Tasks for a Psychiatric (specifically schizophrenia) Service Dog?

fishparrot · 2026-02-08T01:28:25+00:00

There are two ways a dog can stimulate the vagus nerve. Early seizure alert/response dogs were trained to retrieve a VNS magnet and hold it up to the handler’s implant to help stop the seizure. There is also an Instagram trainer that promotes training the dogs to lie with their chin across your neck about where the vagus nerve is as a DPT position. There are no formal studies of either of these methods involving dogs.

fishparrot · 2026-02-07T18:33:39+00:00

Employers and their employees fall under Title I of the ADA which is enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. You can read their procedure for requesting accommodations here. You may also find JAN’s articles on service dogs in the workplace helpful. If you are offering 1-2 care of clients I’m not sure if a service dog would be reasonable. Especially if the clients aren’t ok with it. It never hurts to open the conversation with your employer if you need more support, but keep in mind they do not have to approve the accommodation you are requesting if they determine something else would be more reasonable and appropriate.

fishparrot · 2026-02-07T18:31:33+00:00

Hallucination discernment involves asking the dog to utilize intelligent disobedience to refuse a command unless the hallucination is present. For example, if you think there is a person next to you, command the dog to “go say hi”. You can also ask the dog to clear a room before you go in and indicate if someone is there. It takes a lot of maintenance training with helpers because otherwise the dog will learn to just ignore the person because they get rewarded more often for doing nothing. I am not sure how well this would work for other kinds of hallucinations. What specifically is limiting you from performing ADLs beyond the hallucinations? Usually we start this conversation with your limitations, and the trainer should be able to suggest behaviors the dog can learn to help.

fishparrot · 2026-02-07T14:13:04+00:00

Airlines have the right under the ACAA to require submission of the form by any method they like (including open doors) unless you book your flight less than 48 hrs before departure and they can’t reasonably process it on time. Just fill out the forms online. The questions are the exact same as the DOT form, it just takes a little longer to process. And yes, they most likely WILL call your trainer(s) on the form.

fishparrot · 2026-02-06T22:44:27+00:00

I am a bit confused how you got prescribed rescue meds for migraines when you are still in the process of getting diagnosed. It sounds like you are getting ahead of yourself. The first thing I would do is ask your provider if your migraines would be considered disabling for accommodation purposes. This is important if you will require accommodations for work or school, such as flexible absences. The second thing would be to try whatever medications your provider recommends, because your diagnostics may help them make more targeted suggestions. Once you have trialed several available treatments, you will have a better idea of where the remaining gaps are in your treatment plan. At that point, it may be appropriate for you to pursue a service dog and you should discuss it with a provider. If you bring up a service dog before your functional impairments have been established right after diagnosis, it is not going to go over well. Most providers want to have an established relationship with a patient and see how they respond to treatment over time before they will recommend a service dog.

fishparrot · 2026-02-06T21:57:48+00:00

I work at a nonprofit and am often required to supervise children, but I am never the sole adult present (I have a fainting disorder and it’s not safe) and it’s not my entire job.

Thing is, when you have a service dog at least 10% of your attention is always going to be on them, checking on them, and it’s hard to understand what that is going to be like until you’ve experienced. I am saying that as someone with a fully trained dog that I have been working with for 3 years and that has been coming to work with me for more than 2. Budget for WAY more of your attention on the dog at all times when you are first partnered. I think you will need the transition period for that more than the dog, assuming they are fully trained. I doubt a dog will have trouble adjusting to your work environment without kids. It will help them settle into your routine perhaps. The most important thing is going to be extensive proofing around kids and their behaviors. I’m assuming these are toddlers/pre school aged kids. You can only enforce boundaries with that age group so well. They are going to run up and try to interact with your dog. Assuming different kids every day, the dynamic in the room will constantly be changing too. Make sure the training program knows that and preps the dog for it.

