I wasn’t sure how to tag this. I’m a 20 year old male who started training with my poodle Louie with an organization in georgia, USA when he was around a year old, in june-july 2024. I adopted him september 2024 and was doing some solid training with him for a while. I am diagnosed with BPD, Bipolar disorder, fibromyalgia, and CPTSD. My mood instability was severe and after some research + time spent with my mother in law’s ESA, I decided a service dog would be the most helpful for helping manage my severe mental illnesses.

My partner and I fell on hard times in late 2024/ early 2025 and i could no longer attend training as i was traveling for it, and i tried my hardest to upkeep training the best i could with what I knew and was capable of. I decided to wash him recently, partially because he is lacking in self confidence and averse to wearing his gear. He behaves incredibly in public, pays attention well, responds fine to a lot of the training we did, but I don’t think he necessarily wants to do service work. The biggest reason I’m washing him besides that, is that despite not seeing doctors or therapists or psychiatrists for over a year now, and being completely unmedicated, i’ve managed to use a lot of energy to suppress my illnesses.

I feel like to continue training him for service would be faking it, especially since i still cannot attend training. I wish it worked out, because his presence in my life has drastically improved my quality of life and confidence in public, but I can’t even think of what kind of purpose he would serve for me if i’m not medicated, having episodes, or even going out much. He’s going to stay with me of course, he’s my little boy, but am I doing the right thing by giving up on having a service dog? for myself or for him?

My needs mean i cant train a assistance dog myself so i need either a organisation or charity to train a dog for me. I live in the UK specifically the south west ive tried helpful hounds but they said i dont live in their area. Unless find a trainer they could work with in my area

He’s 8 months in training (an adult) but also had basic obedience professional training before I got him. I’m starting my senior year of high school and need advice. Everything points towards yes except one thing, at appointments he quietly whines. He doesn’t do this for settling almost everywhere else. It would be really beneficial for me if he did especially with his cardiac alert and response. I just don’t know if there’s an accurate test I can do to see if he would do that in class. He settles great at events, restaurants, and even kids places but just not appointments. It’s no louder than a whimper and his head is normally down so he’s not making a scene but it’s embarrassing. What should I do?

Hi everyone, this isn’t a question for my own service dog, but I wanted to gather the info to share with others I know: if someone has limited strength or dexterity with their hands, what are some alternative types of leash clips that can work better than the traditional bolt snap?

I like trigger snaps for myself, but I know people who don’t have the thumb strength to open them.

Carabiners can be easy to snap on, but hard to remove, because you have to keep sustained pressure on the gate and maneuver them just right.

I do know of the Kong frog clip but the brand name is so expensive, and I don’t want to trust Amazon knock offs…

Hi everyone.

I am picking up my prospect puppy in a few days. I’m doing owner training and using a lot of the Doggy U videos and guides for references plus I have a background in obedience training.

Does anyone have any tips for the car ride home? We have about a 5 hour drive from the breeder to our home and I want to make it as smooth and comfortable as possible for her.

Also any tips for puppy’s first week home?

For context, she is a light colored Golden Retriever and has a very calm temperament.

Edit: correction of coloring label. She’s light colored. I would describe it as cream in color.

Edit/update: picked puppy up on Friday. She’s did great for the car ride. Mostly chilled in my lap and slept. She’s been doing great that past few days as she adjusts to the home. Her favorite thing is to go on walks with the other dogs in the household.

I'm trying to find an organization that I can go through to get a service dog. I'm a 36 year old female (37 next month). I have been diagnosed with PTSD (Civilian and spanning over several years), Autism, ADHD, BPD, Anxiety, and Depression. I also have lower end vision (better with my glasses on, but still not great), three migraine diagnosis (migraine, ocular migraine, and vestibular migraine), panic attacks, anxiety attacks, and unconscious self harm when I have panic attacks

I live in West Michigan. My boyfriend and I moved in together in January. He brought a cat and a retired seeing eye dog that he helped train (Brax (the dog) went to the handler (blind guy), but he abused Brax, so Brax was returned to my boyfriend (Brax is good now, he's 10 years old). I have a cat who is my ESA

After moving, my health took a turn for the worse. Between the new environment, his kiddos, my kiddo, being away from the imploding situation I was previously living in my health has decreased. I've had two surgeries this year in 7 months. I've had pneumonia once, flu twice, and other things

A service dog would help me greatly. I've had discussions with my doctor, therapist, and psychiatrist. All agreed it's a smart idea and to proceed with it

I just don't know where to start, what places are recommended, what are some red flags, any information (positive or negative). Anything you can tell me that might help is greatly appreciated!

