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How to Get a Service Dog for Anxiety

How to Get a Service Dog for Anxiety - Service Dog Certifications

Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in the U.S., with approximately 40 million adults experiencing the disorder. In cases where a person with anxiety is unable to function at work, school, or in social situations, a psychiatric service dog can help them get back on the right track.

A psychiatric service dog is a highly trained dog that can perform specific tasks or services that the individual with a disability may not be able to accomplish on their own. Service dogs are legally allowed to follow their owners into establishments that are not usually open to animals. You can even fly with a service dog for free on planes. 

These are the 4 steps for getting a service dog for anxiety:

  1. See whether your anxiety is a disability.
    Anxiety can be a qualifying disability if it substantially limits a major life activity. Not sure if you meet this criteria? A PSD letter can help. 
  2. Adopt a suitable dog if you don’t have one.
    If you don’t have a suitable dog for service dog duties, adopt a dog with the right temperament and intelligence for the task you need to help with your condition. 
  3. Train your dog to help with your anxiety.
    A service dog must be individually trained to perform a job or task relating to your condition. You can self-train or use a professional trainer. 
  4. Train your dog for public access.
    All service dogs must be well-behaved and in control when in public settings. They should ideally be able to pass a public access test. 
Guidelines for a Psychiatric Service Dog

How a Service Dog Can Help With  Anxiety

Anxiety stems from a physiological response. The brain gauges situations as dangerous, even when a person isn’t actually in danger t or if the danger has long gone. The brain then starts the stress reaction (a so-called “fight or flight” response) and releases hormones into the body. These hormones then initiate unpleasant physical effects: hyper-awareness, rise in blood pressure, sweating, increase in heart rate, and quick breathing. 

Research has shown that trained psychiatric service dogs can help humans overcome anxiety in several ways:

  • Lower blood pressure and heart rate
  • Provide a calming influence through deep pressure therapy, nuzzling, licking, and other touch
  • Function as a protective factor against suicide and self-harm 
  • Provide a sense of security
  • Fetch any medication or devices that may help reduce the symptoms
  • Perform crowd control work 

Keep in mind that in order to qualify as a service dog, there must be a need for the dog to perform a job or task relating to a person’s disability. If the dog merely provides comfort for anxiety that qualifies as a disability, it is likely an emotional support animal and not a psychiatric service dog.

Anxiety as a Disability 

According to the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), a person with anxiety can be considered to have a disability if their condition “severely impacts the ability to perform one or more major life activities.”

Disabilities like severe anxiety are not visible to others, like someone in a wheelchair or a blind person with a cane.  If anxiety causes impairment in a major life function such as work, school, or personal relationships, then the person may meet the definition of a disability and be able to qualify their dog as a service dog.

A healthcare provider can help someone determine if their anxiety rises to the level of a disability. They can confirm their opinion about whether you have an anxiety-related disability in a signed PSD letter. It’s worth repeating that even if a person has an anxiety disorder that qualifies as a disability, a psychiatric service dog is only appropriate if they need a job or task performed to assist with that disability. If a task-trained dog is not required, trying for emotional support animal status is probably more appropriate.

How to make my dog a service dog (infographic) - Service Dog Certifications

Wonder if you qualify for a Psychiatric Service Dog?
Get an assessment from a licensed medical health professional. If you qualify, they can issue a PSD Letter so that you can confidently train and own a PSD.

Get your PSD letter now - ServiceDogCertifications

Training a Service Dog for Anxiety

Training a service dog for assisting anxiety requires patience but can be done on your own or with the help of a professional trainer. There are also psychiatric service dogs that are sold pre-trained, but the cost is prohibitive for most people. 

Many people find the process of training a service dog to be rewarding and worthwhile in and of itself. The ADA allows for self-training of service animals, but you should always consult an expert if you’re not sure or you get stuck in the training process. Keep in mind that you not only have to train an anxiety service dog to perform its job to help you but also so that it is under your control at all times, able to maintain a calm demeanor, and ready to serve you in various public environments.

Service Dog Training Log - ServiceDogCertifications

Keeping a training log will help with analyzing the progress of your service dog’s training. Download this free sample Service Dog Training Log, provided by Service Dog Certifications.
Order your psychiatric service dog letter today - Click here - ServiceDogCertifications
| Disabilities Service Dog

About the Author: The writing team at Service Dog Certifications is made up of folks who really know their stuff when it comes to disability laws and assistance animals. Many of our writers and editors have service dogs themselves and share insights from their own experiences. All of us have a passion for disability rights and animals.

