I served almost 5 years in combat and have PTSD. I just met my service dog the other day and it is amazing what these dogs can do. Thank you for this wonderful video and blessings.
Thank you for your service!!! I really appreciate that there are people out there who devote their lives to helping to keep others safe. Congratulations on your new dog, that is so exciting! & thanks for watching ❣️
@@JenFarrer my dog teddy bear is supposed to help me like with mental breakdowns like not mental breakdowns he is supposed to help me like when I go shopping a lot of people look at me weird and they are disgusted and they say why do you have a service dog but I think he loves people and you're the best thank you so much I feel so much better
I’ve been home for almost a year and have been reading into getting myself a dog. I’m not sure where to start ..any tips? And is your dog helping? It’s definitely been a struggle . I know you understand. Thanks for your help
Thank you so much for your video. I also have a PTSD service that I train myself, and watching your video helped show me how I can expand her training. We have public access down and she helps me ground, but I really want the crowd control and behavior interruption, and now I have ideas on how to get started.
Thank you for posting this. I just started my process to get into disability and I am looking into getting a service dog for my PTSD. I will be looking at more of your videos in case I can learn something new.
There are organizations that will also help you finding a Service dog that will fit your needs. It may take awhile as in I waited two and a half years but it is worth it. Also look into emotional support dogs too. Good luck on your journey
I appreciate this video. I have sever PTSD and got my dog for that "alert" behavior. He helps bring me to reality when I panic. I have him dual purpose but didn't realize the items I was training him for naturally qualified as PDST service trained.
this made me upset- but not in a bad way!! when you were talking about how you would struggle to do just simple things because of your disability and even when you demonstrated a panic attack it made me realize that I need to ask for help. I don't want to live in fear and I certainly don't want to be alone when I do panic. it's a very scary feeling..the thought of someone finding me again and hurting me is always in the back of my mind. I've tried to talk to my grandmother about talking to someone who knows more about the mind but she won't listen. she thinks I am fine because she can't physically see anything wrong with me and it's so frustrating when the only response I ever get is," we will talk to the pastor" or, " pray about it". I've prayed and I have talked to him time and time again but nothing ever happens. I can't get help and it's keeping me from being the best person that I can be. just because am laughing doesn't mean that I am not hurting. I laugh because I'm trying to make myself feel better and I try to seem normal so I am not judged. I'm quite good at it so no one really asks questions anymore which in my eyes is a double-edged sword. I am used to people asking if I'm ok and I'm afraid to tell them how I actually am so I always say I'm ok. the other problem is now I think that their silence is hatred. it feels as if I have done something wrong or maybe pushed someone away... but anyways this isn't what I really wanted to say. I want to thank you for opening my eyes and showing me that I need help. maybe it wasn't just you but the straw on the camel's back.
I’m sorry to hear people are not understanding what is happening to you. A lot of people don’t understand because they can’t see something physically change 😞 I’m all for praying & having the church pray, building up a great relationship with God BUT sometimes we need some help in other ways & there is nothing wrong with that. I hope you find the help you need & if that is with a service dog, I hope you are able to find a match soon ❣️I’m glad this video was helpful.
Get ready for a lifetime of being misunderstood. My advice, be yourself always. Don’t pretend to laugh, laugh when you’re comfortable laughing. The people who truly value you will value you even with your ptsd. No one is ever going to understand how you feel.
Thank you so much for posting this. It was just like replay of the conversation I had with my psychiatrist last week. She ecplained all of what you and your pawtner help each other do is exactly what I need. My own journey will begin soon.
Thanks so much for posting this. I've been considering training my future dog for a lot of these same tasks, and you and I have a lot of similar symptoms so this was super helpful.
I’m working towards getting a ptsd service dog and am currently trying to figure out exactly what I want the dog to do. Thank you for talking about this so I have a list for when I begin training with her.
Also you are completely right. No one should be asking for your address in a target unless you’re like signing up for a target card or whatever. What the hell? I hope no one said you were overreacting because that is such a weird request. I’m so sorry.
I’m in the process of getting a PTSD service dog. I decided to owner training with a professional trainer who has experience with service dogs because that’s the best choice for me. I decided on a small breed this time because of the tasks I need. I don’t dislike big dogs at all, I just prefer small dogs and the tasks I need can all be done by a small dog. My disability are more than just my PTSD but my PTSD is the main thing that’s taking my independence away from me.
Thanks for watching! I wanted to show Pharabys current tasks. We are still working on some of them and I plan to teach her more helpful things in the future, we love to learn together! Pharaby is 16 months old so I am very happy with our progress so far. You can check out our service dog gear & handler tees here: teespring.com/stores/fable-inc-by-jen-pharaby Please show your support by liking this video & subscribe to my channel. Leave me a comment too! These things help others find my videos easier & so it helps me grow my channel & spread some positivity in the mental health & SD community :) A small gesture from you goes a long way for me. Thank you so much for your support! I appreciate each & every one of you!
I just found your video/channel tonight and will be binge watching your channel. I'm a medically retired United States Marine. I was medically retired in '07 after returning from Iraq in '05. Chronic/severe PTSD is my official diagnosis and the symptoms made it oh so obvious to everyone except me. I share this only to establish background, not looking for kudos. I can't imagine what trauma triggered your PTSD, I can only sincerely say that I'm sorry that anyone experiences any trauma, much less trauma that changes out (disabled community) lives to the point where we require anything for assistance just to try to attain a quality of life standard and then maintain it from there. I'm about to get my first SDiT and found this. Thank you for making and posting your videos. Pretty awesome thing you've got going on with Pharaby.