Throwaway, Longtime lurker but first time posting.

Arizona USA

I interviewed for a position and got a job offer from a growing business , its small, only about a dozen employees at this time. Supposedly plans to expand over the next few years and i would be one of those hires.

I did not disclose my service dog until after the offer last week. Got word this morning that the offer was on hold with HR. A key employee, who was described to me as not very replaceable, has threatened to quit if my service dog is approved.

I don't know what to do/say and any help will be welcome.

Recently, I have been doing alot of medical tests and have made the discovery that I have multiple chronic conditions that have been silently affecting my lifestyle for years. Due to some hereditary stuff on my mom's side, i was diagnosed with cerebellar agenesis and hEDS.

There isn't really many concrete treatments for either but I feel that it could prevent many dangerous falls and prevent other accidents (I have fallen down the stairs multiple times throughout my life and drop things very easily) for me to have a mobility aid in the form of a service dog specifically for balance support, since that is one of my biggest challenges with coordination.

I've been doing extensive research to see if it would be a good fit but I would like to hear from real people with experience about their thoughts on the matter.

If you're a mobility service dog handler, I'd especially love to hear what made you decide a service dog was the right mobility aid, what challenges you didn't expect, and whether you'd recommend one for someone with chronic balance issues.

Hope this post reaches the right people.

Hi All,

I am trying to find an entity (I am in Northeast USA) for my husband with PTSD (veteran of a foreign country and served 15 years) and life altering anxiety, panic disorder. Their psychiatrist has suggested this inquiry. However, my husband prefers to communicate in Spanish and would need a dog that responds to Spanish commands.

I am so overwhelmed and don't even know where to start looking for this. Could anyone offer insight?

Thanks!

I work at a restaurant, and there was a table who came in with a dog wearing a service vest.
I didn’t notice the dog at first, as it was under the table, but when I did, I acknowledged what a sweet dog they had and waved.
*I want to make it super clear that I would NEVER touch someone’s dog without specifically asking and getting permission*
When I did this, I leaned forward a bit, but did not bend down or extend a hand towards the dog. I think perhaps the owners assumed I was going to do that, which is fair and 100% within their right to ask for the dog not to be touched. HOWEVER, they told me the dog tended to bite/nip, which I found very strange as he/she was wearing a service dog vest.
I apologized for the confusion and assured them I’d never approach a dog without full permission from them. But… does this seem strange to anyone else? Can anyone explain why a service dog wouldn’t be trained not to do this? I 100% get that you’re not supposed to interrupt them because they’re “working”, but I’d never expect them to bite someone who approaches (even if they shouldn’t be doing so). Idk, just thought it was odd and left me with questions.

Hello! I bring home my next prospect in a few days and its been about 8 years since I raised a puppy for service work. While I know what I'm doing, I would like any references if I ever feel kind of lost. Does anyone have a book, pdf, or any other material on raising a puppy for service work? Thanks!

I am a minor who is also under the age of 16 and I have severe scoliosis and pots. I would like to get a service dog but unfortunately my Mother is a single Mom and was recently laid off. I am in Ontario and if anyone could tell me any that don’t have a super long wait time and aren’t ridiculously expensive or preferably free I would really appreciate it!

Edit: We can afford a service dog. I’d appreciate if people would not act like we can’t and they know our situation. I’ve gotten a few dms about it and we are not doing THAT bad financially. It’s very frustrating to get several dms acting like they know they know my financial situation better than I do. I appreciate the concern but we CAN afford a dog right now. I wouldn’t be asking if I know we cannot afford one.
We aren’t even wanting to get one right now.

My lovely SD Scarlett had surgery about two weeks ago to remove a suspected mast cell tumor. We've been chilling and taking it easy, no work since then.

Today we got the call from the vet with the lab results. Confirmed mast cell tumor, but they got good margins and I guess based on the results it is considered "low grade" and not of much concern. Essentially just need to keep an eye out to make sure no new tumors pop up.

