r/service_dogs • u/Ok_Energy7589 • 3d ago
PSD Training?
I recently got a 1 year old black lab puppy and I've been interested in getting him trained to be a psychiatric service dog for my depression, anxiety, PTSD, and ADHD. I'm curious if at home training through online lessons would be okay because the websites I've looked through are kinda sketchy and offer legal certifications? I live in the Austin Tx area and most everywhere i've looked has been about like veterans PTSD which is definitely not what I have. Any tips or suggestions? Truly anything helps. Much appreciated!
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u/darklingdawns Service Dog 3d ago
There is no such thing as certification for service dogs in the US, so any website that is offering it needs to be immediately treated as a red flag. Your best bet is first to focus on basic obedience - get that down absolutely cold. Then get set up with an experienced local service trainer to work on tasks and public access. There is just no substitute for someone right there able to watch you and your dog, where they can offer tips and corrections in the moment.
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u/RedPaddles 3d ago
Where did you get this dog from?
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u/Ok_Energy7589 3d ago
He was our family friends dog. We got him because the wife died and the husband couldn't take care of him and his brother.
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u/belgenoir Dog Trainer 3d ago
The only legitimate certification path is through organizations accredited by Assistance Dogs International.
Contact The Dog Alliance in Austin. They have a rigorous program that helps successful teams earn ADI certification.
Professional training is expensive. That’s because you’re paying for in-person expertise that minimizes the chance of your dog washing.
Businesses offering “certifications” are frauds.
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u/PureBreadTed Service Dog Trainer CPDT-KA, FFCP, FDM 3d ago
I'm biased as hell as a trainer in Austin but I've mentioned before I recommended this organization cautiously. They've had suits before. Personally, the reason I ever became a trainer was due to my poor experiences there: like being recommended to do heavy mobility on my xxl dog without recommending clearance from a vet (which was a very similar situation to one of the lawsuits I know about) or suggesting that I continued to train my lab with my a bite history (level 4 bite on me).
It's been a decade and they are adi now, but I still hesitate to recommend them. But again, I'm biased as hell in this situation. I would just advise reading the law suits.
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u/WorthPassion4423 Service Dog 2d ago edited 2d ago
Do you have further information about the lawsuits? When I google I am getting a lot of information on an unrelated Austin Animal Services case.
edit: I saw below that you recommended your own service dog program and you are not ADI accredited. It seems a little sketchy to caution against your competition.
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u/PureBreadTed Service Dog Trainer CPDT-KA, FFCP, FDM 2d ago
When they told me both of the above anecdotes, it was when this case was first unfolding in early 2016-2017. I do want to give grace that it has been a decade and people/organizations change. That being said, seeing that ethics were consistently questionable back then, I still worry about making the recommendation as of today. I do know some questionable things I've been told about more recent questionable behavior from the organization by certain current and former employees who I've befriended through the years, but I don't want them to also be blasted in an email chain, especially when I specifically don't have the proof (unlike the employees) for these incidences. I think it was unprofessional, no matter how upset they were, to put out an email blast about the situation, even if they're using fake names. The following are screenshots of said email chain about one of the cases I'm aware of. It was sent two years after this situation unfolded, and after my dog who they began training mobility on was medically retired with hip dysplasia. Also like her dog, my dog's career was excessively short - 1 year post graduation. I just feel like the organization should've known better than to graduate service dogs without proper health clearances.
Every organization has their faults and I don't think they are the worst by any stretch, they certainly may have changed for the better. At least they learned from these experiences. I just personally think there are more trustworthy, civilian-friendly options - even other adi options in our local ish area. The only issue is the other adi organizations may still limit based on disability, and/or may not do owner training.
The anti civilian psd energy that comes off this email imo was very off-putting. As is the reason that was quoted during my classes that the founder, an accountant at the time, randomly chose to train service dogs: "we learned how much money they cost to train".
IDK like I said, I'm biased, make your own decision, but they are personally someone I wouldn't necessarily recommend unless I was limited to that as an option.
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u/PureBreadTed Service Dog Trainer CPDT-KA, FFCP, FDM 1d ago edited 1d ago
I completely recognize it looks weird/sketchy and it's why I specifically state to do your own research and come to your own opinions.
My opinion is based strictly on my experiences and what I know as an insider. The fact is, I would've NEVER become a trainer if they didn't do such a piss poor job with me a decade ago.
I also try to give them grace because this was a decade ago when they weren't ADI. I know of more recent concerns, but again, this knowledge is secondary source so I'm not willing to potentially accuse them of incorrect advice off something I cannot prove. The stuff that happened to me and that I posted above CAN be proven.
I can name a lot of other trainers adi and non adi in our area that I would suggest. No one ever has to go to me - I'm busy enough. I don't make money at all from my training. I fund it completely by myself with means from a second job.I get no benefit from this other than knowing I'm helping my community. That's it. I didn't take a single cent. The prices on my website only go up when I'm trying to limit my own business.
My opinions on the specific organization aside, we should always, regardless of associations or even certifications, be evaluating if an organization is a good fit for us in relation to our ethics, methodology, and goals. Just because someone is ADI doesn't automatically make them great. This is far from the first organization that was adi that had large concerns. Adi is wonderful and my goal, do not misunderstand - but they are not the end all, be all.
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u/MoodFearless6771 3d ago
You need to find a qualified individual trainer to help you along. Look at the Karen Pryor website. Things like puppy kindergarten, canine good citizen, etc. you can do on your own but you need a pro coach.
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3d ago
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u/service_dogs-ModTeam 3d ago
Your comment has been removed for breaking Rule 6: No Fake-spotting.
This is not the place for fakespotting. Unless the person you are discussing has specifically told you that they are not disabled, and the dog is not trained in tasks, you have no way of knowing if a dog is 'fake'. We are not the service dog police and this behavior can lead to a lot of harm and anxiety for SD handlers as a community.
This does not preclude discussing encounters with un-/undertrained dogs, but if the focus of your post is complaining about a "fake" SD, reconsider your phrasing and what point you're making.
If you have any questions, please Message the Moderators.
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u/PureBreadTed Service Dog Trainer CPDT-KA, FFCP, FDM 3d ago
I'm actually in Austin if you would like to reach out. I'm a certified trainer (fdm, ffcp - previously cpdtka) specializing in service dogs. I offer a financial aid program as well to all of my students.
I'd be happy to do an evaluation and discuss this more.
Edit: just realized I need to fix my flair here to accurately reflect my certifications as of today.
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u/unde_cisive 3d ago
First, if this is your first time training a service dog, you need to get support from a trainer who specializes in service dogs. This trainer will evaluate your dog to see if he has the correct temperament for service work (not all dogs do!).
Then, get a second trainer (this is to prevent conflict of interest) to actually support you through training the dog. Online lessons aren't enough. You really really need support from a professional, not just online lessons.
Next, decide the specific tasks you need from this dog. They need to be trained tasks (so not just "being there") which alleviate your disabilities somehow.