Hi 😊 I’m glad you were able to find out that you have PTSD (not glad you have it). I know when I was diagnosed it was a little upsetting & shocking but great to know what I was up against so I could actually get help & help myself when possible. It also made the things I had been experiencing make sense. Congratulations on your new service dog! That is very exciting! You might also like my friend the fluffy poodle. He is retired military & training his service dog as well. && Thank you for your service 🇺🇸❣️
thank you so much for your videos, i am in about to start with an assistance animal that i will be training, and watching some of your videos have eased my anxiety about it . So thank you again
I've been recently diagnosed with PTSD and I just seem to be getting worse despite my best efforts and I feel like I've done everything I can do but just not getting anywhere. I've been considering getting a service dog but I still want to get back on that ambulance and continue to serve my community. The PTSD has been effecting my everyday life I can't go into a store w/o getting amped up and I just can't stay in the building. My problem is, I really still want to get back on that ambulance but if I get a service dog that means I can't go back to serving and that's a hard thing for me to think about because I still have a deep love for what I did and not being able to do it anymore is a hard pill to swallow also. Great video ma'am.
Hey! Thanks for watching. Some people don’t use their service dog every time they leave the house. A lot of people have good days & bad days. Just like wheelchair users don’t always use their wheelchair, it’s perfectly normal to not feel like you need your service dog all the time. The goal of any medical treatment plan is for the Patient to recover, service dog handlers are no different. My only advice is if you plan to get a service dog keep in mind that you will need to work on separation anxiety exercises and not take them with you all the time so they will be comfortable being home alone while you work in the future.
Thank you for uploading this! It’s nice to see and get ideas for my dog! I have a red poodle I got to try to train as my psychiatric service dog. After years of meds and therapy and in and out patient my doctor suggested a service dog. She’s naturally attuned to me panicking and having an anxiety attack. She also wakes me up from nightmares. She also helps with grounding. But I’m currently trying to train her more. Because of quarantine I haven’t been able to go out and train with distractions. I also want to train her to whine as an excuse to walk off in situations like that. It would be amazing!
Luckily I don't have to live in that mess anymore. I am so happy to have my sweet Pharaby to help me through when my past trauma gets the best of me. Thanks for watching 😁
Amazing video, just subscribed 💜 I'm 15 and I have PTSD, I've dealt with it from a young age due to things in my childhood. Recently my parents have been discussing the possibility of a service dog, I've been struggling to leave the house and don't think I'll be able to go back to any of my classes or social events with the way things are going, I'm already homeschooled because I'm too scared to go to school, I have panic attacks more than once a day and I rarely ever feel safe, even at home, it's caused a lot of other things but I'm struggling knowing if it's time for me to take more steps like a service dog, or maybe I'm just overreacting with my situation, I don't know, I just want to live again and be able to be in society
Not over reacting at all! I hope your parents get onboard with your getting a service dog if you feel you could benefit from one. I will tell you that if you have a dog with you it will draw attention & you will be interacting with people more even if you don’t want to 🙈 people feel the need to comment & ask questions about dogs so it kind of forces those of us with service dogs to talk to people more.
@@JenFarrer My dad hasn't said much but my mom wants me to talk to my therapist about it! ^^ I've thought about that, people approach me sometimes (usually asking about my weird clothing style lol) it can make me a tad nervous but as long as they don't touch me it's never caused me to panic before. And as annoying as it can be, I'm hoping kids would be my biggest problem and not the adults >as< much? My mind has just never seen kids as a threat
That is great! Definitely talk to your doctor. You might want to have a list of ways you think a dog could help you so you can discuss that with them. Sometimes doctors don’t know a lot about how service dogs work so it can be frustrating. & in my experience, my doctor likes to ask open ended questions & make me come up with my own conclusions 🙃 I know that is what they do but i have been caught off guard a few time without answers & then for some reason after I leave I suddenly have 1000 answers for them & have to wait a week to tell them what I came up with 🙈
@@JenFarrer Thank you so much for helping me out, I really appreciate it, I'll definitely talk to my doctor, the list is a really good idea and thinking about it, that's probably gonna save me a lot haha. And my therapist can be the same way so I totally get that! 😩 And having to wait that week to tell them can be sooo rough😂🙃
I have Cerebal palsy,Autism,asthma and a lung disease than the mental is PTSD,Social anxiety, Bipolar 1 and depression but severe and im wanting to get a service dog to help with the social anxiety, PTSD & Autism
I'm actually in the process of training my chihuahua how to be a service animal. He already just wants to be around me 24/7 so why not train him with tasks? Even though he's only going to be around 4-6 lbs, he can still help me with so many ways with my PTSD. He doesn't bark at people. I love your dog's glasses. Awesome video. Thank you!
That is wonderful! Little service dogs are great. The dog I had before Pharaby was 10 pounds, she naturally picked up on what was happening with me & would do everything she could to make me sit down so she could check on me. She was amazing! Good luck with your training & thank you for watching 😁
My dog is a 57 pound Australian Cattle dog mix her PTSD tasks are block (stand in front of me) cover (stand behind me) circle, behavior interruptions, and DPT. She is also a medical alert and fainting response as well.
This was really informative. I have PTSD and thought it might be helpful to have a dog who can help me relax and focus at work. I think I'd just end up needing cuddles (pressure therapy?) from the dog all day though ☺️ Pharaby's hair looks so soft and fluffy. I think if I had a similar breed I would use the fluffy fur as a means of stim distraction by petting them.
I’m glad it was helpful! I love to use her fluff as a distraction. Deep pressure therapy is a huge help for me & many other people with PTSD. I made a video about the science behind it. If you are interested , you can watch it here: ua-cam.com/video/7Fj6NH1pwZ0/v-deo.html
I have some troubble and I use my pet cat for preassure therapy~ He is obviously not trained so it's not the best option but still helpfull and I have to get up and out regularly so he has it clean and has food.
I have FND (Functional Neurologic Disorder), PTSD, CPTSD, Depression, and Anxiety. I have a 6 month old puppy that will be starting her official training soon. I can't wait to find out what to do, but I would love some advise on what to start doing with the process.
