Although emotional support animals require much less training than service animals, there are still a few basic things that are important to teach your ESS. A well-behaved, trained emotional support dog can bring calm, predictability and enjoyment to your life. However, a dog that barks until late at night or destroys your furniture will not help relieve stress and anxiety. Here are some practical tips for training an emotional support dog.
Basic training
Simple things like “sit,” “stand” and “wait” are useful in many situations. If you plan to travel with your ESA or take him with you to public places, these basic commands are essential for your dog to know.
It’s also important that your dog still obeys your commands in a variety of circumstances. For example, when she is surrounded by distractions or is at a distance. If you are in a busy airport or if your ESA happens to get behind you in a public place, it is important that he still obeys you.
Training a dog takes time and patience and will not lead to success overnight. Choose a training method and stick to it, as this will provide you and your dog with a routine that will make training easier for both of you.
Specialized Techniques
There are many different techniques you can teach your ESA to calm his anxiety or panic attacks. One of the most common is called deep pressure therapy. This means applying pressure to certain points on the body, such as the chest, to relieve tension. The ESA must also be trained to stay calm and collected, even when you are agitated and anxious.
Emotional support dog training is critical to helping you both succeed and thrive. Teaching your emotional support dog how to support you when you are experiencing emotional distress will benefit both of you and give you the best results.
When you travel or are in public places with your ESA, it is important to make sure that he stays calm, collected, and attentive to you so that he does not cause you even more distress.