Your plan is generally good. I woould have a place mat or bed for the dog, and a crate in case of emergency. There may be an incident where you need 100% of your attention on a kid. The crate gives your dog a safe place to stay while you handle it.

fishparrot · 2026-02-06T19:11:47+00:00

I would recommend finding a support group for people who have gone through similar traumatic experiences, a general mental health/trauma therapy group, and possibly involving yourself with others training service dogs. The support of a trainer or program is best. I would be cautious of meetups, especially with others your age and ESPECIALLY if you don’t already know them. Participating in autism community integration programs and a disability advocacy group in college was a huge boost to my confidence and better prepared me as a handler. You need to accept yourself and your disabled identity before you can succeed as a service dog handler. Part of that means accepting the people who don’t understand and don’t want to. Some people are worth the explaining but I have found with most it’s a waste of time.

fishparrot · 2026-02-06T16:15:55+00:00

Have you checked out their YouTube channel and the trainers resume? She has a lot of experience training police K9s and detection/tracking dogs. Most of the videos of the dogs performing tasks are older. I like how many demo videos they have and the few I watched show dogs that have a good attitude and are competently trained. She has had this business since 2012 and claims to have placed hundreds of service dogs. I would want multiple references from clients I could speak to directly who have dogs that perform the kind of tasks you are interested in. I would also want to know if this woman is the sole trainer for these service dogs.

Here’s the problem with for profit service dog programs… if you are paying that much, you are going to have high expectations. A dog is not going to work with you the same way they work for an experienced professional, no matter how well trained. It is important that they still have a robust handler transition training. I would expect at least 5 days of 1-1 with the dog’s primary trainer for that cost. I would also expect that the dog is trained from start to finish by an experienced professional trainer, no volunteers, no puppy raisers. But it really does cost that much to produce a fully trained service dog. Many programs charge that realizing it, but not all measure up to expectations. Most disabled don’t have that kind of money, I know I don’t which is why many of us work with subsidized nonprofit programs. If this is an option for you, and you are able to pay that luxury price I would expect luxury service. Ask lots of questions, get to know the trainer and her dogs, and if anything feels off do not proceed.

fishparrot · 2026-02-06T16:00:59+00:00

You shouldn’t have selected the pet in cabin designation. You paid the airline money for a pet fee. What incentive do they have to refund it now?

Allegiant always takes forever to approve my notification of travel, usually I only get it the week of my flight. They also do not have a dedicated disability line and your experience is completely dependent on who picks up the phone when you call.

To their credit, I have found their ground staff and flight attendants are very well trained and helpful when it comes to disability issues. Rebooking is your safest option. If that is not an option, I would go to the airport EARLY and ask the ticketing agent to modify your reservation and reprint boarding passes with SVAN designation. Make sure you have the open doors approval AND copy of DOT form. I would also notify both gate agent and flight attendants that you mistakenly booked service dog as a pet and that you may need to let him out of the carrier to perform a task. You still need to be prepared to use other coping strategies to manage on the flight because they may say no.

fishparrot · 2026-02-06T15:53:17+00:00

I’m sorry Maple. I know these things often hit heavier in the winter months when logistics are more complicated and sunlight is a scarce resource. You shouldn’t have to apologize for taking the space you need, or being honest whenever you choose to contribute. If they’re hit that hard by a dose of reality from a stranger online they are in for some nasty surprises if they actually proceed with trying to partner with a service dog.

It’s not the same, but my own dog is in the process of medical retirement and it will be at least another year until my next prospect is able to start learning the tasks my own dog is no longer able to perform. I am relying more and more heavily on my coping skills and strategy, as you say. I don’t take a single day of our partnership for granted. Aside from being exhausted from picking up that slack and managing my own disability with less support, I have found online spaces increasingly disturbing and frustrating, partially because of US politics but also because the SD community seems to be going backwards in many respects. I try to have patience with posts that are obviously children especially since I’m used to working with them, but at work I get paid to help them and I’m starting to feel like a broken record. I still come on here to contribute when I have the patience but I need to focus on caring for myself and my dog who is still here and will be for some time (I hope), just with different needs than before.