She helps me with FND as well!! I have a ton of resources on my website JenFarrer.com including books I’ve written about training Service dogs for PTSD and psychiatric tasks 🤗 Books are also on my Etsy shop: fableinc.etsy.com
I have CPTSD and while my pup won’t do PA, I’m wanting to train him to do a few things around the house. Namely searching the house for people and nightmare stuff, and anxiety LPT/ grounding (he’s too small for DPT, he’s only 13 pounds lol)
I’m new to ur channel. My pup gets temperment tested on Thursday and hopefully she is a good candidate. If not guess I will try again in the future 😂😂 and at some point I hope she will sense my seizures as well.
Hi, thank you for this video and for sharing your story. I completely understand not wanting to give out your address and getting triggered into freeze response. That happens to me when people try to cross my boundaries some times. I am getting an F1B service dog in October (when she is 10 months! 😃✨) who will be trained at level 10 for my pTSD and anxiety and depression. I have read that they aren’t considered ‘pets’ but I was under the impression that my dog would be my best friend, she would always be there for me and she would be trained in accupressure and weighted blanket (I searched videos and yours is the first I’ve seen of a dog doing this, really well done!) and I wanted to get your thoughts on whether you feel a special bond with your dog. I’m expecting to have that because I struggle with relationships after going through abuse. I’m hoping my dog can be my best friend and also help me to manage my life post-ex partner, and help me meet good new people (and keep the pesky ATNT sales ladies at bay) 🤓😄
Absolutely! First of all, thank you so much for watching 😁 I’m glad you found this & I’m glad it was helpful. Congratulations on your upcoming pup! My dog is my very best friend & I’m sure your pup will be your best friend too! I do my very best to treat her as a little being who has feelings, emotions, opinions & I try to respect her just like I would a person in my life... honestly probably more that a person since I’ve had a lot of bad experiences with people 🤣 She & I have a crazy close bond. She knows what I need before I know & I try to do the same for her. Service dogs are not considered pets like on a lease for a apartment, at a hotels, store, things like that because they are medically necessary for those of us who have them to live a somewhat normal life. Many service dog owners , like myself, considered ourselves “dog moms” or “dog dads” & it jus happens that the dog helps us live so I feel like that just makes the bond even stronger. I recently shared her birthday video where she was getting to just be a regular dog 🥳 Many service dog owners also do dog sports with their dogs, like Agility, rally, barn hunt, dock dive & trick training. Personally, I love trick training with my pup. She has her expert trick dog title & we love to learn new things together. All that to say, you can absolutely have a wonderful bond & relationship with your pup, I think you should & it will probably be a even stronger bond than what you imaging it could be ❣️ Sadly I have seen some handlers take that to the extreme & it seems they almost put them on a shelf (in a crate) when they don’t needs them & it’s like the dog doesn’t matter unless they are working. & I’m so sorry to hear about the abuse you went through, I am a DV survivor too 😥
@@JenFarrer thank you for your lovely reply. It reinforced exactly what I was hoping. I love your friendly attitude and think you’re amazing. Keep smiling, Jen 😍😊🙏🏻
I have ptsd, severe depression, severe anxiety, insomnia, paranoia, there may be more honestly I had to quit going because of these issues. I have a little dog I take everywhere with me, groups literally make me feel like I'm going to tip over backwards I don't even know what it is, just the stress I guess but it's overwhelming and awful. I want to make my dog a service dog and I appreciate you posting this video. Do you think I will be able to, I will have to train him myself, any tips on what I need to get or do? Thank u so much again, your little dog is so adorable and amazing
I’m not a doctor so I can’t tell you for sure. I will give you my opinion though. If your health problems are disabling for you then you should be able to have a service dog. Doctors usually want people to try other options first though so of course if you haven’t tried other medications they might want you to do that first. Before you talk to your dr you should research things a dog can help you with (tasks). also consider that a dog will draw a ton of attention to you in public so make sure you would be comfortable with that. make sure you are familiar with your local laws as far as a service dogs public access is concerned. Only service dogs are allowed in non pet friendly places. Some states only let fully trained service dogs in public, so training has to take place in pet friendly stores. I made a video about getting a service dog so I will link it for you too. It has a lot of info to consider. As far as training goes, it depends on the dog, so even if you plan to train on your own, you might need to hire a trainer from time to time to help you get over hurdles. A CGC test isn’t required but it is a good foundation to start with. It’s less than $100 in most places to have that test over seen, I’ve seen it as low as $25.
I didn’t train her for it. She just wakes me up if I’m screaming or thrashing. I actually had a bad bad nightmare last night & it was one of the ones where you feel like you can’t move, she didn’t catch that one. When I woke up I was like 🧐 & realized I must have been being still like I was in my dream 😩 she was asleep too so I’m sure she wasn’t paying attention to see if I was breathing hard . I wish I had a better answer for you 🙃
Haha my girl has her dead stare down when she does her 6 task, she will hyper focuse on anyone thats behind me and honestly it looks like she will attack at any hint of danger, of course thats not the case but no one knows that 😉.
@@JenFarrer Oh! I thought they were bigger than that! She looks like a great size!! I'm glad you have her! Can I ask if you got her from a breeder?? I've been looking for a reputable one.
That makes sense. I recently got my first service dog from a program and we were stressed the importance that even though they were fully trained we needed to make sure to keep practicing their tasks and proper public access work so that they keep their skills and appropriate behavior Sharp.
Would it be okay if my service dog what's between my legs watching my back and He barked if someone was approaching me from behind when is that against policy
Did you train her? If so how did you do it? New to this. I have C-PTSD and I am wondering if its possible to train yourself because I cannot afford a PTSD dog.