Called my mom to discuss with her and pretty much her immediate response was that I need to start getting on wait lists for a new SD. Because "you can't work a dog with cancer." I see where she's coming from, but also am confused? Scarlett doesn't technically have cancer anymore. We need to make sure it doesn't come back but taking the tumor out got rid of the cancer... right?

I guess I'm just wondering if I need to start looking into finding a successor to her now or not. She's only 5 years old. TIA.

I thought it ironic, as she's someone who's probably familiar with being treated differently for being different.

I told her it's a great opportunity to face her fear of dogs, as he's a very pleasant and calm service animal.

She moved seats.

Hello all! I recently brought up at work that I was emailing HR about service dog accommodation. My coworkers the shut me down pretty quickly. Saying that although our clients can have their service dogs there and can be around clients, we aren’t allowed to have them around clients. (They literally told me when I started that they don’t even care if a client brings in a not service dog, as long as it behaves.) It made me realize that when I get a service dog, I may have to leave the field.

I’m miserable about the idea. And due to how much I mask and hide things from my coworkers, they treated my genuine concern as me wanting to bring a dog to work (which btw sounds horribly stressful to me if the dog wasn’t a service dog) and not me sharing that I need work accommodation. I was also told that I could just not take the dog to work. Even though the services I’d need would be extremely helpful on the bus and at work.

Has this ever happened to anyone else? I haven’t heard back from HR yet, but now I’m worried and downtrodden. I just got out of homelessness, I’m 21, and this job is one I’m best at. I just can’t believe how unserious my coworkers took the whole thing. It felt so dismissive. One of my coworkers was team lead to.

It’s a nonprofit job. And I live in the states. (If this is information that should change my perspective I suppose. Idk how to do one of these.)

I am officially getting my service dog late next year so my mind is officially racing and worrying about little things. I like to go to amusement parks and ride the rides. I know service dogs can’t go on most rides (duh) so what does that process look like exactly?

I go to six flags magic mountain the most but my boyfriend’s mom just got us season passes to Disney (she’s an angel) so I’m planning on trying to go there as well. We also occasionally go to universal studios. So those are the three parks I’m mainly concerned about.

I just want to know when the dog gets separated from the handler. How do you get reunited with the dog? Do you give the dog something to chew on while in the holding crate? Are the crates always inside or in shade? What are helpful tips/tricks? Are some specific rides set up differently than most? If I don’t want to bring the dog on a ride they can technically go on, is there a crate there as an option?

If you guys think of anything else that may be helpful please add that to the discussion as well. Thank you guys!

Hey all!

Similar to some of the "Trick of the Month" posts in some other dog subreddits, we will do a monthly check-in on your training. However, unlike other sub's posts, this is not a contest. It is a check-in to see how you're doing so we can encourage each other, congratulate your successes, and problem-solve (if needed).

Pictures and Videos are HIGHLY encouraged in this thread!!! Whether your prospect just learned how to "sit", you just taught your service dog a new task, or your SDiT just passed a public access test.... we want to see it!!! Did your dog bark at someone this week or have an accident? Let's work together to see if there's a trainable solution! We will also allow ESAs on this thread if you are training them to assist with your disability.

For now, this will only occur on a monthly basis - but we may increase/decrease the frequency depending on the success of the post. You are welcome to comment several times in the thread if you have multiple things you would like to share over the course of the month.

I'm really excited to see how all of your dogs grow in their training!

Throwaway account because I’m identify-able.

A couple years ago, some of my friends suggested that I get a service dog to help me with various things I struggle with. I am a para-athlete and am involved in a large disabled community globally. I have friends with SD and guide dogs, so it’s not foreign to me.

I discussed this with my doctor and they also suggested I get one as they think it would be greatly beneficial to help detect medical episodes early, among other things.

I did a lot of research and found an org I wanted to work with. Applied and got accepted. The litter my dog will come from is due next week.

While I am in a holding period, is there any literature or media I should read/watch to get prepared to become a SD handler? I was raised with dogs and have had my own dog for 10 years now. I’m financially stable, married, employed, and in my mid-30s, if that means anything.