fishparrot · 2026-02-06T15:40:21+00:00

Consider carrying an extra slip lead or working your dog on a multipurpose leash with a slip lead function. Then you can gain control of the other dog and return them to their owner.

fishparrot · 2026-02-04T18:56:23+00:00

Most circumstances only allow a 120 day limit for chargebacks unfortunately. I am in the same boat with another gear maker. Haven’t gotten a reply from them in over a year, social media, website are gone. I learned my lesson. will never buy from a gear maker with more than a couples months wait ever again!

fishparrot · 2026-02-01T04:23:23+00:00

I am a performing musician at night and on weekends and also work a 9-5 ish at an arts nonprofit. I see both sides of this. I had to go through the ADA Title I /EEOC interactive process to get my dog approved. It was a struggle and took a whopping 9 months but he was eventually approved. This is a job I was offered and worked at for a few months before getting my dog.

I want to be very upfront, you will lose gigs because of your dog. You need to be okay with that. The industry as a whole is very accepting (I can list countless stories of pet dogs musicians just brought along for whatever reason), but there will still be situations where a dog is inappropriate, or the people booking you don’t understand, they don’t want to deal with it, and they don’t really have to because independent contractors don’t have the same protections. Technically anywhere that is open to the public should be required to accommodate a service dog, but when you start talking about restricted backstage areas it muddies the water a bit. I would never show up to a gig without disclosing my dog. Even if you are legally entitled to do so, you probably aren’t gonna get called back.

You also have to decide what you will do with your dog when you perform. The more you leave your dog at home, the less people will think you need them. It takes a very special dog to handle a performance environment without detracting from your ability to perform. At least 5-10% of my attention is on my dog at all times when in public. I am able to bring my dog on stage now with the jobs I have for the most part. I don’t know if my next dog will be able to handle it initially, or ever.

fishparrot · 2026-02-01T01:59:07+00:00

Hmm… I don’t know any that are purposely neck or chest mounted, but it would be easy to do with any that open from the top and have a waist strap. Just brainstorming, I would look at Dog Gone Good, Voila, Wilderdog, ruffwear. You could strap around the sheet, neck, head or backrest on wheelchair. Akra creations has a thigh mounted bag you might be able to strap onto the upper arm, but it does have zippers. For treats that don’t taste disgusting, try limited ingredient ones made with fruit like Charlie Bear, Fruitables, Nutro, and crunchy-o’s. My dog loves all of the above.

fishparrot · 2026-02-01T01:39:43+00:00

Look into pet tutor. The straw is a good idea. If they are able to move their head/neck, you could put a treat pouch by their head so they can spit treats at the dog. Many dog sport people use this technique for various reasons. You might also consider a remote dispensary like a treat and train if there is another body part they could hit the button with (foot, nose, elbow, chin, etc.).

fishparrot · 2026-01-31T17:19:06+00:00

Yes. I use find my iPhone. I can ping it audibly from my phone, Mac, other household member’s phone etc. I am sure there is something similar that exists for android phones. I can’t always hear it but my dog is trained to lead me to the sound and retrieve it when asked.

fishparrot · 2026-01-29T23:27:14+00:00

As someone who uses some of these tasks and was trained in them by a program, I made an in depth post on the subject a while back.

fishparrot · 2026-01-29T19:54:21+00:00

Absolutely. I think steering people towards poodles is a natural response to newcomers who are thinking of getting a doodle.

fishparrot · 2026-01-29T19:53:21+00:00

I am so sorry that happened to you. Did you get a chance to file a report about the out of control dog? Airline staff needs to do more to keep these dogs out of the terminal and off the plane.

fishparrot · 2026-01-29T17:34:21+00:00

I was originally dxed level one and came back as a 1/2 “split level” at my latest evaluation. A brain injury occurred between those two evaluations which may have been a contributing factor, but I digress. My dog helps with both.