Yes, I trained her myself, I have a ton of info on my website JenFarrer.com & these are the books I wrote to help people train their service dogs too! : fableinc.etsy.com
i have been diagnosed wih disociation disorder as well as depression and anxiety, my doctor belives these could be symptoms of ptsd from trauma as a child. im seeing a therapist soon and was wondering if a service dog could help me, especially since my dignosis' really dont let me leave the house or travel. could i have your opiion on this? i understand if your busy
I’m not a doctor so I can’t tell you for sure. I will give you my opinion though 😁 I absolutely think a service dog could benefit you. Before you talk to your dr you should research things a dog can help you with (tasks), also consider that a dog will draw a ton of attention to you in public so make sure you would be comfortable with that. I made a video about getting a service dog so I will link it for you too. It has a lot of info to consider.
Hey I was wondering cause I’m 16 and I have c-ptsd and I recently had a really bad episode because I saw my Super Abusive ex and I saw his face which caused a really bad episode and I was in the auditorium I had completely shut down and I couldn't breathe and I felt his hands on my through so I couldn't breathe and I can only say a couple of words is it possible for a service dog two get me out of my episode and get help when I can't talk because I'm in a deep episode or can it's sense that I am in episode because I know PTSD from wars/combat PTSD is different then C-PTSD?
PTSD is from one single event & C-PTSD is from multiple events. Abuse is usually more than one single event so it would fall under CPTSD (complex post traumatic stress syndrome). I believe both are diagnosed under the umbrella term PTSD in the DSM5.
so what did you train her to do to show you that something/someone is coming up to you? because usually service dogs are taught to NOT react to people/other dogs passing. So if you teach her like this with the sit she will probably just sit there and let people/dogs come up to you
She’s been doing her job for almost 5 years & we haven’t experienced any problems like you’re talking about. If you’re trying to train your own service dog check out the book I wrote & all of my other resources: jenfarrer.com/2023/08/06/service-dog-resources/
I have cptsd I’m a human trafficking victim…after I had an episode tonight I think I should try to get ones people are tired around me I’m work…I have agoraphobia and panic disorder all diagnosed. I have to call my bf all the time bc I think I’m having a heart attack. I’m in the middle of disability paperwork
I want my dog to do this... Can a Beagle do all of this? Or is preferible to be another breed? Edit: woops I hope this doesnt sound harsh :'(... I Just really want to be able to live life to its fullest with some help...
Hi, Any breed can be a service dog but not every dog is a good fit for service work. This article might be helpful for you: www.psychdogpartners.org/resources/getting-a-dog/choosing-the-right-dog
I can’t wait for the day I have enough money for a service dog 🥲 I don’t know very many programs that give PTSD service dogs for non-veterans, but having one is going to change my world.
@@JenFarrer thank you!! And yeah it sucks :( I’ve been researching since 2018, and yesterday I applied to a program that looks really promising! It’s called paws4people! I’ll hear back from them in 6-8 weeks so fingers crossed 🤞🏻 I can start working with them to get one !
That is awesome! Good luck! If for some reason that doesn’t work out I know several people (myself included) Who have successfully owner trained their psychiatric service dog. That would definitely be a less expensive option but of course you would have to do the training & that can be stressful. Even though the training process can be stressful just because you don’t know if it’s going to work out the way you expect, I feel like that really helped me through some dark times because I had something to focus my energy on.
I served almost 5 years in combat and have PTSD. I just met my service dog the other day and it is amazing what these dogs can do. Thank you for this wonderful video and blessings.
Thank you for your service!!! I really appreciate that there are people out there who devote their lives to helping to keep others safe.
Congratulations on your new dog, that is so exciting!
& thanks for watching ❣️
@@JenFarrer Thank you very much and thank you for this incredible channel!
Thank you 😊
@@JenFarrer my dog teddy bear is supposed to help me like with mental breakdowns like not mental breakdowns he is supposed to help me like when I go shopping a lot of people look at me weird and they are disgusted and they say why do you have a service dog but I think he loves people and you're the best thank you so much I feel so much better
I’ve been home for almost a year and have been reading into getting myself a dog. I’m not sure where to start ..any tips? And is your dog helping? It’s definitely been a struggle . I know you understand. Thanks for your help
Oh my gosh I have never found anyone else who disassociates for similar reason as me. I’m not alone! 😢
You’re not alone 💜
You're not alone.
Thank you so much for your video. I also have a PTSD service that I train myself, and watching your video helped show me how I can expand her training. We have public access down and she helps me ground, but I really want the crowd control and behavior interruption, and now I have ideas on how to get started.
I’m glad I could be helpful 😊 have an awesome day!
Thank you for posting this. I just started my process to get into disability and I am looking into getting a service dog for my PTSD. I will be looking at more of your videos in case I can learn something new.
Thanks for watching!
There are organizations that will also help you finding a Service dog that will fit your needs. It may take awhile as in I waited two and a half years but it is worth it. Also look into emotional support dogs too. Good luck on your journey
I appreciate this video. I have sever PTSD and got my dog for that "alert" behavior. He helps bring me to reality when I panic. I have him dual purpose but didn't realize the items I was training him for naturally qualified as PDST service trained.
this made me upset- but not in a bad way!! when you were talking about how you would struggle to do just simple things because of your disability and even when you demonstrated a panic attack it made me realize that I need to ask for help.
I don't want to live in fear and I certainly don't want to be alone when I do panic. it's a very scary feeling..the thought of someone finding me again and hurting me is always in the back of my mind. I've tried to talk to my grandmother about talking to someone who knows more about the mind but she won't listen. she thinks I am fine because she can't physically see anything wrong with me and it's so frustrating when the only response I ever get is," we will talk to the pastor" or, " pray about it".
