According to the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), a service animal must be individually trained to do work or tasks of benefit to a disabled individual in order to be legally elevated from pet status to service animal status. The following list identifies a number of tasks a service dog could be trained to do that would serve to mitigate a disabling condition classified as a psychiatric disability. In particular, the tasks were developed for those who become disabled by Panic Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome ( PTSD), or Depression, conditions attributed to a brain chemistry malfunction. The List also contains some activities that may be useful as a coping mechanism, but would not stand up in a court of law as "training to perform a disability mitigating task," and those will be marked with a Disclaimer to provide guidance to a therapist and patient on that issue. The author, a mobility impaired service dog trainer who has been deeply involved in the assistance dog field for many years, initiated research into this new kind of assistance dog in 1997. She became familiar with these disorders through the input of early pioneers of the psychiatric service dog concept. Subsequent research has involved garnering input from experts in psychology and psychiatry and from patients to gain a better understanding of the symptoms, treatment goals, and ways in which partnership with a service dog might become a valuable adjunct to conventional therapy.
In addition to task training, it should also be recognized that housebreaking, basic obedience training and mastering the behaviors of no nuisance barking, no aggressive behavior, and no inappropriate sniffing or intrusion into another person or dog’s space are an essential part of educating any dog for a career as an assistance dog.
CLARIFICATION: While a dog’s companionship may offer emotional support, comfort or a sense of security, this in and of itself does NOT qualify as a “trained task” under the ADA, thus it does not give a disabled person the legal right to take that dog out in public as a legitimate service dog. Setting up a realistic training plan to transform a suitable dog into an obedient, task trained service dog is the only way to legally qualify a dog to become a service dog whose disabled handler is legally permitted to take the dog into restaurants, grocery stores, hospitals, medical offices and other places of public accommodation. I recommend reading IAADP’s Minimum Training Standards for Public Access for further guidance at www.iaadp.org
A service dog can learn a number of helpful tasks to assist his partner to cope during a sudden flare up of symptoms, medication side effects, or in a situation requiring outside help.
Dog assists partner to cope with nausea, cramps, dizziness, other medication side effects or the fear paralysis of PTSD or the sudden waves of terror, chest pains and respiratory distress of a severe panic attack by fetching antidote medication to alleviate the severity of the symptoms.
This complex task involves a sequence of skills, takes four to six months to master.
Dog trained to fetch a beverage to enable the human partner to swallow the medication. Must master the skills of:
Enables the human partner to contact a doctor, therapist or others in a support system when experiencing alarming medication side effects, terror or respiratory distress from a panic attack, or a flashback. An individual suffering from depression, possibly with suicidal ideation, also needs to be able to reach a supporting person or agency. Retrieval of the portable phone can be very useful in other situations too. (Training Note: this should be made a “place command,” as asking a dog to visually search the house is unreliable, especially if the phone is left on a counter or piece of furniture above the dog’s line of sight. It is best to locate the charger unit on the floor in a room with two entrances. If possible, the emergency phone should never be used except during practice sessions. This will help ensure its availability during a crisis.)
When situations occur in which the handler urgently needs help but cannot get to the front door to let someone into the home due to physical incapacity from drug interactions, injuries that occurred due to lightheadedness, fainting, other side effects, or illness, the service dog could assist by opening the front door and escorting emergency personnel or a member of the support system to the handler’s location.
People with physical disabilities have reported going through periods of severe depression and not a few admit they’ve contemplated suicide. Those with a mental disability like PTSD are equally susceptible to developing this mood disorder or experiencing a sudden exacerbation of its symptoms. Scientists view it as a biological problem, not purely psychological. With some the condition becomes a lifelong struggle. A service dog can improve the safety of its partner whenever the mood disorder becomes life threatening. One task to consider is schooling the dog to operate the K-9 Rescue phone to summon help during a crisis. [ available at www.ablephone.com]
Symptoms of extreme terror, shortness of breath or the wrong dosage of a major tranquilizer like thorazine are a few of the reasons why the patient may need to summon help and may not be able to give a verbal command. Suggested tasks can be taught with hand signals so as to enable the team to communicate in such a crisis. These tasks may be useful at other times too.
Dog taught to “Go Get Help.” Dog can learn to find specific person on command in the office.
Dog could be trained to carry a note to someone across the room or down the hall.
