Certified Course 
Accredited Course 
Accepted by Airlines○ Public Access Manners
○ Deep Pressure Therapy for Calming Effect
○ Tactile Stimulation to Disrupt the Overload
○ Obedience and Public Access Manners;
○ Crowd Control, Panic Prevention in Public
○ Medication Reminder
○ Aircraft Training
○ Other Kinds of Assistance in Crisis
Find the complete learning plan in the Syllabus below.
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Are you dealing with emotional trauma or physical disabilities? Are you looking to train your own service dog to help with PTSD, anxiety, panic attacks, ADHD, depression, flashbacks, waking up from nightmares, and much more? Are you afraid of going out alone and would like to have your own service dog assistant accompany you everywhere? Then this is the right course for you! Our online Certified Intensive Psychiatric Service Dog Training Course is developed by the SDTSI team of trusted, experienced behavioral experts, including certified trainers and board-certified veterinary behaviorists. It will help you to achieve small goals that you and your dog can benefit from in a short amount of time and give you an element of your life that you can control. The course is spread over 6 distinct modules, covering everything you need to learn about training a service dog for PTSD, Panic Disorder, Anxiety and Depression, and being a service dog handler.
Joining the Certified Intensive Psychiatric Service Dog Training Course is only a 3-step process: Enroll, Study, and Get Certified. There are no long waiting lists or periods to sweat out!
Sign up and get started today; you'll be amazed at what you and your dog can achieve!
Individuals who suffer from mental illnesses such as PTSD, Panic Disorder, Anxiety, ADHD, Depression, Mental Abuse, etc., who are in the process of training their own pet dog to become a service dog to deal with their psychiatric disabilities, or who are planning to adopt or pick out a dog and train them to become a psychiatric service dog in the near future.
We generally recommend psychiatric service dogs be owner-trained with professional guidance from our tutor trainer, because psychiatric service dogs need to establish a particular bond with the user to most effectively mitigate disabling symptoms. Being in contact with the dog makes it possible for the dog to learn to recognize (and then respond to) departures from an individual’s baseline emotional or physiological state.
A Psychiatric Service Dog is a dog of any breed or size, trained specifically to do work or tasks to assist with a person’s mental health disability, and prepared to behave in public. PSDs are trained to assist in medical crises and provide treatment and security to their owners, including managing anxiety and panic attacks and preventing their handlers from reacting unfavorably in stressful situations.
To qualify for a service dog, an individual must have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. Psychiatric Service Dogs (PSDs) are specially trained dogs that help people with psychiatric or mental health problems.
PSDs can be trained to do a variety of work and tasks to suit the individual needs of the disabled partner. Tasks are intentionally requested by the handler, such as turning on the lights or doing a non-aggressive room sweep.
Work is not intentionally requested by the handler, but is available when the dog is cued by the environment or changes in the person's body. One example of work includes alerting to an oncoming panic attack, so the handler can take medication or exit the situation. Another work example includes hallucination discernment, where the PSD is trained to non-aggressively react to cues in the environment so the handler can know when what they see is real or a hallucination. Sometimes the line between work and tasks isn't clear, but what's important is the person gets needed help. Some dogs can be trained to guide the handler to a safe location on command (guiding can require independent reactions to the outside world), which can help a person who sometimes becomes cognitively impaired and has difficulty navigating. The types of assistance are as varied as the people who need them!
You can get a PSD from the programs that specialize in training PSD dogs and have the specific requirements they have for applicants, which can be expensive and the waiting lists for a perfect match can be as long as years.
You can also train your own PSD. If you already have a dog that you want to train to become a service animal, it makes sense financially and in terms of time that you train your own service dog with the help of specific instructions.
Properly training your dog to be a service dog takes about six months to a year, but with the help of SDTSI and our professional trainer tutor, you can usually do it in less time. PSD dogs are trained both privately with the handler he will assist and publicly to ensure he is comfortable and obedient around people.
Yes, if the local law requires pet dogs to be licensed and registered, then psychiatric service dogs must be as well. Local law requiring vaccinations for pets also applies to service animals.
Generally, service animals must be allowed to accompany their handlers in all areas that members of the public may go. A handler is entitled to bring their service animal into these areas even if it won’t perform its service during the visit. Service animals may be excluded from certain areas of an otherwise public-serving facility. To learn more, please go to Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADA.
Psychiatric service dogs have the same access rights as other types of service dogs. Under the ADA, state and local governments, businesses, and other organizations that serve the public have to let psychiatric service dogs accompany their owners in all areas where the public is allowed to go.
