Is my 5-year-old dog too old to become an emotional support animal?

Emotional Support Animals are trained to help a person depending on that person's specific needs, and there is no one set rule or training program for them. Each dog is trained individually, assisting in tasks such as helping with panic attacks, anxiety, etc. These dogs are also not considered service animals in some cases, so may not have the same protections as a service animal such as Guide Dogs for the Blind. There is also no specific certification or designation for ESAs. That said, if you are interested in having an ESA, speaking with a trainer in your area that specializes in service dog training is a good place to start. They can work with you on tailoring training techniques, and get you into actual training certification programs such as Canine Good Citizen which can help teach basic obedience and social skills all service dogs should have.

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Don't be embarrassed! I wouldn't try to trick the system though by putting a vest on Lola. I would talk to your guidance counselor or principal to see if they would allow her. If not then have your parents contact a service dog program and get Lola certified. That way she is legitimate. Unfortunately a lot of people are now abusing the emotional support animal. Lola needs to be able to behave at school: not whine or bark, growl or try to bite people, needs to know all her commands. She would need to be spayed, vaccinated, tested for worms and on preventatives. The school can't have dogs not Rabies vaccinated and have ticks and fleas on them in school with kids. It is a bit of a process. But if you feel your life would be better then start the process! All you can do is try, right? Good luck!

Hi there! I think part of the issue may be the terminology you're using, when you're trying to find someone to help. By definition, a "therapy dog" is a dog who visits hospitals, nursing homes, or other places and interacts with people there to bring them comfort. What you're describing - a dog that helps you, not members of the public - would be either an emotional support animal, or a service dog. If you're trying to make Leo an emotional support animal, you just need a letter from your doctor or mental health care provider stating that you have anxiety that is helped by having your dog with you. This allows you to have him with you in certain housing situations that may not otherwise allow pets, and may allow him to travel with you in come cases, but does not give him any other public access rights (restaurants, stores, etc.) A service dog, by definition, is trained to perform a specific task to alleviate an owner's disability. So if you're interested in working with someone to train him to do something specific to help you, you would need to find a trainer to work with who has experience training service animals. Off the top of my head, I don't know who in your area might be able to do this - but at least you know what to ask about now, when you call trainers to inquire. Best of luck! :)

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is definitely possible and Labradors are great for that. However, it is important to have him professionally trained as it is not as straightforward as it may seem. Good luck and have a great day!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Cookie is adorable! Age isn't a disease nor do I see it as a reason not to enroll her in the therapy dog program. Cavaliers are such great dogs and are super sweet! Just be sure she is up to date on vaccines and has had a recent negative fecal. But the program will go over all the requirements with you! I hope this helps and good luck!

You would need to have a letter of prescription from a licensed mental health professional designating you as in need of an ESA (emotional support animal) to declare Snoopy as your own ESA. There is no legal designation (or registry) for an emotional support animal. ESAs do not have many of the legal protections that certified service animals are afforded.

There are a number of things to consider. #1- a "service dog" is a dog trained to perform certain tasks to assist the handler/owner, due to a disability (either physical or psychological). examples; a person in a wheelchair with a dog who can open doors, push elevator buttons, etc. a blind person with a dog who helps them cross the street safely a dog who can sense that a person is about to have a seizure, alerts the person so they can get to a safe location a dog who senses a panic attack is about to occur and can behave so as to prevent the panic attack from happening #2 - a "service dog" as described above is different than an "emotional support" dog or "therapy" dog. These dogs provide comfort and emotional support and are not trained to perform a specific task. See this article which explains this more specifically: https://adata.org/publication/service-animals-booklet Regarding your question about riding horses, I am not sure how that would work or what exactly you would be expecting (the dog to walk along next to you and the horse?) I think the biggest concern here would be the safety of the dog and then temperament of the horse (would the dog spook the horse, which puts all 3 of you in danger). My first thought would be this is not advisable, but whether or not it is allowed is probably up to the facility in which you are riding. Generally Labrador retrievers and golden retrievers make great service dogs, though any breed can be a great service dog. A service dog is not required to be "registered" per say. See the following: https://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/service_animal_qa.html#cert If you are wanting to train the dog yourself, check out this book: https://www.amazon.com/Training-Your-Own-Service-Dog-ebook/dp/B015SJ32AM/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B015SJ32AM&pd_rd_r=ACG5MWKYACEVMPXV9BNT&pd_rd_w=5Umlr&pd_rd_wg=W4y6T&psc=1&refRID=ACG5MWKYACEVMPXV9BNT&linkCode=sl1&tag=rove05-20&linkId=2f897c47d415402a56122c1e082eae13 I hope that helps you. Thank you for asking PetCoach!