Goal is to prevent a serious injury from a fall. Very useful if the person experiences dizziness due to medication side effects of psychotropic drugs. Task also can assist individuals who experience dizziness or weakness due to not eating because of depression or anorexia that may be caused by antidepressant drug side effect. Also a good task for the team to master if the partner becomes exhausted by prolonged panic attacks.
When the partner must cope with weakness or medication side effects like dizziness, a service dog schooled in balance support work can prevent a fall or assist the partner to get up after a fall occurs. ( Note: the service dog must be an appropriate size for this work - e.g. 55 lbs. or more)
Balance support skills in a dog of suitable size can be a valuable asset when medication side effects or weakness suddenly puts the individual at risk of falling due to poor balance.
Someone who has a disassociation problem might be an excellent candidate for the same kind of training given to a dog that must alert a heavily sedated partner (as described in next section on chronic medication side effects) on those occasions when a smoke alarm goes off. In case he or she has disassociated and there’s a fire, the dog’s nudging can give the partner a chance to become aware. However, if the person proves to be someone who is not responsive to nudges while in such a state, the trainer could teach the dog to automatically go to the K-9 Rescue Phone and push the button to dial 911 whenever the smoke alarm goes off. The local 911 operator’s computer can be programmed, if handler requests it, to instruct 911 that if no voice is heard, it will be assumed that it is the service dog in residence placing the call due to a life threatening emergency (e.g. a smoke alarm going off.) If the human partner happens to be fully aware when the smoke alarm goes off, he or she can easily intervene to disconnect the call after praising the dog for responding appropriately to that particular sound. Will need a once a month practice sessions to maintain this skill in a service dog. (Training Note: Can program phone to call a local number for “Time of Day” so 911 isn’t bothered during practice sessions. The K-9 Rescue Phone is available through www.ablephone.com)
In Parkinson’s, where the person freezes and is unable move, the dog is schooled to assist the individual by making physical contact, such as lightly tapping the person’s shoe with his paw. This apparently is sufficient to break the spell, allowing the individual to resume movement. Reportedly, this same behavior - physical stimulation through pawing or nose nudging, - can rouse someone from a disassociation state, at least sufficiently to make the person aware of his/her plight, thus providing a chance to focus and fight the symptoms. This may be effective in fear paralysis, a symptom of PTSD, too. Transforming it from an accidental spontaneous behavior into a reliable skill will require months of diligent schooling and practice. ( Training Note: Simulate the trance state, then use click & treat to teach the dog the desired response, perhaps hiring a professional dog trainer to help shape the behavior. If there are frequent practice sessions in a variety of settings, this training could enable the dog to perform this valuable task whenever the freezing behavior, fear paralysis or disassociation occurs in real life.
Some may protest that this should not be counted as a task and I agree. It deserves a mention because it is so useful to assistance dog partners who may be in need of the items being carried by the service dog. While most dogs will calmly permit strangers such as emergency personnel to search the backpacks in a medical crisis so they can obtain the human partner’s Medic Alert information, [ if any] or the dog’s emergency care-giver information card or other instructions the dog may be carrying in case the need arises, some dogs may need one training session forbidding them to be over protective and to tolerate a search of the contents. There has never been a case of a service dog being “mugged” so it also offers an extra measure of safety for carrying money, a wallet or credit card.
DISCLAIMER: Please understand this is NOT a task that will legally “count” as a trained task acceptable in a court of law as proof the dog meets the legal definition of a service animal. It is simply an optional extra, a “bonus aid,” which any dog lover, disabled or non disabled, may enjoy. Such items could be carried in a purse or fanny pack, so it is a matter of personal choice.
Tasks in this section suggest additional ways in which a service dog might assist a patient to cope with aspects of a psychiatric disability that are related to the treatment being received. This may include tasks to help a partner mitigate chronic or intermittent medication side effects or to cope with “breakthrough symptoms” or to take his or her medication on schedule.
If loss of speech may occur due to side effects of a major tranquilizer or anti depressant medication or PTSD or a panic attack, consider carrying a card that explains what is happening to you, to show to a bystander, security guard or bus driver as needed. This card can either reassure them you do NOT need help or, conversely, ask them to call somebody on your behalf. It can be a postcard size or business card size, laminated. Also it is useful to have a similar card to explain the dog’s presence, whenever you are unable to carry on a conversation.