PSD handlers also have the right to live with their dogs in most types of housing under the Fair Housing Act. Owners of PSDs do not have to pay fees or deposits to their landlord or housing association in order to have a PSD in their residence. In addition, under the DOT’s air travel rules, PSDs are also allowed to fly in the cabin with their owners, free of charge. In order to fly with a PSD beginning on January 11th, 2021, airlines are allowed to ask PSD owners to submit a signed DOT Form form prior to departure. The form requires the owner to make various certifications, including that their psychiatric service dog has been trained to assist with a disability and is capable of behaving on a flight.
Below are examples of places a psychiatric service dog has access to:
⊛ Housing – apartment buildings, condos, rentals, hotels, college dorms, short-term rentals (Airbnb)
⊛ Transportation – airplanes, taxis, and trains
⊛ Public spaces – restaurants, offices, beaches, stores, parks, markets
No matter where you take your PSD, it’s always important to keep in mind that if your PSD is misbehaving it can be asked to leave the premises. Service animals can be denied entry if they are acting aggressively, barking or growling repeatedly, or causing an unsanitary condition. A psychiatric service dog must be under the handler’s control when out in public.
Discover How a SDTSI Graduate Flew with Her Service Dog:
be in possession of a very well-behaved service dog and your dog partner will be Certified as a Service Dog with all the training records by SERVICEDOG TRAINING SCHOOL INTERNATIONAL.
The digital certificate of achievement will be delivered to your email inbox within 24 hours. To view a sample of the award, please click here.
It means your dog has been trained to perform the work or tasks as a psychiatric service dog.
The primary purpose of certification is to ensure that your dog is fully trained and able to perform psychiatric service dog work and that you, the handler, understand how to lead your Assistance Dog/Service Dog through everyday situations, such as going to a store, a park, a hospital, a care home or any other public place.
◉ Airlines are permitted to deny transport to a service dog if it:
○ Violates safety requirements - e.g., too large or heavy to be accommodated in the cabin;
○ Poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others;
○ Causes a significant disruption in the cabin or at airport gate areas; or
○ Violates health requirements - e.g., prohibited from entering a U.S. territory or foreign country.
◉ Airlines are permitted to deny transport to a service dog if the service dog user/handler is unable to explain what specific work or task the dog has been trained to do. Personal information about the individual's disability can not be required.
◉ Airlines may deny transport to a service dog that is accompanying a person with a disability if a Department of Transportation (DOT) service animal form is required, but it has not been completed and submitted by the service dog handler/user in a timely manner.
This form is essential in providing the airline with information about the service animal, such as its age, size, breed, and behavior, as well as details about the handler/user.
Upon completion of this Certified Intensive Service Dog Course, you will receive a training certificate as proof of your dog's legitimacy and will also be eligible for our Air Travel Training Program.
Our team will be by your side to help you prepare the service animal air transportation form and other documentation that may be required.
Emotional Support Animals are not allowed to fly in the passenger cabin free of charge. You can find more information in our article New 2023 Rules and Restriction for Flying with Service Dogs (and ESA).
This lesson discusses the role of Psychiatric Service Dogs in assisting people suffering from severe psychiatric disorders, such as panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), anxiety attacks, and depression. These service animals provide a range of benefits to their handlers, from helping them maintain a healthy routine to reducing feelings of loneliness and sadness. However, the cost of acquiring a trained service dog can be prohibitive, and many people may not be aware that they can train their pet dog to become a certified service dog. The Psychiatric Service Dog Training Course we offer covers the tasks and basic skills needed to train a Psychiatric Service Dog, as well as the government regulations and public access requirements. It also emphasizes the importance of careful and patient training to achieve reliable results.
Many people have a vague sense of awareness that service dogs "help" their users and that they are allowed to be in public spaces, but there is a lot more to their handlers and teams than what meets the eye. This course teaches the basics of service dog training. In this chapter we will cover the following topics: -What is required of service dog handlers and trainers -How you “Pick Up the Dog” -Required equipment
This lesson provides guidance on training psychiatric service dogs, beginning with understanding the abilities and limitations of different dog types. The lesson then describes training approaches for puppies, teenage dogs, and mature dogs. The chapter also explains how different dog breeds have natural characteristics that affect their ability to learn certain service dog tasks. Finally, the lesson recommends that anyone who is looking for a Psychiatric Service Dog should undergo puppy testing before starting any service dog training. The lesson provides a helpful resource for anyone seeking to train a service dog to help them manage stress levels, manage anxiety, and panic attacks.
When it comes to training psychiatric service dogs, there’s a lot of misinformation out there. Many people inadvertently make their dogs anxious without even realizing it. To really understand your paw partner, you need to be able to listen and more importantly see what your dog is trying to tell you. With practice and given time, you should find yourself able to communicate with your furry friend with a more enriched and sophisticated vocabulary. This chapter will help you understand how your dog speaks to you.
