Living with a mental health condition that significantly impacts your daily life can feel overwhelming, but there's hope in the form of a specially trained companion. Psychiatric service dogs (PSDs) offer life-changing support by performing specific tasks tailored to their handler's needs—from detecting the early signs of a panic or anxiety attack to retrieving medications during a crisis or providing deep pressure therapy during episodes. If you're wondering whether a psychiatric service dog could transform your quality of life and how to navigate the process of getting one, you're not alone in having questions. This comprehensive guide breaks down everything you need to know about obtaining a PSD, from confirming your eligibility and choosing the right training path to understanding your legal rights and avoiding common pitfalls. Whether you're considering training your current dog or starting fresh with a new companion, we'll walk you through each step of this empowering journey toward greater independence and mental wellness.

How To Get a Psychiatric Service Dog: Step-by-Step

If you are exploring how to get a psychiatric service dog, the path is straightforward when you break it into clear steps. Pettable makes the process easier by offering expert-guided online PSD training you can complete from home at your pace.

1. Confirm eligibility with a licensed mental health professional using the ADA standard for disability.
2. Choose your dog by adopting a fully trained PSD, selecting a suitable candidate, or using your current dog.
3. Select a training path that fits your needs and lifestyle.
4. Define at least one trained task directly tied to your condition.
5. Master public access skills so your dog is calm, housebroken, and under control in public.
6. Prepare documentation for air travel and housing where applicable.
7. Practice skills in real-world settings and generalize behavior across environments.
8. Maintain skills with regular practice, refreshers, and veterinary care.

Step 1 - Confirm Eligibility

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, you qualify for a psychiatric service dog when a mental health condition substantially limits one or more major life activities and a trained dog can mitigate your symptoms by performing specific tasks. Consult a licensed mental health professional to determine if a PSD is appropriate for you.

Step 2 - Choose Your Dog

You can adopt a fully trained PSD, select a promising candidate, or use your current dog if they meet temperament and health benchmarks. Look for a dog that is people-focused, non-aggressive, responsive to training, and comfortable in varied environments.

Step 3 - Select a Training Path

Self-Training with Online Guidance

Pettable’s on-demand PSD training empowers you to train from home, at your pace, with structured lessons that cover task work and public access. This is often the most flexible and cost-effective option.

In-Person or Program Training

Some handlers prefer hands-on instruction. Program-trained PSDs can be effective but are typically more expensive and may involve long waitlists. Accreditation signals from well-known industry organizations can indicate quality, although they are not legally required.

Step 4 - Define Your Trained Tasks

A PSD must perform at least one trained task that helps mitigate your disability. Choose tasks that are specific to your symptoms and daily routines. You will find examples by condition in the section below on tasks and training.

Step 5 - Master Public Access Skills

Public access readiness includes reliable obedience, calm behavior around distractions, being housebroken, and remaining under your control at all times. Consistent practice in low-distraction locations first, then steadily increasing difficulty, is key.

Step 6 - Prepare Documentation for Travel and Housing

For flights, airlines generally require the Department of Transportation Service Animal Air Transportation Form under the Air Carrier Access Act. For housing, providers may ask for reliable documentation if your disability or need is not obvious. No certification or registration is required for public access.

Step 7 - Practice and Generalize

Train in different places and scenarios so your dog performs reliably anywhere you go, including stores, sidewalks, transit, and campuses. Generalization turns trained skills into real-world reliability.

Step 8 - Maintain Skills Over Time

Plan ongoing training, periodic refreshers, and routine veterinary care. Rehearse critical tasks regularly and keep public access behaviors sharp so your dog remains confident and dependable.

What Is A Psychiatric Service Dog, And Who Can They Help?

Psychiatric service dogs are trained to perform specific tasks for individuals who have symptoms and a diagnosis of a mental illness. Psychiatric service dogs can be trained to retrieve medication and water and can sense when their owner is in distress to provide deep pressure therapy (DPT), or even contact emergency services in case of a fall or seizure.

Emotional support animals (ESAs) are not the same as psychiatric service dogs. Emotional support animals help their owners feel better by providing general comfort and support. While ESAs are very similar to therapy dogs and psychiatric service dogs, they do not have the same legal rights as psychiatric service dogs. Owners can take their service dogs anywhere in public, even in places that may not be pet friendly, and can have pets in housing developments that may have a "no pets" policy.

Emotional support animals usually make individuals feel better with their sheer presence and affection. A therapy dog is often used in places or situations where there is a lot of stress, like hospitals, nursing homes, and schools. What separates these two from psychiatric service dogs is that PSDs are specifically trained to aid their individual with specific tasks and jobs that align with the individual’s mental illness.

Do You Need A Medical Diagnosis To Get A Psychiatric Service Dog?

