Shelter to Service now offers psychiatric service dog training for individuals with personal dogs who meet the program requirements outlined in our program application. Personal dogs are carefully assessed for their potential for psychiatric service work before being admitted into the training program. Our team evaluates personal dogs for qualities including focus, confidence, affiliation with handlers, calmness, and response to reward-based training.
Interested in being matched with a shelter dog who is being trained as a psychiatric service animal? Shelter to Service can find the perfect dog for your needs and lifestyle.
“With my dog by my side, nothing’s gonna hold me down.”
– Brandon, Shelter to Service Graduate
Please note: applicants must submit their personal dog’s proof of spay/neuter and current vaccination records, as well as any prior training certifications earned when applying.
Is a Psychiatric Service Dog Right for You?
Like all service animals, psychiatric service dogs are trained to perform specific tasks that address symptoms of their handler’s condition. Tasks can include providing deep pressure therapy, creating space, reminders, interruptions, and more.
The presence of a psychiatric service dog can help with the following:
- Stabilizing emotions, leading to more predictable routines and a greater sense of control over one’s life.
- Regaining access and improving confidence in social activities and settings.
- Grounding or soothing their handler after an emotional episode or night terrors.
- Alerting to and interrupting anxious behavior(s) or panic attacks.
- Reminding handler to take medications or finding lost items.
- Inspiring sociability, relationship building, and improving positive outlook.
Personal Psychiatric Service Dog Requirements
Personal dogs who will be trained for the Shelter to Service psychiatric service dog program must meet certain requirements to be eligible:
- Must be aged between 1 to 4 years at the start of the program*
- 1 – 4 years for small dogs (12 – 25lbs)
- 1 – 3 years for medium to large dogs (25+ lbs)
- *Consideration may be given for slightly older dogs who have prior training, on a case-by-case basis
- Must have been with handler for at least 6 months prior to starting the program
- Must have some prior training
- Can complete basic cues (i.e. “sit,” “down,” “come,” and “stay”)
- Can walk on a loose leash
- Must have been trained using positive reinforcement training techniques
- No physically or verbally harsh techniques
- No aversive training equipment (i.e. prong collar, choke collar, electronic collar, etc.)
- Must be good with all other people and dogs
- No forms of aggression (i.e. barking, lunging, growling, showing teeth, etc.) towards people or dogs
- No forms of shyness (i.e. avoiding eye contact, avoiding interactions, etc.) towards people
- Tolerant of dogs of all sizes, ages, sexes, colors, breeds, etc.
- Tolerant of people of all ages, genders, races, shapes, sizes, etc.
- Must be generally neutral in all situations
- Not overly distracted by novel stimuli
- Displays little to no reactivity (i.e. barking, lunging, jumping, etc.) towards people, animals, or objects whether on or off leash
- Can calmly be on the other side of a barrier while seeing and/or hearing a person or dog
- No prey drive towards other animals, including small dogs
- Must be very food-motivated
- Can be easily redirected from other people, animals, objects, sounds, etc.
- Must not have any indoor marking behaviors
- Must be tolerant of all handling from anyone
- Can be touched on all parts of the body (i.e. head, ears, paws, tail, etc.)
- Must be a medium-to-low energy dog
- Cannot be so high energy to the point where you must exercise them for hours prior to class in order for them to respond to cues
- Cannot have any negative attention-seeking behaviors
- Not overly mouthy (has good bite inhibition)
- No excessive jumping
- No demand vocalizing (barking, whining, etc.)
- Must be able to be around people and/or other dogs in the presence of high-value items
- No resource guarding any objects (i.e. food, water, bowls, toys, bed, handler/family, etc.) from people or dogs
- Must be medically sound for service work
- Spayed/neutered
- Up-to-date on required vaccinations (DHPP, Rabies, and Bordetella)
- Structurally sound to walk all day (with reasonable breaks)
- Can easily go up and down stairs as well as in and out of the car on their own
- No apparent medical issues that impede dog from assisting handler 24/7
- Must have all 4 limbs
- Must have sight in both eyes
- No hearing impairment
- No car sickness to the point that they are sick for hours
- Must be able to perform in all environments and weather/climates
- Brachycephalic dogs can have difficulty breathing/regulating body temperatures and therefore may not be able to work on hot days
- Must be able to bounce back and recover quickly from all potential stressful situations
- Cannot show signs of extreme fear/anxiety/stress
- Can startle due to loud sounds, quick movements, etc., but must have a quick recovery and move on
- Must be able to settle quickly when left alone or when away from handler
- No separation anxiety
- No confinement anxiety
- No excessive stress, panting, pacing, etc.
