Individuals living with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) are often left feeling helpless and isolated. At times, the debilitating symptoms can even make them feel as though their own life is beyond their control.
A psychiatric service dog can provide immeasurable support for those struggling with OCD; they offer comfort, provide a sense of security, and perform specially trained tasks that help to relieve symptoms.
In this article, we’ll cover in detail what a psychiatric service dog is and the many ways they can help individuals with OCD. We’ll then discuss their legal rights and how you can go about getting one.
A psychiatric service dog (PSD) is a dog that has been specially trained to help their handler with their mental disorder. They offer emotional support and perform disability-related tasks.
Tasks can vary depending on the handler’s disability and individual needs, but common tasks include deep pressure therapy, tactile stimulation, and item retrieval.
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), psychiatric service dogs are defined as “dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.” Importantly, “task(s) performed by the dog must be directly related to the person’s disability.”
Any breed can be trained to be a psychiatric service dog – the ADA has not implemented any breed restrictions. However, considering their line of work, a psychiatric service dog must have a patient and affectionate temperament. Common PSD breeds include Golden Retrievers, Poodles, Cavalier Spaniels, and Border Collies.
Many assume psychiatric service dogs and emotional support animals (ESA) are the same. In reality, the only similarity between them is that they provide their owner comfort and reassurance.
Unlike PSDs, emotional support animals are not specially trained to perform tasks that mitigate symptoms of their owner’s disability. In fact, they do not need to undergo any training at all. Any animal can be considered an ESA, whether dog, cat, snake, or hamster.
ESAs and PSDs also have different legal rights. PSDs are protected under the ADA, among other federal and state laws. These laws are in place to ensure they can perform their tasks properly and without interruption. We go into more detail about their legal rights further down.
In comparison, emotional support animals receive very few legal rights. They are not recognized by the ADA. While they were once considered service animals under the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), this changed in 2021. Airlines no longer have to recognize ESAs as service animals and accommodate them.
That said, emotional support animals are still covered under the Fair Housing Act (FHA). Landlords are not allowed to charge an individual with an ESA a “pet fee.” They must also house the ESA, no matter their policy on animals.
A psychiatric service dog can be taught to carry out several disability-mitigating tasks, many of which we cover in detail below. They can even be trained to find help during times of crisis.
Deep pressure therapy (DPT) entails the dog using their body’s weight and warmth to ease their handler’s distress. It also helps ground their handler, since it gives them something tangible to focus on.
Psychiatric service dogs perform DPT by either placing their body, face, or paws against their handler.
Dogs are highly intelligent. They are capable of picking up changes in our mood and behavior before we’re even consciously aware of them.
So, it should come as no surprise that PSDs are able to identify the early signs of compulsive behaviors and obsessive thoughts, then work to stop them from escalating further. They achieve this by performing tasks that interrupt and redirect their handler’s attention; they can paw at their owner’s hands, persistently ask them to “play,” or give them items to hold.
They can even position their body to block any movements that would enable the individual to act on urges.
A PSD can be taught to retrieve medication at specific times, ensuring their handler keeps to a regular schedule. Not only does this minimize the chances of missed dosages, but it also helps the individual have a better sense of control as they go about their day.
Medications can help mitigate severe symptoms. However, many used in the treatment of OCD have side effects that can affect mobility. In moments where their handler feels unsteady on their feet, a PSD can keep them stable by using their body to provide counter-resistance.
If the individual remains unsteady, the PSD can then lead them to a safe area where they can rest until they regain their sense of balance.
Similar to deep pressure therapy, tactical stimulation involves the psychiatric service dog touching their handler’s body to soothe and ground them. It can also be used as a method to interrupt and redirect their attention, which we’ve discussed above.
A PSD can perform tactile stimulation in several ways. For example, they could persistently lick their handler’s face on command or nudge their hand.
Public spaces can be overwhelming for many individuals with OCD. A PSD can help alleviate the stress by acting as a barricade: they place their body between their handler and the crowd. This stops strangers from getting too close and gives the individual more personal space, providing a sense of security.
Someone with OCD may avoid certain opportunities or tasks due to the fear that their symptoms will prevent them from doing so. However, knowing their PSD is by their side to help them out if necessary can give them the confidence to do what they want to do.
A psychiatric service dog will stay calm and collected no matter the situation, offering the handler a soothing presence at all times.
Plus, several studies have shown that the companionship a dog brings can alleviate stress and anxiety – both common triggers for obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.
Dog ownership requires a lot of time and dedication. You have to care for them, ensure they’re safe, and also partake in their training. All of these commitments can help keep the individual grounded and their mind busy.
There are many other ways a psychiatric service dog can help an individual with OCD.
A PSD can be taught to turn on a room’s lights or perform “room checks” before their handler enters. They can also be trained to find help during situations where the individual is unable to do so themselves; they find the nearest person and lead them to their handler.
Psychiatric service dogs can even open the front door on command (using a lever handle), enabling them to let emergency responders into the house.
Other potential ways a psychiatric service dog can help are:
Psychiatric service dogs are protected under several laws. Here’s a breakdown of their legal rights:
There are also various regulations in place to protect the privacy and wellbeing of the handler. For example, it is against the law for anyone, no matter the reason, to demand an individual with a PSD tell them what their disability is. Those with a PSD can legally only be asked the following questions:
For further information about what legal rights a psychiatric service dog has, check out our full article on the topic.
If you believe a psychiatric service dog will significantly improve your wellbeing, your next step is to get in touch with a licensed mental health professional or doctor.
To qualify, you must have been officially diagnosed with OCD and have evidence that your condition greatly impacts your quality of life. You must also be capable of caring for your dog independently and have a stable and safe home environment.