How to Get a Service Dog for PTSD and Anxiety: Veteran Resources

When you’re battling PTSD and anxiety, a service dog can help you lead a more independent life. You can get a service dog: 

• Through private, for-profit trainers.
• With a non-profit organization like Northwest Battle Buddies (for Veterans who qualify).
• By owner-training your own service dog. 

Before you start looking for a service dog, it’s important to know the differences between emotional support animals and service animals. Emotional support animals provide support with their presence, while service dogs are specifically trained to perform tasks directly related to a person’s disability, according to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Knowing the difference can help you find the right service animal for you.

Northwest Battle Buddies (NWBB) offers professionally trained PTSD service dogs for free for selected Veterans. 

Through NWBB, you can be considered for a service dog if you: 

1. Are a Veteran who has deployed and is honorably discharged from the U.S. armed forces;
2. Have been diagnosed with PTSD; and
3. Can present your current DD214

If you’re a Veteran looking for a PTSD service dog placement, submit your application online and upload a copy of your DD214 to get started. 

Purchase a Service Dog from a For-Profit Business 

Some companies sell psychiatric service dogs for PTSD and anxiety. Usually, these are breeders or private trainers. But you should evaluate these companies thoroughly.

There isn’t a nationwide standard for service dog training, beyond that they must behave well in public and assist their handler with tasks relating to a disability. And because service dogs come with such a high price tag (sometimes $25,000 or more), it’s important to get your money’s worth.

Here are a few things to consider when evaluating private companies who provide service dogs: 

• Do others (friends, trainers, veterinarians) recommend the company? Never do business with a company that can’t provide multiple references from previous clients. 
• Is the company open and transparent about its training program and methods? 
• Does it advertise service animal registration? If so, consider this a big red flag. Registration is NOT required for service animals under the ADA, so if a company is charging for registration of any kind, it’s likely a scam. 
• Does the company offer training for you, the handler? Reputable companies should provide more than 100 hours of training for you in addition to the service dog’s training

Look for an Experienced Trainer When You Buy a Service Dog

There isn’t a government-sanctioned training program for service dogs in the United States. So the most important things to look for are experience and satisfied clients. 

Look for records of many years of experience. Ask to get in touch with their previous clients who can speak to that long and successful experience. If the company can’t provide proof in this way, don’t risk wasting your money.

Find a Non-Profit Provider that Trains Service Dogs 

There are many non-profit organizations out there that train service dogs for PTSD and anxiety. The most reputable that serve Veterans specifically are: 

• Northwest Battle Buddies  
• Semper K9
• Patriotic Service Dog Foundation

Owner Training is an Option for Getting a PTSD Service Dog 

Under the ADA, service animals are required to be dogs that are trained to perform a task directly related to a person’s disability. But they don’t have to be certified or go through a professional training program, or even wear a vest or other ID that indicates they’re a service dog. That means that you are free to find and train your service dog on your own or with the support of a private trainer. 

Service Dog Training School is an online training platform that allows owners to work with their own dogs to receive the training they need to become working service dogs. 

Although it can be less expensive than purchasing a service dog from a professional organization, owner training comes with its own costs and challenges. 

• Owner training can still cost around $5,000 to $7,000 or more, including the cost of the puppy, food, vet fees, and two years of training. 
• There’s always a risk that your dog won’t turn out to be a good candidate as a service dog, putting you back where you started before beginning training. 
• Training still takes several years, leaving you without a trained service dog during that time. 
• Dog training can be challenging, and there’s a benefit to working with a professional who has years of experience. 

Cost is a major barrier that keeps people from being paired with a professionally trained PTSD service dog. That’s why Northwest Battle Buddies offers PTSD service dogs to Veterans for free. But this is only possible through generous donations.