Service dogs??

Hi all, can anyone help? I have a friend who is moving soon, lifes knocked her around a lot, but she loves and takes great comfort from dogs, and is hoping that when she moves that she can have her own dog, now I was thinking, I know her and wonder/think that a personal service dog may help her, I don't know what their proper name is, but the dogs that a few people take around with them, that they use to help their own confidence in situations. Does anyone have any info on these please, from what I know their not offical, but anything will help. Thanks in advance.

As far as I know only people with physical disabilities are able to apply for a support/disability dog.

See, I've heard of people who have them who have confidence problems too, but from what I know their not official, you have to do the training yourself, and some establishments wont accept them, I think the US have more of these dogs, but I don't know much about them, just that their was someone on another forum who had a Lab that she trained for this.

If its not classed as a service dog, then where can she look to obtain one,

Why not advise her to get a dog from rescue to help her overcome her problems, if you feel a dog would help.

Would just a pet dog not suffice for confidence issues? obviously the dog would get her out and about.

I think you are thinking of Pets as Therapy dogs. Try this website for information: http://www.petsastherapy.org/

Hi, perhaps I can help?

I would suggest she contacts SCAS for information regarding this type of work.

http://www.scas.org.uk/167/home.html

I have completed the Practical Training for Therapy Dogs Level 1 with one of my dogs and they specialise in Animal Assisted Interventions.

There are a number of local groups dotted about the country but they are yet to come under one umbrella, SCAS will be the best source of info.

HTH

Pets as Therapy do not provide the sort of service the OP is looking for.

No its not pets as therapy, the woman I remember had a leather harness made for hers, trained her dog herself, and was able to take her dog with her to certain areas, and shops etc, although I do remember reading that she once had a problem with other people saying it was cruel that her dog was so well behaved that she just laid under a table, this dog lived with her, and was able to go into some areas that a pet wouldn't, and that's why I'm looking into it, a rescue dog yeah, I'm assuming that's where she will look for her dog, but I want to know whether people know more about this, as I don't know anymore.

Ah, thanks Smokey, I'll just have a look, and pass on the info.