I've prayed and I have talked to him time and time again but nothing ever happens. I can't get help and it's keeping me from being the best person that I can be.
just because am laughing doesn't mean that I am not hurting. I laugh because I'm trying to make myself feel better and I try to seem normal so I am not judged. I'm quite good at it so no one really asks questions anymore which in my eyes is a double-edged sword. I am used to people asking if I'm ok and I'm afraid to tell them how I actually am so I always say I'm ok. the other problem is now I think that their silence is hatred. it feels as if I have done something wrong or maybe pushed someone away...
but anyways this isn't what I really wanted to say. I want to thank you for opening my eyes and showing me that I need help. maybe it wasn't just you but the straw on the camel's back.
I’m sorry to hear people are not understanding what is happening to you. A lot of people don’t understand because they can’t see something physically change 😞 I’m all for praying & having the church pray, building up a great relationship with God BUT sometimes we need some help in other ways & there is nothing wrong with that. I hope you find the help you need & if that is with a service dog, I hope you are able to find a match soon ❣️I’m glad this video was helpful.
Get ready for a lifetime of being misunderstood. My advice, be yourself always. Don’t pretend to laugh, laugh when you’re comfortable laughing. The people who truly value you will value you even with your ptsd. No one is ever going to understand how you feel.
I was just gifted a puppy to be trained as my PTSD service dog and your video was great information. Thanks
I almost cried watching this. So beautiful 🥺
Thanks for watching ❣️ she really is a life saver, I don’t know what I would do without her.
Thank you so much for posting this. It was just like replay of the conversation I had with my psychiatrist last week. She ecplained all of what you and your pawtner help each other do is exactly what I need. My own journey will begin soon.
I’m so glad this was helpful for you. I’m excited for you to start your journey 😊
Thanks so much for posting this. I've been considering training my future dog for a lot of these same tasks, and you and I have a lot of similar symptoms so this was super helpful.
I’m so glad it was helpful. Thanks for watching 😊
You’re video and information was so helpful. I want to train my dog for some PTSD I have. She’s an ESA registered pet now.
Beautiful.
Thank you for being transparent.
It’s so helpful as a trainer and handler to hear this.
🖤
Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks for watching ❣️
I’m working towards getting a ptsd service dog and am currently trying to figure out exactly what I want the dog to do. Thank you for talking about this so I have a list for when I begin training with her.
Also you are completely right. No one should be asking for your address in a target unless you’re like signing up for a target card or whatever. What the hell? I hope no one said you were overreacting because that is such a weird request. I’m so sorry.
i'm glad it was helpful! I have a several other videos about this topic & PTSD that also might be helpful.
@@JenFarrer I’ll check them out!!! Thank you!
I’m in the process of getting a PTSD service dog. I decided to owner training with a professional trainer who has experience with service dogs because that’s the best choice for me. I decided on a small breed this time because of the tasks I need. I don’t dislike big dogs at all, I just prefer small dogs and the tasks I need can all be done by a small dog. My disability are more than just my PTSD but my PTSD is the main thing that’s taking my independence away from me.
That is great. Small dogs are awesome!
Thanks for watching!
I wanted to show Pharabys current tasks. We are still working on some of them and I plan to teach her more helpful things in the future, we love to learn together! Pharaby is 16 months old so I am very happy with our progress so far.
You can check out our service dog gear & handler tees here: teespring.com/stores/fable-inc-by-jen-pharaby
Please show your support by liking this video & subscribe to my channel. Leave me a comment too! These things help others find my videos easier & so it helps me grow my channel & spread some positivity in the mental health & SD community :) A small gesture from you goes a long way for me. Thank you so much for your support! I appreciate each & every one of you!
I just found your video/channel tonight and will be binge watching your channel. I'm a medically retired United States Marine. I was medically retired in '07 after returning from Iraq in '05. Chronic/severe PTSD is my official diagnosis and the symptoms made it oh so obvious to everyone except me. I share this only to establish background, not looking for kudos. I can't imagine what trauma triggered your PTSD, I can only sincerely say that I'm sorry that anyone experiences any trauma, much less trauma that changes out (disabled community) lives to the point where we require anything for assistance just to try to attain a quality of life standard and then maintain it from there. I'm about to get my first SDiT and found this. Thank you for making and posting your videos. Pretty awesome thing you've got going on with Pharaby.
Hi 😊
I’m glad you were able to find out that you have PTSD (not glad you have it). I know when I was diagnosed it was a little upsetting & shocking but great to know what I was up against so I could actually get help & help myself when possible. It also made the things I had been experiencing make sense.
Congratulations on your new service dog! That is very exciting!
You might also like my friend the fluffy poodle. He is retired military & training his service dog as well.
&& Thank you for your service 🇺🇸❣️
thank you so much for your videos, i am in about to start with an assistance animal that i will be training, and watching some of your videos have eased my anxiety about it . So thank you again
Congratulations on your upcoming training 😁 I'm so glad I have been helpful for you. Thanks for being here.
I've been recently diagnosed with PTSD and I just seem to be getting worse despite my best efforts and I feel like I've done everything I can do but just not getting anywhere. I've been considering getting a service dog but I still want to get back on that ambulance and continue to serve my community. The PTSD has been effecting my everyday life I can't go into a store w/o getting amped up and I just can't stay in the building. My problem is, I really still want to get back on that ambulance but if I get a service dog that means I can't go back to serving and that's a hard thing for me to think about because I still have a deep love for what I did and not being able to do it anymore is a hard pill to swallow also. Great video ma'am.
Hey! Thanks for watching.
Some people don’t use their service dog every time they leave the house. A lot of people have good days & bad days. Just like wheelchair users don’t always use their wheelchair, it’s perfectly normal to not feel like you need your service dog all the time.
The goal of any medical treatment plan is for the Patient to recover, service dog handlers are no different.
My only advice is if you plan to get a service dog keep in mind that you will need to work on separation anxiety exercises and not take them with you all the time so they will be comfortable being home alone while you work in the future.
@@JenFarrer Thanks for the advice ma'am.
