Specialist dog training - Service Dog for anxiety for young person

[Liza100]

Hello
I came across a post about this on Mumsnet and would like to add my own request. One of my children, age 18, requested a Service Dog from Service Dogs Europe to help with panic attacks and anxiety. The puppy arrived ( He's good natured and toilet trained ) but Service Dogs Europe have closed, so additional training and accreditation as a Service Dog are no longer available. Other Service Dog trainers in the UK do not train for this type of condition ( although the US does ). There is a need for a training service in the UK for dogs to help this type of condition - perhaps using the US model ? Perhaps there is a dog trainer out there who could set this up ? Assistance Dogs UK could advise on accreditation.

I think there was something on Radio 4 about Service Dogs Europe - they were being criticised as it was a profit making company and therefore trainers were under pressure not to say individual dogs were proving unsuitable for the work. This is very different from Charities such as guide dogs for the blind who recognise that a number of dogs will not pass the training. They interviewed two families who had ended up with dogs who were not suitable and therefore added to the family workload and stress rather than benefitting them. Very sad for everyone.

I hope your puppy works out for you and your family and that you find the additional training needed.

Thanks for the supportive message. Yes, there are several training agencies recognised by Assistance Dogs UK. However, none in the UK to train dogs to help owners who have panic attacks/anxiety. The USA has agencies which train dogs for this purpose, so perhaps using this model could enable similar training in the UK, for which there is a need. Assistance Dogs UK could advise on accreditation. Perhaps there is a dog trainer out there who would like to take this on ? ...............