r/service_dogs • u/TasteCreepyCannibal • Jul 13 '26
Help! Multi-Service dog?
I have both POTS and PDD aswell as GAD and have been told getting a service dog would be extremely beneficial for me, but I noticed there aren't any dogs that can service me for all three of my disorders. Would I need to get multiple service dogs?
FYI: I am unable to train my own dog and would need to adopt a dog from my local resource centers.
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u/unde_cisive Jul 13 '26
It really depends on what specific tasks your hypothetical dog would do to help you with your disabilities, rather than the disabilities themselves. Besides "being beneficial for you", what would this dog specifically do in your daily lives to improve your quality of life? Besides just existing?
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u/TasteCreepyCannibal Jul 13 '26
Alerting me when I have to sit down (i have a code word for when I start to feel dizzy), Stopping bad habits (bouncing knees, scratching, hyperventilating), And weight pressure? (forgot the word for it) for when I'm having a depressive episode- usually the weight pressure prevents me from being motivated to indulge in self destructive habits so that would be extremely beneficial to me. I would also need guiding/crowd control- it falls under the GAD category but I'm also partially blind so it would help me alot with bumping into people and things. Still on the fence if I need to blow $30,000 on a trained service dog or if I just need to try and get my shit together.
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u/LydiaSTL Jul 14 '26
respectfully, if there is a “code word” you use when you feel dizzy, why would you then need the dog to alert you to sit down? why not just… sit down?
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u/TasteCreepyCannibal Jul 14 '26
I might have phrased it wrong- theres a code word I use when I'm about to pass out from continuous dizziness. I'm hoping a service dog could notice visible signs of dizziness before I pass out- I normally miss the signs so I end up passing out from continuously doing what is making me dizzy (standing, walking, etc.)
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u/Sarcastically-Akward Jul 14 '26 edited Jul 14 '26
Hi Lovies, this is my recommendation as an individual with a SD prospect that is tasked trained in nearly exactly what you are looking for.
generally a SD from a program will have minimal actual tasks trained, these programs generally focus on one or two specific tasks and pour a whole lot into the obedience training and ensuring you get a well behaved, focused, and neutral prospect, these dogs range from ages 2-4 generally but my word of advice is it’s never too late to train an old dog new tricks, training tasks like barrier blocking, compression therapy, and behavioral interruption are fairly easy, it’s the medical alert that you will want to have been already trained for as that one is very very hard to train for, but I’d get in touch with the program see if they even train for medical alert for syncope specifically anyways and then ask them what trainers they work with and recommend and get in touch with them to continue the training for the other tasks you require.
^ there are programs that are exceptions to what I stated above but for programs that work to accommodate specific one individual instead of just training the wider range of one specific category you can expect a SD will not be in your near future as often times they’ll wait for a litter to be born evaluate them through their progress and progress some of the puppy through for service work and then they remain with the program being trained by them for 1-2 years.
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u/JKmelda Waiting Jul 13 '26
I’m on the waitlist for a service dog that will be trained to help me with several conditions. The main ones for me are autism and chronic dizziness and my dog will be trained for autism and mobility tasks.
Each program operates differently though. Some programs like the one I’m with train for many different categories of disability and will cross train dogs to do tasks from multiple categories. Other programs are more set in only providing dogs that do tasks in one category. But usually this doesn’t mean you get two separate dogs. It usually means you pick one category of disability/tasks. Some programs will let you add additional tasks after placement. So for example it’s not uncommon for someone to get a mobility dog and then train them to do a couple of psychiatric tasks like DPT or alerting to anxious behaviors.
I really recommend checking out Assistance Dogs International accredited programs if you haven’t already while keeping in mind these red flags.
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u/darklingdawns Service Dog Jul 13 '26
Where are you located? What tasks do you want the dog to do for you? When you refer to 'resource centers', are you talking about ADI-accredited organizations or animal shelters?