Success has been reported in making use of a dog’s internal alarm clock, to remind the partner to take medication on time. Training the dog to expect to be fed or to have a cookie break at the same time each day will train it to signal at that time. Many dogs will pick up their food bowl and bring it to the partner at the same time each day, as if they can read the clock. If doing so is rewarded, it can serve to alert the partner it is time to stop an ongoing activity and to take the prescribed medication.
Some people find balance assistance from a service dog helpful in coping with intermittent medication side effects or symptoms which have not been successfully abated by the treatment received. When listed in the section about “assistance in a medical crisis,” the tasks detailed were intended for home use. To make these skills a viable task for the dog to perform in public settings, the dog must go on many field trips to school the dog to ignore distractions like kids, bike riders, other dogs, squirrels or people who reach out to pet dogs without permission. If the dog fails to perform as desired due to being distracted, the disabled person could be knocked off balance and injured in a fall. To keep these safety improvement skills viable, practice sessions must take place on a regular basis. Ethical use of a dog for this purpose requires the dog’s size and physical fitness via x-rays of the dog’s elbows, shoulders and hips to be evaluated by an orthopedic specialist. Only dogs scoring an OFA Good or Excellent have the degree of physical soundness to provide such support without harm to their joints.
A large sturdy dog, a minimum of 22", 55 lbs., recommended for someone up to 5'4” and 130 lbs. Taller heavier dogs, 80 - 100 lbs. would be appropriate for taller more heavily built partners, if such tasks are needed frequently. Anyone weighing over 200 lbs. needs a giant breed over 100 lbs. for this task to be appropriate. The use of a proper harness with a handle designed to distribute the person’s weight through the dog’s shoulders is customary if walking assistance needed outside the home.
NOTE: The use of smaller dogs [ 10 lbs - 50 lbs] for balance support by having the dog drag the owner along, keeping the leash taut, results in the owner putting a heavy strain on the poor dog’s neck through the collar. Whether or not it aids the owner to keep his or her balance is irrelevant, for it is ethically viewed as abusive treatment of an assistance dog, which is inexcusable. Orthopedic and nerve damage can occur to the spine if the ignorant or inconsiderate owner puts their weight on a small to medium size dog’s spine to boost themselves to get up off the ground.
To use a puppy with their green growing bones for this “task” is reprehensible.
Some medications cause side effects that are more than a minor nuisance For example, with the condition of dry-mouth the patient’s speech will become progressively impaired if the person does not have a beverage constantly available as an antidote. It is highly useful to have a dog trained to fetch a beverage from a kitchen cupboard or refrigerator, so the person does not have to interrupt an important activity to get a refill to rehydrate one’s self.
Some medication cause deep sedation, during which it is almost impossible to regain consciousness. Other medications for pain, seizures, anxiety also can cause sedative side effects. If a parent or care-giver who takes such medication has a service dog trained to perform this outstanding “get help” task, the child or a spouse or an elderly parent who calls out in the middle of the night won’t be calling out in vain:
Waiting for a plumber, other repairmen, a delivery truck which may or may not show up can be problematic. One cannot skip a dose or forego medication if panic attack symptoms begin. Having service dog schooled to perform an alerting signal in response to doorbell chimes can solve the dilemma.
The dog can be trained to persist in arousing a person if sedative side effect prevents person from responding appropriately to the smoke alarm in an emergency. The dog can show the way to nearest exit, tug the door strap to open the door, not because a dog understands “danger” but due to many repetitions (practice sessions) that condition the service dog to perform this habitual sequence of action on automatic pilot whenever the dog hears a smoke alarm going off.
This next section details specific work or tasks a service dog can be trained to perform to assist the handler to cope with emotionally disabling symptoms other than a fear of a violent crime reoccurring. It focuses on strategies to use at home or in the workplace to prevent an emotional overload or to cope with and recover from an emotional overload. It empowers the disabled individual to do something constructive, rather than feeling helpless and overwhelmed.
Some patients with panic disorder or PTSD report one of the difficulties in maintaining employment is the reaction they suffer when a colleague, boss, or customer come too close to or touches them. Avoiding situations where closeness may take place can lead to someone becoming increasingly homebound.