Thank you for uploading this! It’s nice to see and get ideas for my dog!
I have a red poodle I got to try to train as my psychiatric service dog. After years of meds and therapy and in and out patient my doctor suggested a service dog.
She’s naturally attuned to me panicking and having an anxiety attack. She also wakes me up from nightmares. She also helps with grounding. But I’m currently trying to train her more. Because of quarantine I haven’t been able to go out and train with distractions.
I also want to train her to whine as an excuse to walk off in situations like that. It would be amazing!
I’m glad it was helpful for you 😊
Good luck with your training!
Pharaby is adorable!!!
Thank you!
The Fluffy Poodle and I are sorry that had to happen to you. On a good note.... you two are doing amazing! Keep up the good work.
Luckily I don't have to live in that mess anymore. I am so happy to have my sweet Pharaby to help me through when my past trauma gets the best of me.
Thanks for watching 😁
Amazing video, just subscribed 💜 I'm 15 and I have PTSD, I've dealt with it from a young age due to things in my childhood. Recently my parents have been discussing the possibility of a service dog, I've been struggling to leave the house and don't think I'll be able to go back to any of my classes or social events with the way things are going, I'm already homeschooled because I'm too scared to go to school, I have panic attacks more than once a day and I rarely ever feel safe, even at home, it's caused a lot of other things but I'm struggling knowing if it's time for me to take more steps like a service dog, or maybe I'm just overreacting with my situation, I don't know, I just want to live again and be able to be in society
Not over reacting at all!
I hope your parents get onboard with your getting a service dog if you feel you could benefit from one.
I will tell you that if you have a dog with you it will draw attention & you will be interacting with people more even if you don’t want to 🙈 people feel the need to comment & ask questions about dogs so it kind of forces those of us with service dogs to talk to people more.
@@JenFarrer My dad hasn't said much but my mom wants me to talk to my therapist about it! ^^
I've thought about that, people approach me sometimes (usually asking about my weird clothing style lol) it can make me a tad nervous but as long as they don't touch me it's never caused me to panic before.
And as annoying as it can be, I'm hoping kids would be my biggest problem and not the adults >as< much? My mind has just never seen kids as a threat
That is great! Definitely talk to your doctor. You might want to have a list of ways you think a dog could help you so you can discuss that with them. Sometimes doctors don’t know a lot about how service dogs work so it can be frustrating. & in my experience, my doctor likes to ask open ended questions & make me come up with my own conclusions 🙃 I know that is what they do but i have been caught off guard a few time without answers & then for some reason after I leave I suddenly have 1000 answers for them & have to wait a week to tell them what I came up with 🙈
@@JenFarrer Thank you so much for helping me out, I really appreciate it, I'll definitely talk to my doctor, the list is a really good idea and thinking about it, that's probably gonna save me a lot haha. And my therapist can be the same way so I totally get that! 😩 And having to wait that week to tell them can be sooo rough😂🙃
❤️❤️❤️
I have Cerebal palsy,Autism,asthma and a lung disease than the mental is PTSD,Social anxiety, Bipolar 1 and depression but severe and im wanting to get a service dog to help with the social anxiety, PTSD & Autism
really helpful thankyou
I'm actually in the process of training my chihuahua how to be a service animal. He already just wants to be around me 24/7 so why not train him with tasks? Even though he's only going to be around 4-6 lbs, he can still help me with so many ways with my PTSD. He doesn't bark at people. I love your dog's glasses. Awesome video. Thank you!
That is wonderful! Little service dogs are great. The dog I had before Pharaby was 10 pounds, she naturally picked up on what was happening with me & would do everything she could to make me sit down so she could check on me. She was amazing!
Good luck with your training & thank you for watching 😁
My dog is a 57 pound Australian Cattle dog mix her PTSD tasks are block (stand in front of me) cover (stand behind me) circle, behavior interruptions, and DPT. She is also a medical alert and fainting response as well.
Awesome! Those are all super helpful tasks.
Hope you have a great weekend!
@@JenFarrer same to you
This was really informative. I have PTSD and thought it might be helpful to have a dog who can help me relax and focus at work. I think I'd just end up needing cuddles (pressure therapy?) from the dog all day though ☺️
Pharaby's hair looks so soft and fluffy. I think if I had a similar breed I would use the fluffy fur as a means of stim distraction by petting them.
I’m glad it was helpful! I love to use her fluff as a distraction.
Deep pressure therapy is a huge help for me & many other people with PTSD. I made a video about the science behind it. If you are interested , you can watch it here: ua-cam.com/video/7Fj6NH1pwZ0/v-deo.html
I have some troubble and I use my pet cat for preassure therapy~ He is obviously not trained so it's not the best option but still helpfull and I have to get up and out regularly so he has it clean and has food.
I have FND (Functional Neurologic Disorder), PTSD, CPTSD, Depression, and Anxiety. I have a 6 month old puppy that will be starting her official training soon. I can't wait to find out what to do, but I would love some advise on what to start doing with the process.
She helps me with FND as well!! I have a ton of resources on my website JenFarrer.com including books I’ve written about training Service dogs for PTSD and psychiatric tasks 🤗
Books are also on my Etsy shop: fableinc.etsy.com
I’m 17 and I’ve been thinking about getting one for my severe ptsd
Good luck!! It’s a big decision but I feel like my service dog has helped me a lot.
awweee amazing:) Im training mine to do dpt too for my ED
I have CPTSD and while my pup won’t do PA, I’m wanting to train him to do a few things around the house. Namely searching the house for people and nightmare stuff, and anxiety LPT/ grounding (he’s too small for DPT, he’s only 13 pounds lol)
That will be wonderful & so helpful! Good luck with your training.
Your dog is awesome!
Thanks 😁
Your dog is so cute! 🥰
Thank you!!!!
Awesome work!!!