12 comments

  1. Lisa says: December 19, 2022

    Hi I need more information on how to get a psychiatric support dog. I do currently have a small chihuahua, I really think I’d benefit from a bigger dog such as a labador retriever. I recently I have started having stress induced seizures and I’m having difficulty controlling anger and moods. I would benefit from a dog redirecting me when I’m getting upset or emotional. I’d benefit from the company he give as my current dog is a loner. I will get letter from Dr what is next step who do I call?

    Reply
    • SDC says: December 20, 2022

      You do not need a letter from a doctor for a service dog, although doctors can be helpful to determine whether you have a qualifying disability and can provide documentation such as a PSD letter. You may find it helpful to speak to a professional trainer about your needs if you do not have experience training service dogs. Please see this post for more information on PSDs: https://www.servicedogcertifications.org/psychiatric-service-dog/

  2. Tessa Putnam says: January 6, 2023

    I’m manic bi polar who also suffers from a high anxiety level most of the time not all the time. I do have a ESA . I would love to get her trained and certified as a PSD. With me being bi polar and having depression and anxiety would my conditions be likely permitted to have a PSD?

    Reply
    • SDC says: January 9, 2023

      If you qualified for an emotional support animal there is a good chance you have a qualifying condition, since in both cases you need a mental or emotional health disability. However, to have a PSD, you must also have a disability related need for a task trained dog. We think you will find this post helpful: https://www.servicedogcertifications.org/psychiatric-service-dog/

    • Lawrence Ingoe says: January 15, 2023

      I Have a Certified Therapy Dog ( Trained 13 lb Toy Australian Shepard ) & Were a Therapy Team , Bringing Joy & Happiness To Others and Most Of All She Brings Well Being In My Life, As I’m Disabled Person With Anxiety and Depression . I’m Moving Soon , Into a Apartment Building and They Require a Large Non Refundable Pet Deposit and Monthly Pet Rent. I Would like to have This NR Deposit Waived . I DesireTo Have Her Become a P.S.D. Dog , But I’m Unsure What I Need To Do Next On This Matter. I Just Want To Make Sure It’s Legit And Legal With This Process . I Hope Yu Can Help Us With This ?

    • SDC says: January 16, 2023

      Both emotional support animals and service dogs are exempt from pet fees. Therapy dogs however do not have housing rights. To qualify for an emotional support animal, you would need a letter from a licensed healthcare professional to show your landlord. You can find out more about ESA letters at this link: https://www.servicedogcertifications.org/how-to-get-an-emotional-support-dog-letter/

  3. Crisinda denton says: January 7, 2023

    Yes my question is I rent a house I’ve got diabetes anxiety depression I currently see a psychiatrist and I’m in the process of getting a puppy she’s 2-3 months she’s a bichon so when I went to ask my land if I could have an emotional support dog they said I had to pay a pet deposit plus they would raise my rent every month the guy that’s trying to help me get this puppy was nice a copied off a form showing she was a service dog my landlord thinks if u have a service dog that’s when u don’t pay a fee so I need to find out what to do to cover me from getting evicted

    Reply
    • SDC says: January 9, 2023

      Both emotional support animals and service dogs are exempt from pet fees and deposits under HUD guidelines. In addition, ESAs are not the same as service dogs. If you are an ESA owner, you should never try to pass of your assistance animal as service dogs. Both have rights when it comes to housing.

  4. Norma Hewitt says: January 20, 2023

    I suffer from severe anxiety, especially when leaving the home, in public areas. I break out in sweats and cannot function properly. I have a dog that sticks by my side and comforts me when I have a breakout (sweating, not able to think straight, anger/anxiety/fear starts forming). Once, my dog comes to my side my anxiety and anger/fear starts going away and my dog relieves all of this! I would love to see what Title (service, emotional, etc.) she would qualify for and how I can obtain a letter. She is partially trained already.
    Also, I have a history of seizures and had a stroke previously! All of this sweating, anxiety, fear, angry came after having these health conditions.
    Please let me know?
    Thanks

    Reply
  5. Linda Stevenson says: January 31, 2023

    I suffer from physical and mental problems since I was a child, I was diagnosed with ADHD chronic anxiety bi polar and early stage dementia as well as depression that is severe that makes me stay in bed sometimes for a couple days and I loose appetite also, I have seizures since I was three years old I have a dog that needs to be trained. She’s very calm. She stays right next to me at all times, and when I cry, she licks my face and it makes me happy and my mood changes is there a way you can help me get her trained I can’t SSI and SSD for my mental and physical I lost my husband in 2019 and I just lost my dad January 16, 2023 so I have had a very hard life on top of all my depression and everything I am a diabetic as well

    Reply
    • SDC says: February 3, 2023

      We’re sorry to hear about the difficult times you have been through. Unfortunately we do not at the moment offer training referrals. We wish you the best of luck in your search however. Once your dog is fully trained as a service animal we would be happy to assist you with our products.

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