Teamwork with a service dog may enable such people to combat this disabling problem so they can regain and sustain the independence to care for themselves by doing their own shopping and riding on public transportation. It may enable them to hold a job, not embarrass themselves by having to flee due to their phobic reaction to someone coming too close.
Service dog trainers have developed a technique to protect patients with Reflex Sympathy Dystrophy (RSD), a very painful affliction, on a bus or in line or in the workplace from accidental bumps that can trigger excruciating RSD flare-up. This same task can prevent or reduce panic by creating enough distance for the situation to become tolerable. A large sturdy service dog is schooled to impose his body between his partner and another person on command, then brace for body impact. The dog must hold his ground, absorbing the shock of any bumps instead falling back against his partner’s legs. The dog must learn to ignore many distractions.
The following task can be an effective coping mechanism in the workplace, preventing loss of self control in front of others. The dog is trained to assist the person to escape from a certain conversation, a room, or a building during a panic attack. The dog is taught to jump up and paw the person’s leg if small, nose nudge it if large, or to start nuzzling, licking the person’s hand, when given surreptitious hand signal. This provides the human partner with a plausible reason for taking a break from an intolerable situation with a boss, client or co-worker, thus saving face or the job. Some breeds can learn to vocalize, whine on command, “talk” or give a short yip, with a surreptitious hand signal, (for example, flexing the first digit of a forefinger) increasing the impression that it is urgent for the disabled person to take dog outside before the dog has an accident in the office due to the dog’s alleged stomach or bowel upset.
Tasks that will provide a tactile distraction from disorder symptoms are useful in emotional overload situations. In addition these tasks provide a reality affirmation. This type of diversion tactic becomes an actual task when the behavior can be reliably induced on command rather than depending on the breed of dog, a dog’s whim, or the handler needing to coax a dog into the right mood. Most dogs do not rush sympathetically to the side of the human partner to comfort the person when he or she becomes tearful or lies there trembling with fear or other emotions. Nor do they engage in the following behaviors automatically, without specific schooling. The following tasks have been effective ways to accomplish the desired results. (e.g. to help mitigate the symptoms)
If tasks which provide tactile stimulation don’t suffice, this “break the spell” strategy frequently works. After experiencing night terrors, repeated nightmares, hypnagagic hallucinations, sickening memories or suicidal thoughts that can’t be shaken, an abrupt change of scene to break the spell can be the best medicine. By going into another room with the dog, the service dog can perform tasks that make it possible to get one’s mind off what has just occurred, or in the case of intrusive thoughts due to PTSD or suicidal ideation, to disrupt what is still occurring. By engaging in one or more of the following interactions, this teamwork approach can put an end to the ongoing crisis. It can also help a person to shake off the grogginess of sedative side effects.
There are many situations in which an emotional over reaction can be a very humiliating problem. It is especially inappropriate when it happens in the workplace and might cost someone a job or a promotion. Battling this problem through teamwork involves interacting with the dog in ways that can break the undesired train of thought triggering the emotional overload. A service dog can be trained to perform one or more tactile diversion tasks to distract the human partner’s attention at such times, though if insufficient, then an optional extra, [ See Disclaimer] such as petting or a “break the spell” approach can be tried, modified for the workplace.
These tasks may have an incidental therapeutic benefit, giving a feeling of solace to some handlers, but their primary purpose is to empower the human partner to recover and sustain emotional control in settings where uncontrolled emotional reactions are unacceptable.
DISCLAIMER: the following Suggestions should be considered optional extras, “a bonus aid” offering emotional comfort or in the case of the second suggestion, a way to distract oneself from an emotional overload. Petting a dog, practicing obedience or playing fetch or having it do pet tricks are not recognized in a court of law as a trained task which compensates for the disability.
DISCLAIMER: Please understand obedience to a Stay command is NOT a service dog task that will legally “count” as a trained task acceptable in a court of law as proof the dog meets the legal definition of a service animal. The presence of a dog for petting is simply an optional extra, a “bonus aid,” which any dog lover, disabled or non disabled, may find to be comforting in a variety of situations. That being said, this may be a very worthwhile kind of training for those prone to panic attacks.