This chapter explores learning theory in the context of service dog training. The chapter also touches on the types of learning and how they can be used to develop effective training strategies. Finally, we discuss that knowledge of learning types can help trainers understand why different styles of service dog training can be effective, even if they are not always kind. The chapter focuses on Reinforcement, Punishment, Praising, and Rewards.
This chapter discusses the importance of nutrition for service dogs and provides guidelines for preparing homemade dog food. The American Veterinary Association and the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association caution that homemade dog food is not as simple as it seems. The lesson provides guidance on selecting meat protein and non-meat protein sources, vegetables, and supplements to include in homemade dog food. We also discuss dangerous foods for dogs and homemade recipes for senior dogs and dogs with medical issues.
This chapter begins by teaching how to do Eye-Contact Training with your paw partner. Eye contact training in dog training refers to teaching a dog to make and maintain eye contact with its handler on command. This training technique is also commonly known as "watch me" or "look at me" training. The purpose of eye contact training is to develop a strong connection between the service dog and its handler, improve communication, and increase the animal's focus and responsiveness. The lessons include valuable guidance on bark control training, teaching your dog to fetch and retrieve, teaching your dog to warn of fire and other dangers as well as heel training.
This chapter is a guide for dog owners who want to train their dogs to recognize and respond to their anxiety attacks, panic attacks, PTSD episodes, flashbacks, and emotional loops. The chapter discusses two methods that expert trainers have used over the years to train service dogs. The lesson provides step-by-step instructions on how to train your canine to recognize and respond to your episodes, including how to decide on the desired behavior and how to reward your dog when they do it successfully. The chapter also provides tips on how to learn about your anxiety and monitor it using a log to ensure your dog's behavior is in sync with your anxiety levels. You will find lessons on how to:
-Teach your dog to give kisses (lick your face) on command
-Teach your dog to give you nose nudges
-Teach your dog to jump on the bed on command
-Teach your dog to spin around you on command (Orbiting skill)
-Teach your dog to find and exit and lead you to a safe space
The chapter offers guidance on training service dogs to assist individuals with psychiatric conditions such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Two main methods are outlined: associating the dog's behavior with the handler's symptoms and responding to specific "tells" indicating distress.
Method 1 involves rewarding the dog for recognizing and responding to anxiety symptoms, gradually shaping desired behaviors, and using cues to prompt actions. Method 2 focuses on identifying and training the dog to respond to specific behaviors exhibited by the handler during distress.
Practical tasks for service dogs are provided, including licking the handler's face on command, nudging to disrupt overload, providing comfort on the bed, creating space in crowded environments through spinning, and guiding the handler to an exit during panic attacks.
Each task is accompanied by step-by-step training instructions emphasizing positive reinforcement and gradual progression. The importance of patience, consistency, and effective communication between handler and dog is emphasized throughout.
Overall, the chapter serves as a comprehensive guide for training service dogs to support individuals with psychiatric issues, offering methods and tasks aimed at managing symptoms and enhancing quality of life.
This chapter offers a step-by-step guide to training a dog to help with the symptoms of PTSD. You will learn two techniques from expert trainers: Deep Pressure Therapy, which soothes the handler with the dog lying on top of them; Blocking Crowd Control, where the dog stands between the handler and others; and Interrupting Repetitive Behaviors, where the dog can recognize physical cues from the handler and interrupt self-harm behavior.
This chapter provides guidance on preparing a service dog for navigating public spaces. It emphasizes the importance of mastering basic skills and self-control. You will find tips on mastering behavior in public locations that are divided into the following categories: outdoor pet-friendly, indoor pet-friendly, and non-pet-friendly. The lesson also includes a short self-administered test to assess if a service dog and its handler are ready for non-pet-friendly locations. The chapter provides information on laws regarding service animals in the US, UK, and Canada. We have included guidance on how to prepare for a flight, a visit to the airport, and how to go through security checks with your service animal.
The final lesson includes a checklist for assessing both the dog and trainer's readiness for psychiatric service dog work. The goal is to keep the training enjoyable for both the dog and handler, with a commitment to ethical and scientifically sound methods. We encourage ongoing learning and emphasize the importance of maintaining the service dog's skills and confidence through practice.
At the end of each training session, our tutor team will conduct an online evaluation of your training progress. You will be asked to complete a quiz and submit photos and videos of your dog performing specific tasks and exhibiting proper public behaviors. This method of continual assessment ensures that your personal trainer can consistently monitor your training progress, provide you with assistance throughout the course, and prepare you for final certification and public testing.
All study materials
⊛ 12 lessons
⊛ 17 videos
⊛ 12 exams
⊛ 6hrs 36m time to complete
⊛ Certificate upon completion
Study and Training Guide
Full Tutor and Admin support
The course fee includes the printable service dog certificate. The digital copy will be sent within 24 hours upon successful course completion.
