Is it hard to train a Labrador puppy as an emotional support dog?

Labrador Retrievers are an intelligent breed, but they can also be quite "goofy," so you might not recognize their intelligence right off the bat. However, they are highly trainable, and excel at a number of sports and training games because of it. For more facts and characteristics about Labradors, visit PetCoach's breed page: www.petcoach.co/breed/labrador-retriever

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 there. A dog does not normally need any specific training to be an emotional support animal - this just means that they make you feel better by being around. So she doesn't need to learn any particular skills. I would not expect her age to be an issue for this, as long as she has a calm, confident personality and gets along well with you :) If you mean that you want to train her as a service dog to accompany you in public places, this is much more involved. In that case, her age doesn't really matter, but her temperament matters a lot - some dogs are well suited to be service dogs, and others are not. If this is something you're considering, I would recommend getting in touch with a professional trainer in your area who can evaluate her in person and help you get started on training her the skills she needs if she seems suited for this job. You can search for a qualified obedience trainer in your area here: www.ccpdt.org

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, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! What a beautiful family! We sadly are not associated with a Veterinary clinic or trainer. Your Veterinarian may have names of trainers they recommend. I would also print out the forms and requirements from the agency you want Jax certified under. They need to have certain vaccines, heartworm tests and fecal tests. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Most likely not. This type of training requires an experienced and highly trained person to be done appropriately. You can check for a trained expert in your vicinity. Good luck!

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!