Emotional support dog.

[salbee55]

Hi i am in the uk . I suffer with agoraphobia and anxiety and i have a safe distance in my mind that i can walk to on my own, any further and i'm likely to panic/run home quick. I can walk anywhere if my dog is with me. I know in usa they have support dogs which uk at the moment does not. If i could take my dog in shops it would make my life so much easier. Currently to walk up to my local post office i have to take 10mg of valium. If my dog was with me i could do it without needing the valium. I thought about speaking to shop owners and the like, explaining my position and see if they would give me permission to bring my dog inside. Do any of you good people have any idea who in the mental health authority world i could contact about this to see if it would be okay?

[WF2k]

Hey, I googled "emotional support dog" after reading this. I don't know if this link is of any use, I've not properly looked at it (I've got poor concentration and bad attention span).

esaorguk.com/

Some other info came up on Google but you'd be better off to Google it and look through to see what is relevant to you.

It's a VERY good idea though! I hope you get somewhere with it. I have agoraphobia and my Son comes everywhere with me (or Mum if my Son can't come). If you do get anywhere with this can you update the thread, please? I'm really interested I have a dog myself although I wouldn't be able to use her as an emotional support dog just yet as she's pretty anxious herself because of her past, we've only had her since August, she's getting there slowly but surly.

[salbee55 in reply to WF2k]

That's a good link, thank you. In total we have 5 dogs. A nutty anxious cocker, 2 pug cross and 2 cavalier king charles spaniels. The boy pug cross is very laid back and i'm thinking he would be good as a support dog. He takes me to the post box which is just out of my comfort zone distance. I will definitely be bugging my doctor and anyone else i can about this after christmas. I'm a woman on a mission now will definitely keep you updated

[WF2k in reply to salbee55]

I love dogs.. well I love any animal, to be honest, at the moment we have Suzie who's an anxious lab, 4 guineas and 3 gerbils.

I really hope you get somewhere with this

[salbee55 in reply to WF2k]

Me too, i've had rabbits, guinea pigs, gerbils, hamsters, and cats when i was little. My Harry the anxious cocker has tried all sorts, thunder shirt, the herbal tablets and even human tablets as prescribed by the vet. Nothing works on him. I do a lot of ninja moves when i walk him. We sometimes stop behind parked cars until the other dog has gone to a good distance. Harry has an invisible safe distance similar to me, lol.

[WF2k in reply to salbee55]

lol bless, Suzie is scared of everything but other animals, she came from Romania, someone tried to rehabilitate her and although they did a lot of good work with her she is still scared of everything. She's bonded quite well with me but she's very wary of my Son still, I guess she must have been mistreated by men or something previous to her being fostered :/ Even though she has a yellow bandanna attached to her lead with a warning on it, people STILL try and stroke and scare the poop out of her, my Son get quite annoyed by it because when he says not to touch her they either question him or do it anyway...

[salbee55 in reply to WF2k]

We had a rescue dog that was very scared. She glued herself to me and was scared of people especially men. Took a long while for her to let my hubby stroke her. Harry the anxious cocker wears a yellow harness and lead with NERVOUS in black letters all over but like you say, not everyone takes it in. Some do cross the road with their dogs which i'm always grateful for. It's hard work with a nervous dog, let alone a nervous me, lol.

[WF2k in reply to salbee55]

Suzie is a lovely girl, makes me laugh on a daily basis

[Mumma_h]

Hey salbee, I would definitely give it a go , ask your shop keeper , and explain your circumstances , they may be really happy to a gorgeous doggy come in for a visit . No harm in trying ❤️

[salbee55 in reply to Mumma_h]

Thank you. Hubby is usually my "safe person" when i have to go to doctors appointments or in shops. Poor fella has to come with me. Would be great if i could trot out of the house and go anywhere with just Archie the dog

[Hidden]

I have agrophobia too. A support dog sounds a great idea

[salbee55 in reply to Hidden]

It so does. I'm quite looking forward to taking on the mission for it to be recognised by law. That'll keep me busy in the new year, lol.

[uniquediamond]

I have my therapeutic dog and she helps me on so many levels!! Dogs are definitely a blessing! ❤️ 🙏🏼

[salbee55 in reply to uniquediamond]

Dogs are weird and wonderful and wonky in their own ways I love them all. Are you in uk and can you take your dog inside shops etc?