You are not alone if you are struggling to know “how to make my dog an emotional support dog”. But first, let me tell you, yes, your pet is surely your Emotional Support Animal (ESA). The primary objective of owning a dog is to acquire companionship and enjoy the bonding. The pet dogs are a strong source of a sense of belonging and emotional well-being. People having emotional and mental challenges often ask, “How do I make my dog an emotional support animal”?
Emotional support Animals (ESAs) provide comfort and solace to you in times of distress. In this guide, we will answer the question ‘How to make your dog an emotional support dog. We will also explain the concept of your furry friend being recognized for a therapeutic role to improve your emotional well-being.
What is an Emotional Support Animal (ESA)?
An emotional support animal is much more than a pet. These animals give therapeutic benefits to people with mental issues like anxiety, stress, and other emotional disorders. Emotional support animals provide loyalty, trusted companionship, and emotional well-being. Service animals are trained to perform specific tasks, whereas emotional service animals provide emotional attachment.
How to Make a Dog an Emotional Support Animal?
Before heading towards how to make your dog an emotional support dog, define specifically how your dog improves your mental health. Like:
- A source of calmness
- Reduce anxiety
- Understands your distress
- Give you comfort
- Encourage you to physical activity
- Motivates you for social interaction
- Divert you from negative thoughts
Once you have identified how your dog can contribute to your mental well-being, it is helpful when discuss with a mental health professional. Here is a step-by-step guide to know how to make a dog an emotional support animal:
Making you Eligible
To be eligible for an emotional support animal (ESA), you must have a mental and emotional issue like depression, anxiety, or a panic disorder.
Recommendation from a Mental Health Expert
Only a certified psychiatrist will evaluate you and diagnose any emotional disorder. Then he will recommend whether an ESA will emotionally benefit you or not. If yes, then he will give you an ESA Letter.
The ESA Letter
The ESA letter is mandatory by law. This letter elaborates on the confirmation of your mental disorder and the recommendation of an ESA for your emotional well-being.
Your Legal Rights
Under the Fair Housing Act, there is a “no-pet policy”. But ESAs are allowed in homes.
How Do I Make My Dog an Emotional Support Dog?
For your dog to be an ESA, there isn’t any training or certification. If your health professional grants you an ESA Letter, that’s all you need to make your dog an ESA. Now it’s up to you to keenly evaluate your dog behavior:
Is your Dog Suitable as an ESA?
Mostly, your dogs can be your emotional support animal. But not all dogs are ideal candidates for emotional support. Go through the following key considerations:
Behavior
Your dog should have positive behavior and can sense your distress and respond positively.
Temperament
The dog’s temperament needs to be calm, friendly, and energetic.
Relationship
You have to have a strong emotional attachment to your dog.
Recall Training for Emotional Support Dog
For ESAs, obedience and response to command are vital. Proper recall training is essential for your dog. Teach your dogs the following commands:
- Sit
- Come
- Stay
- Down
Your Dog’s Good Health
When you keep your dog healthy and happy, in return, he will keep you healthy and happy. You just need to give your dog a healthy diet, daily exercise, and a regular vet check-up.
How to Make Your Dog an Emotional Support
It needs to focus on the natural abilities of your dog first. You can’t infuse emotional attributes in your dog through training. You can only make him emotionally supportive by nurturing emotional qualities in him. You have to have the following features:
A Strong Bond
It all needs to have a strong bond between you and your furry friend. A caring and loving relationship is the foundation of emotional support.
Positive Reinforcement
While you don’t need to get specific tasks done by your dog. It only needs obedience training to ensure your dog is positive in attitude.
Caring and loving Environment
What a dog needs to become an emotional friend is a caring and loving environment that comforts its inner feelings.
Rewarding Their Supportive Behavior
Rewards for your dogs in the form of praises and treats will, in return, provide you with emotional support and comfort.
Final Words
If you are searching ‘how to make my dog an emotional support dog,’ you are at the right place. The process involved is easy but requires some documentation. Take my words, an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) is a game-changer for you lifelong. Because it’s challenging times in your life, and your dog took up this challenge to give you emotional support.
It starts with your healthcare professional, but your furry friend does the rest. Your round-the-clock companion gets you out of mental challenges. What triggers your furry friend’s emotions is your rewards and treats. Win their heart from their stomach.