A panic attack can occur at any time when one has this disorder. A dog could be a real asset rather than a nuisance during this crisis. By following a simple obedience command like Sit Stay, Down Stay or Stand Stay, a dog’s availability for petting may distract a patient from their symptoms, providing a focal point in the here and now. A person having a panic attack should definitely take advantage of the documented pet therapy benefits to be derived from petting a dog, as it may slow down their heart rate. It may help the person to combat the disturbing thoughts and fear that threatens to overwhelm their capacity for emotional self control.
The dog can be schooled to assist in a variety of settings, from the workplace to the front seat of a car or in a grocery store or a city park, not just at home. The dog must cooperatively permit the owner to give him petting, a massage, or another interaction such as a hug without pulling away, going off to take a nap, lying down to chew on a rawhide bone or following other natural inclinations. A dog with a velcro personality will be much easier to work with and may not require formal training, but a dog with an independent personality, of course, can learn to follow simple obedience commands which could assist the handler to calm themselves during a panic attack.
** DISCLAIMER: Remember, Obedience training is not recognized as Task Training. The mere presence of your dog for comfort, petting, hugs is not recognized in a court of law as a trained service dog task. Nevertheless, I mention it here as a “Bonus Aid,” as it provides emotional comfort that anecdotal reports suggest can be valuable to someone experiencing a panic attack, an anxiety attack or social anxiety or other kinds of emotional upsets.
Panic Disorder, PTSD, Depression can disrupt normal thought processes. The person may not want to get up for work or school, as it means he or she will be returning to a place that he or she blames as being responsible for the panic attack or flashback. Depression can cause apathy or a desire to withdraw rather than face the world. Success has been noted in fighting back against avoidance behavior, apathy or withdrawal by having the service dog respond like a hearing dog to the patient’s alarm clock in the morning. It is also possible to train the dog to go by it’s internal alarm clock to eagerly wake the person at a certain hour of the day, through use of a feeding schedule. The sight of the dog’s happy face, his ongoing excitement over his partner getting up for breakfast and then going for walk or playing with him or feeding him can have a therapeutic effect, after the dog awakens the partner, encouraging the individual to fight back against avoidance behavior, apathy or a powerful sleep withdrawal urge.
Not every person who becomes the victim of assault develops a psychiatric disorder with symptoms severe enough to qualify them as disabled under the Americans With Disabilities Act. But those who do become disabled by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) experience the world as an extremely dangerous place. This psychological injury can be just as disabling as an injury which causes a loss of vision or hearing. It amputates the sense of safety or security that most people take for granted. The tasks in this section offer the human partner some innovative coping strategies. Teamwork with a service dog can empower the victim to win back a measure of independence and to resist incorrect and unrealistic responses. For the traumatized handler, a service dog who masters these tasks will be an invaluable ally.
Assault victims who develop post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may find it extremely difficult to live alone or to spend time in the house when other household members are not at home for fear of being attacked again. Others are afraid to leave the house for fear of returning to discover there is a hidden intruder. A state of mind known as hyper vigilance, in which all senses are straining to detect where the next attack is coming from, is common to victims of assault who develop PTSD. It can impair the ability to function in a home or public setting. In addition, some of the tasks suggested here may help psychiatric patients with sleep disturbances such as night terror to cope better with the fear they experience.
Hyper vigilance, hypnogagic hallucinations, flashbacks, nightmares, night terror or extreme sleep deprivation lead to distorted reality perceptions. One isn’t always sure whether the voices in the other room or a certain noise is real or is part of the psychiatric disability. It can be tremendously reassuring if the service dog is trained to alert to anything unusual in the real environment. It is essential to hold practice sessions where by pre-arrangement, a friend approaches the house during the session or sneaks in quietly so he or she is standing in the next room when the dog is asked “Who’s there?” Knowing how the dog behaves when there is a real cause for alarm can aid in interpreting his reaction at a later date, helping the partner decide whether to flee or relax.
The dog can be trained to bring a portable phone designated “for emergencies only” to any room in the house. While there are a number of other reasons why this task could be a valuable one, in this particular case, the task could empower the handler to investigate a suspicious noise to hopefully lay her fears to rest, rather than flee the premises. The handler could keep a finger on the button preprogrammed to dial 911 as a precaution. The handler also has the option of calling a friend and keeping the person on the line while checking out the premises. If returning home from an outing, the handler could have the dog enter the home and bring the portable phone to the front or back porch. It could even be delivered to the car if the dog utilizes a special doggy door with a lock keyed to an electronic key device on the dog’s collar, if partner does not feel it would be safe to open the door for the dog or approach the porch or deck.