Thank you Mr Fluffy Bear ☺️☺️☺️
I’m new to ur channel. My pup gets temperment tested on Thursday and hopefully she is a good candidate. If not guess I will try again in the future 😂😂 and at some point I hope she will sense my seizures as well.
Good luck on the temperament test! That is exciting!
Hi, thank you for this video and for sharing your story. I completely understand not wanting to give out your address and getting triggered into freeze response. That happens to me when people try to cross my boundaries some times.
I am getting an F1B service dog in October (when she is 10 months! 😃✨) who will be trained at level 10 for my pTSD and anxiety and depression.
I have read that they aren’t considered ‘pets’ but I was under the impression that my dog would be my best friend, she would always be there for me and she would be trained in accupressure and weighted blanket (I searched videos and yours is the first I’ve seen of a dog doing this, really well done!) and I wanted to get your thoughts on whether you feel a special bond with your dog.
I’m expecting to have that because I struggle with relationships after going through abuse. I’m hoping my dog can be my best friend and also help me to manage my life post-ex partner, and help me meet good new people (and keep the pesky ATNT sales ladies at bay) 🤓😄
Absolutely!
First of all, thank you so much for watching 😁 I’m glad you found this & I’m glad it was helpful. Congratulations on your upcoming pup!
My dog is my very best friend & I’m sure your pup will be your best friend too! I do my very best to treat her as a little being who has feelings, emotions, opinions & I try to respect her just like I would a person in my life... honestly probably more that a person since I’ve had a lot of bad experiences with people 🤣
She & I have a crazy close bond. She knows what I need before I know & I try to do the same for her.
Service dogs are not considered pets like on a lease for a apartment, at a hotels, store, things like that because they are medically necessary for those of us who have them to live a somewhat normal life.
Many service dog owners , like myself, considered ourselves “dog moms” or “dog dads” & it jus happens that the dog helps us live so I feel like that just makes the bond even stronger. I recently shared her birthday video where she was getting to just be a regular dog 🥳
Many service dog owners also do dog sports with their dogs, like Agility, rally, barn hunt, dock dive & trick training. Personally, I love trick training with my pup. She has her expert trick dog title & we love to learn new things together.
All that to say, you can absolutely have a wonderful bond & relationship with your pup, I think you should & it will probably be a even stronger bond than what you imaging it could be ❣️
Sadly I have seen some handlers take that to the extreme & it seems they almost put them on a shelf (in a crate) when they don’t needs them & it’s like the dog doesn’t matter unless they are working.
& I’m so sorry to hear about the abuse you went through, I am a DV survivor too 😥
@@JenFarrer thank you for your lovely reply. It reinforced exactly what I was hoping. I love your friendly attitude and think you’re amazing. Keep smiling, Jen 😍😊🙏🏻
I’m glad I was able to help 😁 hope you have a wonderful weekend!
AMAZING!!!
thank you!
I have ptsd, severe depression, severe anxiety, insomnia, paranoia, there may be more honestly I had to quit going because of these issues. I have a little dog I take everywhere with me, groups literally make me feel like I'm going to tip over backwards I don't even know what it is, just the stress I guess but it's overwhelming and awful. I want to make my dog a service dog and I appreciate you posting this video. Do you think I will be able to, I will have to train him myself, any tips on what I need to get or do? Thank u so much again, your little dog is so adorable and amazing
I’m not a doctor so I can’t tell you for sure. I will give you my opinion though. If your health problems are disabling for you then you should be able to have a service dog. Doctors usually want people to try other options first though so of course if you haven’t tried other medications they might want you to do that first.
Before you talk to your dr you should research things a dog can help you with (tasks).
also consider that a dog will draw a ton of attention to you in public so make sure you would be comfortable with that.
make sure you are familiar with your local laws as far as a service dogs public access is concerned. Only service dogs are allowed in non pet friendly places.
Some states only let fully trained service dogs in public, so training has to take place in pet friendly stores.
I made a video about getting a service dog so I will link it for you too.
It has a lot of info to consider.
As far as training goes, it depends on the dog, so even if you plan to train on your own, you might need to hire a trainer from time to time to help you get over hurdles. A CGC test isn’t required but it is a good foundation to start with. It’s less than $100 in most places to have that test over seen, I’ve seen it as low as $25.
This is the video I was talking about:
What to know before getting a service dog | How to get a service dog #howtogetaservicedog
How do you train for nightmares? I’m usually in freeze mode when I’m in the situation asleep. But also a light sleeper... any tips would be lovely.
I didn’t train her for it. She just wakes me up if I’m screaming or thrashing.
I actually had a bad bad nightmare last night & it was one of the ones where you feel like you can’t move, she didn’t catch that one. When I woke up I was like 🧐 & realized I must have been being still like I was in my dream 😩 she was asleep too so I’m sure she wasn’t paying attention to see if I was breathing hard .
I wish I had a better answer for you 🙃
Haha my girl has her dead stare down when she does her 6 task, she will hyper focuse on anyone thats behind me and honestly it looks like she will attack at any hint of danger, of course thats not the case but no one knows that 😉.
That is awesome 🤣
Yeah I like that she actually watches the people behind me and doesn't just stare off into space untill i give her another command or she has to alert
That is great. I know my girl looks at people but honestly it’s more of a “wanna be friends?” look 🙃
@@JenFarrer awe cute lol
I had to laugh at Pharabys hair. Does she ever look in the mirror when her hair is so wild? What does she say?
What kind of Poodle do you have?? It looks too small for a Standard but to big for a miniature! Looks like a good size!
She is a standard. She is 22” tall & about 30 pounds. She is the perfect size.
@@JenFarrer Oh! I thought they were bigger than that! She looks like a great size!! I'm glad you have her! Can I ask if you got her from a breeder?? I've been looking for a reputable one.
There is a wide range of sizes for the standards some are 70+ pounds.