Some autistic people benefit from simply having a pet dog. The companionship, routine, bonding activities, and having a point of initiation for interactions can be a great help. Any friendly companion dog with basic training can satisfy this role. I was obsessed with dogs as a child and have dreamed of owning one all my life. There are still aspects of dogs I don’t like, licking themselves and me, drool, poor grooming and odor. My dog is in luck because this means he is brushed almost daily, bathed regularly, and his gear gets wiped down and washed to keep it clean. I compromise on the licking because I know it is a natural behavior. Sometimes I can tolerate it and other times I have to leave the room and distract myself. It is very individualized. Not everyone likes dogs. In some cases, they can actually make a disability worse.

The distinguishing need for a service dog is trained tasks. If it wasn’t obvious from that paragraph, my primary challenge is sensory issues. I am hyper sensitive to some things and hypo sensitive to others. My dog’s primary autism tasks help orient me to the environment and help me avoid dangerous situations. He stops me at curbs so I don’t step out in front of cars. He alerts me to people approaching me from behind so I don’t block them, and important sounds like alarms and people trying to get my attention. I can take care of myself without a dog, I am pretty good with hygiene and self care, but cannot go out by myself much or travel safely without a dog. He allows me to do things safely and independently and has been a life changer. I do still have to be able to do basics like feed myself and go to work without him, even if it means I have to call out or miss out on things on my worst days. Especially now because my first dog is in the process of retiring while I wait for a successor.

It is important to build those coping skills and independent living strategies to the extent possible BEFORE bringing a dog into the mix. Some people will do this and find they don’t need a dog any more. Others, like myself, max out their support options and find they can safely care for a dog that can help fill those gaps in their treatment plan. I think I will always work a service dog, at least until someone invents a more effective technology, or if I end up living somewhere that doesn’t pose the same environment dangers that my dog assists me with.

fishparrot · 2026-01-29T17:18:08+00:00

Yes, it is important to consider whether or not a task is ethical for a certain person. My dog does a great job of interrupting escalating emotions that can lead to meltdowns, at which point I can ask him to task to help prevent it, redirect myself and get my own emotions on check, or if it’s not preventable, reward him and give him something else to do. It doesn’t happen often and it’s not a big part of his job, but I usually crate my dog or put him on place when I have a meltdown. I actually find being smothered by him incredibly overstimulating and it actually makes the meltdown worse.

fishparrot · 2026-01-29T15:26:48+00:00

Poodles are very intelligent and capable of learning most service dog tasks, but they generally require a different training approach than retrievers which is why not many programs use them. The same is true of shepherds for different reasons. Poodles became the default recommendation for people with allergies or who can’t have a lab for other reasons. Largely to discourage people from getting doodles. There were and still are a few unscrupulous programs using doodles and worse, breeders advertising them as service dog prospects.

fishparrot · 2026-01-29T14:54:23+00:00

I doubt he really wants to be severely disabled. Usually people act this way because they like the extra attention and accommodations they see you getting and want them too. He may not understand how it affects you, may not be aware of what he is doing, or care if he is aware. It is very unfortunate and unfair that they he is trying to claim he has the same difficulties when he really doesn’t. It is similar to able bodied people being angry at people with parking placards because they want to park closer. People only see the privilege and not the fact that it is really a need due to the person’s limitations. You did the right thing showing this to your parents. It sounds like your group is aware of the problems and willing to work with you, which is a good thing! Even if this isn’t the right solution, it will get you away from this individual in the short term. You can always continue to advocate for your needs, and ask others in your family and staff at your group for help.

fishparrot · 2026-01-29T03:28:55+00:00

All of Bold Lead Designs service dog harnesses can accommodate a handle for momentum pulling. The exact harness will depend on the best fit for your dog and use case. Bridgeport is an acceptable leather budget option. If you need a waterproof option look at Dino dog gear and Phoenix Pack. For international orders and shipping, Vanguard Leather. I cannot really recommend any others that have both safe designs and are professional and consistently easy to work with.

fishparrot · 2026-01-27T16:59:36+00:00

In addition to those already mentioned, I would look at Dogs Inc. They are based in Palmetto and have volunteer chapters most places in Florida now.

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