
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ANIMAL WELFARE SCIENCE, 5(1), 43–62
Copyright © 2002, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.

This is the MOST terrific thread on the "Our Pets" Forum
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/showthread.php?t=6245


This is about the famous trainer, Cesar Millan, who works WITH ADULT DOGS by using the pack theory... that dogs simply need to know who the alpha pack member is so the dog can be happy and relaxed in knowing his place in the pack. He teaches Dog Psychology based on a dog's reality.

This theory did certainly not start with this trainer, but he is the first to use it (and use it so well) as the very core of Cesar's training. It is so exciting and impressive to see him "walking" an entire crowd, a PACK of dogs --and not a leash in sight-- but all of them are focused on him and all of them are under his control rather than running wild, sniffing and peeing on things every step of the way.

It was pointed out that you can find these used, sometimes discounted, and at many librries in their DVD lending library. Cesar Millan has a book, too, but they say you truly need to see Cesar's show (on the National Georgraphic channel on Cable and satellite) and watch the DVDs of his shows to really let him train YOU how to interact with your dog.

I know from (second hand) experience (and it is talked about on this thread above) that some "dog training classes" teach you a great deal of very bad, even counter-productive techniques and advice.

So PLEASE read this thread http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/showthread.php?t=6245 and take the advice to heart.

Teri

How perfect!! We raise Dobbies and I have been having a couple of the dogs to help me walk, get out of a sitting position, etc... I have been dx with fibromyagia, but there is more than that going on, as if the fibro is not enough, huh??? Because of this, our interest in service/helper dogs has increased and we have been trying to find in depth info on training and cert for them.
They have been VERY socialized, we have taken them to farm stores, pet stores, parks, schools, around different types of machines, wheelchairs, walkers, people of all ages, and lets not forget my awkard gate and the stumbling and falling I do. They were amazing the evening I was home alone, I had a seizure while I was holding a bowl filled with my supper. When I "came to" I had 3 Dobbies beaking me, my supper was on the floor in front of me but their attention was on me. Then of course, after I sat up, they were eyeballing the food on the floor.
Dobbies are working dogs, they need a job, plus they have so much love and devotion to give, it sounds almost perfect.
This is very valuable information. Thank you so much.
New member Postmaster1992

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.

*********
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

Hi, I am new to the forum and my husband and I are training two pups for hearing dogs, they are 15 1/2 months old and doing great, hope to have training complete by their 2nd birthday, we got them as tiny pups and started socializing them as soon as their shots were up to date.

Neither of them bark when on harness and are quite well behaved, never been embarrassed by them...only been asked to leave the doctor's' office, seems they only allow seeing-eye dogs....I guess the fact that we keep them cleaner than most people keep themselves doesn't matter. Only one restaurant has posed a problem so we don't go there...the pups have never had people food and they don't beg at the table or try to get at the food when the waitress brings it, they may pick their heads up to give us the heads up that the food is there, but that is all.

Off harness at home they are free to relax and be the pups they are...if we have guests over, the harness goes on and they are content to sit or lay quietly and observe....I think they have mostly trained themselves. We got the brother and sister pair as babies and I wouldn't have had it any other way! They were spayed/neutered at 10 weeks and besides alerting us to different noises in the house, they also alert me when hubby is having trouble breathing, if he has a bad coughing spell in the night, or his oxygen machine gets turned off at night...great little dogs.

Emotional Support Animals, those who benefit their owners by their presence and not because of task training, are not protected under federal public access laws. The ADA applies only to service animals that are task-trained.

In housing and on aircraft, emotional support animals are given the same access as service animals (except they require special documentation).

It is important not to confuse the various laws. No public accommodation can be required to admit an emotional support animal under federal law whether or not it is wearing a cape and no matter how well behaved it is.

There are consequences for claiming an ESA as a service dog depending on where and how the claim is made that can in some cases include fines, jail time, and even loss of social security benefits. So it's important to get the distinction right.

Check it out for yourself:
Department of Justice ADA information line: 800 - 514 - 0301

Anyone can train a dog, whether it is for emotional support or something else. The key is that it actually gets trained.

With service dogs, which are different from emotional support animals, the dogs may be trained by service dog programs, by private trainers, or by the owners themselves, assuming they have the necessary skills.

All an ESA needs to know are things like basic house manners, how to not annoy neighbors and visitors, to walk politely on a leash and come when called. Taking obedience classes with your dog is a great activity to do together and a good excuse to get yourself out of the house. But if classes just aren't for you, that doesn't mean you can't have a lovely well-behaved ESA. Most private trainers will do this sort of basic training.

Certification does not make a dog a service dog, or an emotional support dog. Certification is not required in the U.S.

However, in order to keep an ESA in "no pets" housing or to take one on an aircraft, the owner will need some documentation from their physician that the dog's presence is necessary for medical reasons.

Any mentally sound dog will provide an abundance of unconditional love to a caring owner. No training is required for that.