There is a growing knowledge surrounding these service dogs in the professional mental health world, but I know many psychologists and psychiatrists who will admit that they don't know who would be a suitable candidate. There are no federal standards or protocols for this. So I'm going to give the current view. There are so few studies to support it. Much of what I'm going to present is common sense if you are a professional, but not often thought about.
First of all, PTSD is considered a permanent disability. In order to qualify for a service dog, you must have a permanent disability. Service Dogs are not a temporary fix. They are a permanent life change. If you want a temporary dog helper, look at emotional support dogs, OR just a pet dog. You require a doctor's prescription or written recommendation for a Service Dog to assist you with your disability.
Service Dogs are specifically trained to assist a person with their disability. Emotional support is NOT considered a trained task. Generally, they are trained in a minimum 3 specific tasks that the handler requires on a near daily basis. Remember, this dog accompanies their handler 24/7. If you only need assistance at home, then don't get a Service Dog.
A Service Dog is not a magical cure. It requires alot of care and dedication.
Okay, so considerations for mental health professionals.... (In this context, I will call the Handler a Client)
- Is the Client able to look after themselves?
- If they can't look after themselves, then how can they look after a dog? The Client must be high enough functioning in order to receive a dog.
- Does the Client's lifestyle permit for a dog?
- Certain work environments are not safe for a dog. Yes, Service Dogs are allowed by law to accompany their handler. UNLESS it's unsafe to do so. The welfare of the dog must be considered a priority.
- Does the Client have time to walk a dog? Daily walks are important for the Service Dog to release stress. These SDs acquire alot of stress and need their own time too.
- Can the Client participate in proper play with the SD? Again, the SD needs to relieve stress appropriately. Otherwise their working span will reduce and the welfare of the SD is reduced.
- Is the family supportive? If not, a SD may cause more tension
- Does the Client have the mental capacity to look after a dog and follow the Training Organisation's instructions and training?
- If the Client can't follow the instructions of the organisation, then the SD may lose it's training and become a pet dog.
- Any allergies?
- This should be obvious...
- What would a dog actually benefit the Client for?
- The Service Dog will be trained for a minimum of 3 tasks. Ensure that the Client actually requires the assistance to perform three tasks
- SDs should not be recommended for emotional support. Yes, they do help with that. But the person needs to have 3 tasks that they require assistance for.
We will be updating this post as we go. But for now, it's a start. Feel free to message our Facebook page about Service Dogs.
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-Jessy