Train a Anxiety Alert for Service Dogs - Interrupt Self-Harm
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- Опубліковано 31 тра 2024
- Teach your Psychiatric assistance dog to indicate that you are having a panic attack or to interrupt increasing #anxiety or self-harm behavior.
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Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
0:26 Choose the alert behavior & train it
1:07 Add a verbal cue
2:00 Choose anxiety or self-harm behavior you want interrupted
#servicedog #assistancedog #assistancedogs #tasks #trainingclass #DIYservicedog #positivedogtraining #servicedog #ptsddog #anxietyalert #selfharm #dogtrainingptsd #anxietytask #alertbehavior #nosenudge #scratching - Навчання та стиль
As a psychiatric service dog trainer and handler, I appreciate these videos. I work in community mental health and I'm starting to see why too many dogs that are not properly trained.
TheHuntrchic hello, I am looking to train my dog to be my service dog to help with my anxiety in public. I am completely new and can't afford money for a trainer because of my dads stroke. Is there any advice you can give me?
Check out some "owner trained service dog" Facebook groups for support. They're also known as OTSD groups. And keep learning from Donna Hill through her videos that way you can train your own Dog to be a service dog for you.
Wha5 paper work do I need for a service dog and where can I get it? Or how can I properly register a service dog
How can I have my dog nudge or paw me? Like how can I teach her that
How can I get a service dog? Should I try to train one myself? I’ve been looking for years now, I have complex ptsd. Thank you
I have a physical & psych service dog for combat related wounds. Among the ADI commands he does other things that are harder to teach because no verbal or hand signals are used only physiological changes are the signal which alert him that he can sense. For example I am sitting idly for an extended period inside my apartment he'll nudge me. He licks my hand, put his head on my lap or his nose under my hand when I am thinking intrusive negative thoughts. Sitting, healing or laying down he'll get up and do that. He literally saved my life in more ways than one. Before him I wouldn't go outside much or do normal things people do. Wounds would manifest themselves in things and I wouldn't notice. I would sit in my room for days and only when the hunger got so bad I would go to the store and sit in my truck for hours to get the courage to go inside. It's hard to explain but I am sure for some of you I don't have too.
P H hello, I enjoyed reading your comment, and I wish to know more about how you got your dog to help you within these moments, because I also suffer from the some symptoms. Please tell me more. I’m in Australia though, but I may be lucky enough to still find help here to do the same with my pet.
My dog does the same!
This really interests me. First of all, thank you for your service - people like you are the reason people like me get to sleep safely at night.
Did your dog already know how to "sense" your psychological state? Intrusive thoughts are just one of the things I deal with that are (as far as I know) undetectable by my behavior alone. I've heard Diabetes Dogs can even smell low blood sugar. Do you have any advice on teaching your dog how to "sense" that you're upset on the inside even if you seem "just fine" to everyone else?
I'm told I almost always seem "just fine" - I've been hiding my mental illness(es) for so long it's hard for people to know until I'm at the point of no return.
I do pace, scratch, and things like that - but sometimes, I'm just sitting like you described... and those are often the most difficult times for me to get out of.
Herman Ferdinandes I feel you I need similar training for my service dog
This is a fantastic video. I am looking into getting a service dog for myself as I can scratch myself very very badly when I have an attack. I was admittedly a little intimidated knowing I'd have to train the dog myself for them to know my cues, but you have explained it so well and made it look so easy! Thank you for your video! I feel more at ease now!
Fantastic video Donna! Well explained. :)
-Zak
Thanks Zak!
Thanks Zak! Sorry to be slow to respond. I actually responded awhile ago under my husband account by accident. We share a computer.
that should mean a lot coming from Zak. His work is truly amazing! I am hoping to get a dog soon - never really had one, growing up. So, I'm trying to learn as much as possible, b/c I am a vet struggling with PTSD, anxiety, and depression, but those veteran programs take FOREVER. So, I'm trying to learn how to train my own companion. I'm having a terribly difficult time finding instruction on this subject; on how to train a dog specifically to respond to PTSD.