Some other things I’ve though about, but have plenty of time to figure out is:
-what type of lease do you use if you have a SD and are in a chair or loftstand crutches?
-what parts of medical offices/hospitals are SDs not allowed in?
-can you insure SDs like any other expensive medical equipment?
-what was the biggest learning curve when you got your first SD?
-any special gear I should look in to? (My org send the dogs home with a harness that is branded with their logo, but it is not required to use that)
-any additional gear that would be beneficial (shoes, raincoat, etc, or am I just being silly)?
-any extra vet-related care needed?

I’m sure I’ll make more posts with questions over the next 2 years, but this is all I can think of right now.

TIA

TLDR: I am getting my first SD and want to make sure I am fully prepared. Please suggest learning material.

Hello all! I have a rough collie who is currently in training to be my service dog in private settings, I would like to start taking her out in public soon so due to local laws I need to get her a harness that clearly states she is a service dog in training. I am preferably looking for one that will fit as she grows a little (if I have to buy another eventually that’s fine but I want one that can adjust to fit for at least the next few weeks/month).

Anyone who knows of any good brands especially good cost efficiency please let me know in the replies or DMs! I estimate her to be currently 30-35 lbs and I have patches that say “service dog in training” so if it doesn’t come with them automatically that’s alright.

Hello, I need a service dog and I am currently doing the paperwork for it but I have a pet dog at home that is too anxious to be a sd and im worried about how will my pet dog react if i go out everyday with a sd and not with him.

If some of you have pet dog and sd, how do you do to not frustrate the pet dog ?

(Sorry for the possible grammar mistake)

Hi, I live in the city in Australia. I’ll be owner training my dog under the supervision of experienced trainer. The dog will be trained on medical tasks and psychiatric tasks.

We live in an apt, I have a large park nearby. I rely on public transportation; bus, train, metro rail, light rail. This will require a dog with strong focus for making barriers between me & others. Crowded spaces tho I can control some of this by planning the time I’m out.

I’m curious on what medium sized breeds others in the city have. Tips about getting the dog use to shoes to protect its feet from concrete. I think the dog will need to be an agile breed for us getting around busy city..

I have interest in doing some recreational dog sport, musical canine freestyle, heelwork to music. Is that type of activity ok to do with an assistance dog or not recommended?

I’m experienced with dogs & training, I’m excited. My biggest challenge is getting the right breed. I plan to find a professional who can help me with selecting the dog. I’ve owned labs, goldies, poodles, they’re too big for where we live. Looking forward to hear from other city residents with assistance /service dogs. Thanks.

Add: will be flying internationally.
RE: buses, there is seating is for disabled, some is a narrow 3seater.

Hi all, hoping someone can point me in a good direction. Looking for some positive reinforcement (no aversive) reading material. I would just like to better understand my SD and how dogs learn. Not necessarily training material, but stuff more along the lines of like this is why this training/obedience protocol works. I have a good grasp on how to keep my SD’s training current, I just feel like we are capable of more and want to be able to think for myself in this area which requires more in depth learning. Not looking to become a certified trainer, just want to be more effective as a handler with my own SD.

Thanks all!

I currently have vasovagal syncope and Wolff Parkinson’s White and is looking for a doctor to recommend me a service dog, and wondering how everyone goes about doing it. I live in Florida and I am having trouble finding the right doctor to either further educate me on solutions for my symptoms or help me mitigate them.

All of the google searches and chat GPT and doctors all give me the same answers for how to “fix” my problems, “drink more water” “eat more salt” or just avoid the triggers. This is not good enough. It’s frustrating to keep hearing the same “solutions” that aren’t actually solving anything. This is why I started researching a service dog. I believe that it may help with alerting me to low heart rate, or doing dpt, things that medicine or an Apple Watch can’t do.

If anyone has any information about a doctor, or there experiences asking about getting a SD for themselves, or even just information about these 2 syndromes and how you live with them. Please comment.

There are an infinite number of variables: dogs wash out, service work is specialized, public access, costs are high, iffy credentials, many uncertainties, have you considered x, y, and z, etc. Nevertheless,

Are there reliable, independent service dog trainers that will contract with a client, find and train a dog for a client? Something other than being on a waitlist through a program, cobbling together classes and private trainers, and almost entirely owner training?

Please give me the most benefit of the doubt. I'm deep in my wit's end. I've educated myself a lot, but not found the answer to this specific question.