Having a friend listen via speaker phone to everything that goes on in the house from the moment the handler enters the premises gives extra insurance that police will soon be on their way if it turns out the handler’s fear of a hidden intruder was justified. The dog can be sent to depress the three inch wide white button that dials a pre programmed number on the K-9 Rescue Phone before the handler steps foot in the house. Also a service dog could be sent in the middle of the night to operate the device before the handler leaves the bedroom. If a sympathetic support system is available, this option can help the handler resist calling the police every time he or she hears a strange noise or experiences a feeling of dread upon returning home. It is a wonderful back up to a portable phone or lights, which will be dead if there is a power failure. The K-9 Rescue phone remains functional as it is equipped with a 21 day battery as well as other thoughtful amenities. Burglar alarm companies, ambulance companies and some medical centers offer a comparable service for a monthly fee, but most of their devices cannot be operated by a service dog.
A service dog can be trained to precede the handler into rooms, hallways or the basement, turning on lamps or overhead lights to reduce the partner’s fear of a lurking intruder, when a strange noise or some other stimulus necessitates inspection of the home before the partner can resume daily life activities or go back to sleep.
A floor pedal device, a touch lamp device for lamps with a metal base or inexpensive wireless lights to illuminate dark areas if a dog nudges them are some of the clever options available if worried about wall scratches from the dog pawing conventional light switches. A touch pad made for the severely disabled could control up to six lights at once throughout the house and be operated by a service dog.
When the team arrives home after dark, the service dog’s ability to operate a touch lamp or other devices can be put to good use to mitigate the partner’s fear of returning home to a hidden intruder. The dog can be trained to enter a dark residence by himself to switch on one or more lamps. Not only is the light itself beneficial, the dog’s behavior during the performance of the task will provide reality based feedback to aid the handler in the decision of whether or not to risk entering the house. If somebody did happen to be inside, chances are high the dog will skip the task or rush off to investigate the new scent after he performs the task instead of behaving in a normal manner. This teamwork approach is a security enhancement option for a victim of assault that is arguably superior to relying on a timer to automatically turn on the lights when the sun goes down.
One option to increase safety before responding to suspicious sounds is to routinely send the dog to open the front door on command. The dog’s behavior during this task can help the partner to discern if anyone is waiting down the hall or in another room. The partner can then escape using another route if there is a real reason to do so.
If the partner’s exit by another route results in the partner being locked out, it is useful to have the dog trained to open a designated entry door from the inside on command when the partner is ready to re enter the dwelling.
These tasks for working with a service dog in public settings gives a victim of assault new coping strategies that could go a long way to mitigating the disabling fear experienced as a consequence of the trauma. At the same time, if utilized correctly, none of these tasks will spoil a service dog’s gentle trusting nature.
Victims of assault who develop disabling PTSD report success in coping with their highly fearful state of mind, called hyper vigilance, through teamwork with a service dog. The dog selected should have a laid back, amiable, very confident temperament. The dog must be well socialized so he can handle the challenges of public access work in a calm manner. He must be trained to remain obedient and unobtrusive even if the handler reacts with extreme terror to various stimuli, seeing potential threats where none exist. By remaining calm in such situations, the service dog’s relaxed confident demeanor serves as a reality check for one whose perception of danger can no longer be trusted. This enables hyper vigilant individual to more accurately assess the situation and to make reality informed decisions about what to do. Like guide dog and hearing dog handlers who rely on their dogs’ body language to enhance their ability to safely navigate their environment, individuals with PTSD report impressive gains in their ability to function outside the home, relying on their dog’s training and body language to compensate for the mental impairment they must contend with.
NOTE: When the approach of a jogger or some other innocent bystander triggers the handler’s hyper vigilant fear she is in mortal danger, the last thing in the world that is needed is a fiercely protective guard dog who due to instinct or training leaps to the handler’s defense with a frightening display of aggressive behavior. Such behavior won’t mitigate the disability by decreasing the victim’s hyper vigilant state of mind. Rather it forces the handler to become much more vigilant, knowing this dog is capable of hurting any human whom he perceives to be a threat to the team. Trying to deal with the dog’s hyper vigilance as well as her own will be counter productive and exhausting. Furthermore, protection dogs do not qualify as legitimate service animals. Much more could be said on the subject, but suffice it to say, this would be a misguided and dangerous approach to helping assault victims cope with psychiatric disorders like PTSD.
