Should I Get a Service Dog for Anxiety & Depression?
When envisioning the perfect dog companion, TV and movies often paint an idyllic picture: a loyal, ever-supportive presence that effortlessly enriches our lives.
In reality, though, incorporating a dog into your life is rarely so straightforward, especially when considering a service dog for anxiety and depression.
In this blog post, we discuss whether or not getting an emotional support dog (or an actual service dog–and what the difference is!) is right for you.
The Reality of Living with Dogs
We love dogs, but that doesn't stop dogs from being a royal pain in the 🍑🍑🍑
It's important to confront a hard truth: dogs, by nature, do not inherently understand how to cater to our emotional or physical needs.
The portrayal of dogs as hassle-free, emotional support animals on television starkly contrasts reality.
One of the worst things that has happened to dogs is their mischaracterization on television. If you watch dogs on TV, they're perfect. They often appear as household accessories, silent and still in the corner of the scene, always there for you when you need them, and never an issue when you don't.
But sharing our homes with dogs is rarely that idyllic. Despite how they're portrayed, dogs don't come to us with an innate sense of how best to support us emotionally, physically or otherwise. In fact, in our experience, dogs often exacerbate existing tensions in households.
"Gee, now that I have this dog, I have so much less to worry about."
- Said no one ever.
Now, we’re not saying that you need to be in the “perfect place” in your life to bring home a dog, but understand that getting a dog is likely to cause more problems than it solves.
Difference Between Service Dogs & Emotional Support Animals
When we say all of this above, we’re talking about a dog that you would adopt from your local shelter. If you are looking to adopt a working service animal, things would look different.
Service dogs are trained specifically to perform tasks that assist individuals with disabilities, including physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disabilities. Their training allows them to perform specific tasks that help mitigate aspects of a person's condition.
For those suffering from anxiety and depression, a service dog might retrieve medication, interrupt self-harming behaviors, or even guide a person away from a stressful situation.
Emotional support animals are pets that help people with disabling mental health disorders feel comforted and calm. Unlike service dogs, emotional support dogs are not trained in these tasks and don’t have the right to go out in public.
So, depending on the type of anxiety and depression you are faced with, you might not need a service dog and, therefore, need to understand the possible challenges that come with adopting a dog.
Considerations Before Getting a Service Dog
Getting a service dog is a major decision that should be made after thorough consideration of your current situation and capabilities.
So before adopting a service dog, we recommend you do the following.
1. Assess Your Expectations
Why do you want this dog? What are you hoping to gain from adopting a dog?
If you’re considering a service dog for anxiety or depression, it’s essential to understand that while a dog can offer substantial support, it’s not a panacea for mental health issues. The presence of a service dog can provide comfort and security, but it also comes with added responsibilities.
2. Understand the Commitment of Adopting a Service Dog
All dogs are expensive—mentally, emotionally, and physically, let alone financially.
Even service dogs can’t attend to all of our needs, and any dog brought home will have a long list of needs of their own that must be attended to every day. They require daily care, regular veterinary check-ups, and consistent dog training. This is especially true for service dogs, which must attend ongoing training to maintain their skills.
3. Explore Alternative Support Systems Like Therapy
There are many forms of support to help with your anxiety and depression.
Therapy, medication, and support groups can also be effective in managing anxiety and depression. A comprehensive approach to mental health may provide more balanced support than relying solely on a service dog.
How Dog Training Can Minimize the Burden
If you are looking to adopt a dog as an emotional support animal or service dog, we highly recommend you make a plan to invest in dog training immediately. Doing this will help you minimize behavioral challenges while also aiding in building up a strong bond between you and your dog.
Anyone local to the PDX region (Portland, Oregon), is welcome to book dog training with us at our dog training facility. See all our dog training programs here.
For those who are located outside of that area, we encourage you to find a local dog training facility that fosters a collaborative relationship with the dogs and their humans to help you maximize your success rates.
You’ve got this; we believe in you. 🙏