To qualify for a psychiatric service dog, individuals must be legally disabled under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and be able to provide proper medical documentation. This states that a service dog will help the individual with tasks that can aid them in having a better quality of life. The person must also be able to handle the service dog on their own and be able to give the dog commands on their own. Extra training sessions may be required for service dogs, meaning the individual must be able to accompany the service dogs to the training sessions.

According to the ADA, being legally diagnosed with a disability means having a physical or mental impairment that limits one or more “major life activities," or someone who has or has had an impairment that does so.

Mental health disorders that may qualify for service animals or emotional support animals include:

• Agoraphobia
• Anxiety Disorder
• Bipolar Disorder
• Depression
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Panic Attacks
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Schizophrenia

Once a psychiatrist or mental health professional provides a letter or specifies a need for a PSD, an individual can go about getting a PSD to begin helping them in their day-to-day lives.

Eligibility & Handler Readiness Checklist

• Diagnosis from a licensed mental health professional and a recommendation that a PSD can mitigate your symptoms
• Ability to consistently train, cue, and care for the dog, including daily exercise and grooming
• Dog is housebroken, non-aggressive, and can remain calm around people, pets, and distractions
• Commitment to ongoing training, public access etiquette, and regular veterinary care

How Do Psychiatric Service Dogs Help?

There are various tasks for which service dogs and emotional support dogs can be trained to help an individual with a mental illness. PSDs trained to do these tasks are usually taught to spot warning signs in their owners. They are individually trained to do jobs including:

• Applying deep pressure therapy (laying across the owner’s lap or body)
• Using grounding techniques (such as licking or pawing) for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other anxiety disorders
• Retrieving medications
• Leading the owner out of a high-stress situation
• Help the owner establish a daily routine.
• Prevent the owner from being too stationary for long periods
• Provide protection and security to the owner

PSDs can be individually trained for specific tasks, such as retrieving medication during a particular time of day or being prepared to wake up their owner at an exact time or when an alarm beeps. PSDs can also be trained to retrieve ringing phones and alert the individual to doorbells or someone knocking at the door.

Choose and Document Your Tasks

Under the ADA, a psychiatric service dog must perform at least one trained task that directly mitigates your disability. Document the task behaviors you are training and how they relate to your symptoms. General comfort or companionship by itself is not sufficient.

Examples by Condition

PTSD

• Deep pressure therapy during flashbacks or hyperarousal
• Non-protective boundary control on cue to create space in crowds
• Scanning corners or leading to exits on cue to reduce startle responses
• Interrupting nightmares by nudging or pawing, then turning on lights on cue

Panic Disorder and Anxiety

• Early alert to rising anxiety cues, then guiding to a quiet area
• Grounding and pattern breaking through pawing, nose nudges, or chin rest
• Retrieving water, medication, or a phone during acute episodes

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

• Interrupting compulsive behaviors on cue and redirecting to alternative behaviors
• Leading the handler away from triggers on cue

Depression

• Waking the handler on alarm and initiating a morning routine
• Medication reminders at set times
• Activity initiation to reduce inactivity, such as nudging to get up and walk

Where Can I Get A Psychiatric Service Dog?

Once you and a medical professional have determined that a PSD is right for you, it’s time to acquire or train your new animal assistant. For this step, you have a few options:

• Buy or Adopt a Trained PSD: One of the quickest and easiest ways to get a PSD is to acquire a dog that has already been trained to suit your needs. However, this is often the most expensive path.
• Enroll Your Current Dog in a Training Program: If you already have a canine companion you want to convert into a working dog, you can enroll in an in-person PSD training program. This can benefit some dogs with attention issues but is less convenient.
• Self-Training Your Dog: Another option is to self-train your dog with the assistance of an online PSD training program, such as the one offered by Pettable. This is a flexible option that you can take at the perfect pace for you and your dog.

Costs and Timeline

• Program-trained PSDs typically cost 20,000 to 30,000 or more and may involve waitlists of 6 to 24 months depending on the organization
• Self-training with structured guidance often takes 6 to 18 months of consistent practice, while in-person trainers commonly charge 150 to 250 per hour
• Funding options can include nonprofit grants, community fundraising, and payment plans where available
• The ADA does not mandate a specific number of training hours, but many teams benefit from months of structured task work and public access practice
• If considering a fully trained placement, look for clear training standards and welfare practices, understanding that accreditation is not a legal requirement

Can Any Dog Be A Psychiatric Service Dog?

Yes, any breed can be trained to be a PSD. There are some qualifying markers to look for before beginning training. These include the dog being housebroken, the dog not exhibiting aggressive behavior, and the dog being calm in public. The dog must be trained to recognize and respond to the signs of the owner’s disability. If the dog cannot be trained after a specific period, it is called “washing out.” If this happens, the dog may need to be adopted into a new home. If that cannot happen, for whatever reason, then the process begins again, with a different dog or a different breed altogether.