- Not destructive
- Not excessively vocal
- Must not have any obsessive/compulsive behaviors, such as:
- Chasing fast moving objects (i.e. cars, bikes, skateboards, etc.)
- Following lights
- Excessive digging
- Licking/chewing themselves to the point of causing physical harm
- Constantly chasing tail
- Always needing to hold something in their mouth
- Being overly obsessed with a toy to the point they won’t focus on their handler
- Must be generally well-behaved in public
- Settles quickly/easily
- Must remain on a maximum 6-foot (non-retractable) leash at all times when in public
- Cannot disturb the peace by being overly vocal, etc.
- Remains unobtrusive by staying at handler’s side and out of the way of others
- Must be able to remain in reasonably tight spaces for prolonged periods of time
- Cannot ride in a stroller or shopping cart
- Cannot be carried in handler’s arms
- Cannot be on top of benches, tables, chairs, etc.
Psychiatric Service Dog Applicant Requirements
Applicants must submit a letter of recommendation from their licensed mental healthcare provider, written within the last year. Please note that our Participant Services Manager will be following up with the provider to confirm ongoing support. This letter must include:
- The applicant’s name.
- The date the letter was written.
- The state the mental healthcare provider is licensed in.
- The licensed mental healthcare provider’s signature, printed name, license number, title, contact information, and physical address.
- How long the applicant has been under the mental healthcare provider’s care.
- The applicant’s specific need for a service dog and what the service dog would do for the applicant.
Applicants must submit a letter of recommendation from a family or household member. This letter must include:
- The date the letter was written.
- Their relationship to and how long they’ve known the applicant.
- How the applicant would benefit from the assistance of a service dog.
- Confirmation that the applicant has the capacity and physical ability to consistently train and care for a service dog.
- Family member’s name, signature, phone number, and email address.
Applicants are responsible for training and handling candidates in adherence to our program guidelines in order to meet the expectations required for graduation.
Applicants must be willing and able to travel by car to our Walnut Creek campus to attend the following:
- A three-day program orientation (one hour per day for three consecutive days)
- Hand-off training classes (two-hour training classes, five days per week, for two weeks)
- Foundational training classes (two-hour classes once per week for a minimum of three months)
- Service task and public access training classes (one-hour training classes, twice per week, for a minimum of two and a half months)
Please note: Applicants under the age of 18 must have their application filled out by a parent or guardian.
General Program Eligibility Requirements
Each different type of Shelter to Service service has individual eligibility requirements for applicants. More information is available on their specific program pages. But all applicants must have the following qualifications.
- Applicants must live in a stable, personal residence.
- Applicants must demonstrate willingness and ability to provide proper care and a safe home environment for a dog for their lifespan.
- Applicants must be at least 16 years or older.
- Applicants must submit a copy of their photo ID.
- Applicants must be willing and able to travel by car to our Walnut Creek campus.
The Journey to Psychiatric Service Work
How does a dog become a psychiatric service dog? From the time of initial evaluation to graduation from the program, psychiatric service dog candidates go through several stages of assessment, exposure, and training to prepare them for assisting their handlers with mental health conditions.
Step 1 – Assessment
Our team conducts extensive assessments to determine whether the dog is a suitable candidate for the Shelter to Service program.
Step 2 – Foundational Training
Dogs that display both motivation and aptitude for the program spend 15 weeks going through foundational training with their guardians, honing skills that will prepare them for service work.
Step 3 – Service Tasks and Public Access Training
Program participants and their candidates build specific skills for at least 12 weeks in order to best support the participant.
Step 4 – Graduation
Once the team has completed the training curriculum and passed the program assessment, the team graduates from the program, earning their psychiatric service dog certification.
Step 5 – Specialized Training
Graduated psychiatric service dog teams may attend additional specialized training for specific situations, such as visiting an amusement park or travelling on an airplane.
Step 6 – Recertification
All graduated teams participate in an annual recertification to ensure standards are being met for continued status recognition through the Shelter to Service program.
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