& yes, she is from lake sai standard poodles.
How did you train her to wake you up from nightmares? That is something I really want to train my SDIT in the near future
I didn’t teach her that. She just knows something is wrong if I’m moving a lot or making noises like I’m scared in my sleep so she wakes me up.
Out of curiosity, what caused your PTSD?
Hi, I have a few videos about it here: ua-cam.com/play/PLAoZLuKE0b5lp0o2SSA0WE-ixGwHbXwRE.html
@@JenFarrer You’re an amazing human.
Wow. Thank you.
This was very interesting. Is Fairby still in training?
She is done with training in the traditional sense. We still make sure to practice her tasks & “train” just to keep up with her good behavior.
That makes sense. I recently got my first service dog from a program and we were stressed the importance that even though they were fully trained we needed to make sure to keep practicing their tasks and proper public access work so that they keep their skills and appropriate behavior Sharp.
Absolutely! Making sure to practice good behavior is key.
Would it be okay if my service dog what's between my legs watching my back and He barked if someone was approaching me from behind when is that against policy
Jesus love you and died for you God bless you!! You are never too far gone ask for his forgivness!!
💯🥳
Did you train her? If so how did you do it? New to this. I have C-PTSD and I am wondering if its possible to train yourself because I cannot afford a PTSD dog.
Yes, I trained her myself, I have a ton of info on my website JenFarrer.com
& these are the books I wrote to help people train their service dogs too! : fableinc.etsy.com
Thank you so much for the info!
i have been diagnosed wih disociation disorder as well as depression and anxiety, my doctor belives these could be symptoms of ptsd from trauma as a child. im seeing a therapist soon and was wondering if a service dog could help me, especially since my dignosis' really dont let me leave the house or travel. could i have your opiion on this? i understand if your busy
I’m not a doctor so I can’t tell you for sure. I will give you my opinion though 😁 I absolutely think a service dog could benefit you. Before you talk to your dr you should research things a dog can help you with (tasks), also consider that a dog will draw a ton of attention to you in public so make sure you would be comfortable with that.
I made a video about getting a service dog so I will link it for you too.
It has a lot of info to consider.
This is the video: ua-cam.com/video/EDoWF6g5MZ8/v-deo.html
Don’t miss the actual reply above this too ☺️
@@JenFarrer Thankyou so much!
You are welcome! I hope that is helpful!
@@JenFarrer lol when people stare at you without a dog anyways
How tall is your dog? And is she a mini poodle?? My prospect is a mini poo :)
Hi,
She is 22” at her withers. She is a standard poodle 🐩❣️
Hey I was wondering cause I’m 16 and I have c-ptsd and I recently had a really bad episode because I saw my Super Abusive ex and I saw his face which caused a really bad episode and I was in the auditorium I had completely shut down and I couldn't breathe and I felt his hands on my through so I couldn't breathe and I can only say a couple of words is it possible for a service dog two get me out of my episode and get help when I can't talk because I'm in a deep episode or can it's sense that I am in episode because I know PTSD from wars/combat PTSD is different then C-PTSD?
PTSD is from one single event & C-PTSD is from multiple events. Abuse is usually more than one single event so it would fall under CPTSD (complex post traumatic stress syndrome). I believe both are diagnosed under the umbrella term PTSD in the DSM5.
Making excuses for you to leave can actually be a task..
True! I don’t think it counts as a stand alone task though 😕
so what did you train her to do to show you that something/someone is coming up to you? because usually service dogs are taught to NOT react to people/other dogs passing. So if you teach her like this with the sit she will probably just sit there and let people/dogs come up to you
She’s been doing her job for almost 5 years & we haven’t experienced any problems like you’re talking about.
If you’re trying to train your own service dog check out the book I wrote & all of my other resources: jenfarrer.com/2023/08/06/service-dog-resources/
Someone told me a service dog can’t be for ptsd/anxiety I was just asking her cause she has one wonder if hers is a fake
Hi,
Service dogs are for any disability.
I have cptsd I’m a human trafficking victim…after I had an episode tonight I think I should try to get ones people are tired around me I’m work…I have agoraphobia and panic disorder all diagnosed. I have to call my bf all the time bc I think I’m having a heart attack. I’m in the middle of disability paperwork
Good luck with your claim, I hope they approve you quickly.
I want my dog to do this... Can a Beagle do all of this? Or is preferible to be another breed?
Edit: woops I hope this doesnt sound harsh :'(... I Just really want to be able to live life to its fullest with some help...
Hi,
Any breed can be a service dog but not every dog is a good fit for service work. This article might be helpful for you:
www.psychdogpartners.org/resources/getting-a-dog/choosing-the-right-dog
@@JenFarrer oh thank you very veeerry much 🙏🙏 I appreciate it~!
Good luck 😃
@@JenFarrer the article is full of information~! Really really helpful, helped me tons ~! Wish you the Best in health and in general💕🙏
I’m glad it was helpful!
& thank you!!!
I can’t wait for the day I have enough money for a service dog 🥲 I don’t know very many programs that give PTSD service dogs for non-veterans, but having one is going to change my world.
I hope that happens for you really soon!
I haven’t heard any programs that will give PTSD Service dogs to non-veterans either 😞
@@JenFarrer thank you!! And yeah it sucks :( I’ve been researching since 2018, and yesterday I applied to a program that looks really promising! It’s called paws4people! I’ll hear back from them in 6-8 weeks so fingers crossed 🤞🏻 I can start working with them to get one !
That is awesome! Good luck!
If for some reason that doesn’t work out I know several people (myself included) Who have successfully owner trained their psychiatric service dog. That would definitely be a less expensive option but of course you would have to do the training & that can be stressful.
Even though the training process can be stressful just because you don’t know if it’s going to work out the way you expect, I feel like that really helped me through some dark times because I had something to focus my energy on.