That said, some specific breeds may be better suited to being trained to work as psychiatric service dogs.

Public Access Rules You Must Know

• Staff may ask only two questions: whether the dog is required because of a disability and what work or task the dog has been trained to perform, as outlined by the ADA
• A dog may be excluded if it is not housebroken or if it is not under the handler’s control
• No vest, ID, registration, or certification is legally required for public access
• Handlers are responsible for preventing disruptive behavior and maintaining control at all times

Which Breeds Make The Best PSDs?

There is no right or wrong breed for a PSD as long as the dog is trainable and able to learn new commands and follow them accordingly. However, some may be better suited, depending on the situation and the person’s needs. Some popular dog breeds for PSDs include:

Australian Shepherds

Australian Shepherds are naturally loyal and loving and have plenty of traits that make them great for being trained as a PSD. They have a natural herding ability, which can help when leading an individual out of a high-pressure or extremely crowded room, especially if they have agoraphobia (fear of open or crowded spaces) or anxiety that makes public places challenging to be in. They are also a great choice for people who can't see because they have a natural sense of how to herd.

Border Collies

Border Collies are one of the most intelligent breeds of dogs. They can learn new commands and follow through with them. They pay a lot of attention to body language and hand signals, which makes them great for people with seizure disorders, OCD, and PTSD. They are also very affectionate and caring, which can help an owner feel needed and loved.

Golden Retrievers

Golden Retrievers are one of the most well-known service dog breeds. Retrievers are very good at taking care of their owners' needs and wants because they are loyal, loving, gentle, and smart. Golden retrievers have a temper that is easier to train to control than other dogs, and they can be trained to retrieve things such as medications or water and guide their owner through high-stress situations.

Can My Dog Get Certified To Be A Psychiatric Service Dog?

You might be surprised to learn that you don’t need any certification for your psychiatric service dog (PSD). However, you do need training to teach your dog how to do tasks or therapies related to your mental health condition. Pettable makes online PSD training easy and convenient with our self-directed on-demand program. Upon completion of your dog’s training, we will issue you a Certificate of Completion, but this is not a legal or necessary document, just a bit of peace of mind.

Documentation for Travel and Housing

• Air travel: Under the Air Carrier Access Act, airlines generally require the DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form. Emotional support animals are no longer recognized for flight access, but PSDs are when trained and documented appropriately
• Housing: Under the Fair Housing Act, housing providers may request reliable documentation if your disability or need is not obvious. A letter from a licensed mental health professional can be appropriate evidence
• Work and school: Different rules may apply in employment and education settings, so review applicable policies before requesting accommodations
• Public access: No certification, registration, ID card, or vest is legally required to enter public places with a PSD

Getting a Psychiatric Service Dog

Pettable makes it easy to get your canine companion trained as a PSD. All you need to do is take our online PSD assessment to get started. After this is complete, you can enroll in our online PSD training program, which gives you the power to train your dog from the comfort of your home, and at a pace that fits your lifestyle. 

What you don’t need is a certification or to register your PSD with any federal agency or other organization. Nor do you need an ID card, vest, or harness that indicates that your canine companion is an assistance animal.

Psychiatric Service Dog Training

When it comes to training your dog to be a PSD you have two options: enroll in an expensive in-person training class with other dogs or sign up for online training with Pettable. Not only is online training convenient, but it’s also flexible enough to suit any lifestyle. In-person training is more expensive and less convenient, and worst of all — it’s less effective. With Pettable, we guarantee that our online training will work for you and your dog, or your money back!

Myth: Service Dog Registration

Although some websites might try to sell you on an official “PSD registration,” this is not something that exists or is needed. There is no federal or state government registry for any type of assistance animal, including psychiatric service dogs and emotional support animals. You also don’t need any sort of certificate to make your PSD legitimate, all you need is to complete a training program. 

However, if you feel like some documentation could help you with housing, your workplace, or anything else, speak with your LMHP about getting an official letter from them verifying your disability and need for a PSD. Also, at the end of the Pettable online PSD course, we will issue you a certificate of completion, which is just as good.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

• Paying for registrations or certifications that are not legally required
• Attempting protection or guarding training, which is unsafe for public access and not appropriate for PSDs
• Relying on the dog’s presence alone rather than training at least one disability-related task
• Skipping staged public access practice before moving to busy environments
• Misrepresenting a pet as a service animal, which can carry penalties under state laws

State-Level Considerations

State and local laws may add penalties for misrepresentation and sometimes offer voluntary registries. States cannot require certification for access or ban PSDs by breed. Review your state’s guidance in addition to federal rules.

This article was reviewed by Jennifer Bronsnick, MSW, LCSW for accuracy and updated to add clarity on when psychiatric service dogs are and are not allowed into public places.