A dog is considered to be one of the best companions. But the companionship and the support provided by the dogs to each and every person is different, i.e., some people need dogs for playing or going out for exercise while some need them for getting mental and physical assistance or support. People dealing with disorders like depression, anxiety, and many more can get great help from these emotional support animals. Emotional support dogs are simply those dogs that help people deal with their respective challenges and help them to lead ordinary lives.
However, all dogs provide an emotional connection to their owners. Still, for a dog to qualify as an emotional support animal (ESA), it must be given by a qualified mental health practitioner to a person with a severe mental illness. It must be determined by a therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist that the patient’s mental health requires the animal’s presence.
Who needs an emotional support dog?
Anyone with a mental health issue who has sought professional assistance and been diagnosed with several disorders will be a person who needs an emotional support dog. Many people’s desires for an ESA can be mainly attributed to their desire for emotional comfort. Animals that provide emotional support serve as home healthcare for people with mental illnesses. In addition to prescribing medications, doctors occasionally recommend an emotional support animal to help the patient feel more comfortable. Having an ESA helps people with mental illness combat their feelings of loneliness and reduces their anxiety. Meanwhile, before getting an emotional support animal, discussing your unique situation and needs with a health expert is advisable.
Types Of Emotional Support Dog
Labrador Retriever
When it comes to emotional support dogs, Labradors are considered among the gentlest, kindest and friendliest breeds. This well-liked dog breed also has the benefit of being easier to teach and train than other breeds due to their strong food motivation. However, they are also considered natural people pleasers. Labradors make excellent family pets since they get along well with children. These canines are the best all-around, making them an excellent option for ESA work. They are believed to be cautious and rarely have incidents where they hurt someone since they don’t recognize their strength. They have an amiable temperament and are often gentle. They always behave well around strangers and other animals.
Pug
Pugs are cute and lovable dogs that get along well with children and are believed to be excellent at reading their owners’ feelings. They are one of the best emotional support dogs, as they can easily detect your attitude and uplift it with their cheeky antics and adorable traits. However, one thing you need to keep in mind is that you will not be able to go everywhere with your pug. The reason why you can’t take it everywhere is that some airlines don’t let these dogs travel because they’re considered a short-nosed breed. It would probably be preferable to adopt a different breed if you anticipate doing a lot of traveling because this breed can have lung issues, but unless you are a non-traveler, you can get him as your ESA.
Beagle
An excellent choice for an ESA animal is a beagle, which is incredibly adaptable. Their small size makes it easier and more comfortable for their owners to travel with them. Their amiable nature makes them excellent therapy dogs. You may quickly register your beagle online to become a legally certified emotional support animal. They also make excellent ESAs because of how endearing they are. Beagles can be active and energetic or soft and calm, which gives them the best of both worlds in terms of personality.
Pomeranian
These fluffy little balls would make the ideal ESA because they are the epitome of lap dogs. They are among the most excellent breeds to train as emotional support dogs. They are believed to be the perfect dogs to serve as emotional support animals (ESAs) as they like nothing more than staying close to their owners. They can become the closest companion to their owners and will be present with them at every moment. They are the most excellent breeds to train as emotional support dogs. Their loyalty to their owners, intelligence, trainability, and cuddliness are some traits that make them an excellent choice for an ESA.
Golden Retriever
Golden Retriever has consistently ranked among the most popular dog breeds for many years. Golden retrievers, like Labradors, are devoted, energetic breeds that need moderate to high exercise, making them suitable as ESAs. Make sure you can provide them with the necessary level of excitement and activity. They are not only great at delivering furry cuddles, but they also make great assistance dogs, hunting partners, and agility training partners.
Previous records mention that after major disasters, golden retrievers have been used to aid people in healing from trauma, particularly youngsters. Golden retrievers were used to help provide comfort and protection following Hurricane Katrina and, more recently, school shooting incidents. Furthermore, they are frequently utilized in court settings to calm victims of violence when they testify in front of their abusers. This type of consolation is what distinguishes Goldens as a great emotional support animal.
Benefits of having an emotional support animal
- Mental and Emotional encouragements: Emotional support animals provide comfort, calmness, and strength to people who are dealing with mental disorders. They took away the loneliness and the feeling of distress from their respective owners. Many of the animals become the closest partners of their owners they can ever have. They also help people to get over post-trauma-related stress disorder, anxiety conditions, specific phobias, such as aversion to heights and flying, depression, and many more.
- Neurotransmitters: According to studies, dogs, in particular, can assist in producing joyful neurotransmitters in humans. Dopamine-producing neurochemicals in the brain are increased in dogs. This neurochemical is linked to feelings of affection, kinship, and pleasure. Pet owners experience feelings of love and joy when they gaze into their dogs’ eyes.
- Provide unconditional love: Even animals have the ability to love and be loved. Animals truly do love us without conditions. People experiencing mental health deterioration or a disease like sadness or grief receive their unconditional affection. A person will feel cherished and be able to recover from a trying emotional event because of the unconditional love these animals offer.
Conclusion
As mentioned above, dogs are the most faithful and best companions. Within the span of time, dogs are not restricted to being the only companions during joy but are very helpful during hard times. Emotional support dogs can be helpful to people who are fighting hard to meet daily challenges. Furthermore, it is observed from history that they provide the best assistance and, at times, work better than medications.