A dog is a much better crime deterrent than burglar alarms, extra locks and security lighting according to police statistics. Those who wish to enhance the psychological deterrent effect should consider the dog’s size, color and breed appearance in making a selection. Studies have revealed people are much more afraid of black dogs than light colored ones. By way of example, a large black Labrador Retriever will have the same gentle temperament but look twice as formidable as a yellow Labrador Retriever. A Great Dane is going to be more of a deterrent than a toy poodle.
This segment describes four tasks which could assist a handler to keep suspicious strangers at bay. However, the tasks are only meant to create an illusion. The dog is rigorously schooled NOT to be protective in these situations.
A service dog only performs these tasks to please his handler and earn a treat. These tasks continue to be safe, appropriate service dog tasks only if the service dog still remains friendly to strangers.
Actual protection training /attack training is legally and ethically prohibited for legitimate service dogs. A service dog should never be allowed to bark at strangers. It is especially undesirable for a dog to be protective with a psychiatric patient who has abnormal fear reactions triggered by innocent bystanders due to the patient’s past trauma. A psychiatric service dog must be carefully trained to be calm, not protective, whenever its partner experiences a hyper vigilant state or panic attack. The following tasks will provide much safer and much more useful kinds of behavior in the long run than having an over protective dog. These tasks offer a non-violent alternative to carrying a weapon for someone coping with the fear of another assault. Useful as a bluff strategy for other kinds of assistance dogs too.
NOTE: Please do not ever publicize the fact that a number of assistance dog handlers teach their dogs bluff tasks for this could have a detrimental impact on the safety of the team. However, it would be honest and acceptable to say to a reporter or write: ”Service dogs can be schooled to perform tasks that enhance the safety of their disabled owners.” Some trainers prefer a more evasive reply, to avoid giving potential muggers any reassurance, such as: “We do not attack train our service dogs, but in a life threatening situation it shouldn’t surprise anyone if a dog acts according to his instinct.” Please realize that it is never acceptable to alarm the public, arousing fear of assistance dogs when addressing this topic in a public forum. This is a very thin line that must be walked with great sensitivity.
Criminals are not certain how a service dog might react if a stranger tries to steal something out of his backpacks, something that can work to the team’s advantage. Many mobility impaired handlers put their wallet, other valuables and ID in a service dog’s backpacks for safe keeping, as there has not been a case of a service dog being mugged since their inception a quarter century ago. While having the dog wear backpacks may not be considered a task, per se, it could allow victims of assault and others with a psychiatric disability to substantially reduce their vulnerability as a potential target for purse snatchers, pickpockets and muggers. If the individual has flashbacks, disassociation episodes or becomes disorientated, backpacks may prevent others from taking advantage of the individual at such times. Valuables and identification would certainly be much safer in the dog’s backpack than in the partner’s purse or hip pocket. Ethical guidelines for this work puts the amount of weight a dog can carry at 15% of the dog’s total body weight. The 15% includes the weight of the harness with empty backpacks, about 2 to 4 pounds, depending on its design.
DISCLAIMER: Please understand this is NOT a task that will legally “count” as a trained task acceptable in a court of law as proof the dog meets the legal definition of a service animal. It is simply an optional extra, a “bonus aid,” which any dog lover, disabled or non disabled, may enjoy. Such items could be carried in a purse or fanny pack, so it is a matter of personal choice.By working together at an ATM and check out stands, a handler with a large service dog can minimize any appearance of vulnerability and conceal the amount of cash he or she is carrying, reducing the stress associated with performing this high anxiety chore for a victim of assault.
It is an alternative to a bluff task like “Watch My Back,” useful if the dog’s backpacks are entrusted with one’s wallet, ATM credit card and checkbook for safekeeping.
Author: Joan Froling; Copyright on original Task List February 1, 1998
Copyrighted this updated version on June 6, 2007
Contact author for reprint permission. May not be published or reproduced without permission.
Phone: (586) 977-9716 Email: sterlingcf@aol.com