Brandy PAWS me.. never taught her but she PAWS when she senses an attack coming ( anxiety and even fainting) I would love to get her properly trained and registered since she has this instinct.
Hi! I have a question, can you only get a service dog depending on the severity of your anxiety?
I'm going to get a golden retriever and train it to be my psychiatric service dog after I move in two months. I'm going to be/around thirteen years old when I get my dog. ( The name will be Riley :3 ) I have severe depression, anxiety and PTSD from something that happened for six years. I had around 5 panic attacks at the mall today but I have all least two daily. I actually know my warning signs for when I go into my panic attacks. My therapist told me to get a PSD so that's what we'll train for. I tend to rock back and forth, grab into something, or freeze. In my bad panic attacks I collapse or pass out. Sorry that this is a lot, but I've said what I wanted to say, thanks for your time whoever read this lol :3
I’m getting an official ESA at the start of high school for my anxiety rarely no one knows about but a couple of people friends and my family. It’s mild to moderate. I also have taken multiple online screenings and tests proving that I do indeed have PTSD (seperate from anxiety, it’s it’s own disorder, it did not cause anxiety) I don’t have an ESA for PTSD, because no one knows about this particular disorder of mine and it’s only minimal to mild. So practically, it still counts as a disorder, but not enough to tell anyone or get another ESA. So I have mild to moderate anxiety disorder, and minimal to mild PTSD disorder.
I am currently training our year old shepherd pup for my personal use. She's been showing aptitude for picking up my High blood pressure and Bradycardic episodes and the panic attacks that follow it. We're trying to fine tune it now and your video has been so helpful, shes made huge strides in just a few days.
I am hoping to get my own dog for anxiety, depression, migraines, panic/anxiety attacks, and help for some phobias around others, etc. I would train the dog myself and what not. I just need my dad and step mom's approval, because bringing another dog inside can be bad since my step-mom is allergic to dogs. This video is helpful
I just want to say that I really appreciate this video
I have a severe anxiety disorder that has prevented me from doing a lot of things, and has taxed my daily routine...well, if anything, my anxiety IS my daily routine. along side of this, I have blood pressure problems. I had to be home bound in my senior year of highschool because I passed out twice in one week, and the next Thursday after that(my birthday no less) I fainted again.
I have two specific behaviours that annoys other people/put me at risk before an anxiety attack/during anxiety: shaking my legs/side stepping back and forth when standing/bouncing on my toes (basically moving really quick)
and if I get caught moving too much, I go right to scratching deeply at my elbow/arm just for a stimulation.
It was today that I learned you can have a Service dog for heart problems and anxiety, and I'm so grateful to see this video where you are training one for somewhat similar reasons.
I'd like to look into getting a service dog, and I believe this video will be helpful to me (as well as plenty others) when training him/her....so...thank you for the video, I can assure you it means a lot to many people :)
Thanks for the short and dirty on this. about to retire my current service dog due to geriatric deafness and about to get another to start training. My old k-9 training g isn't as available on tap for me when I'm stressed or anxious, so it helps to be reminded what steps to do. It's been so long since I trained my current one, who was my k9 partner as a Police Officer. We naturally developed a bond that he naturally fell into to protect me.
This is great for my 11 year old friend because her dog Sugar is great with her anxiety already
Just lost my service dog.. Thanks for the tips for training my new pup.. Will come in handy
My service dog is a multi purpose assistant dog, and his main alert isn't an anxiety or PTSD episode alert (though I suppose that's why we ate here, so he can help with my PTSD as well) I just wanted to say that I appreciate this video!
Think of a dog alerting to certain behaviors as a dog responding to a hand signal. The dog sees it as a trick, that your behavior is the hand signal and the alert is the trick, like how a lot of people point at the ground for a dog to sit, or how most people whi taught their dogs to shake can just hold out their hand. Add the behavior the same way you add a hand gesture to a trick.
I just found your channel. We have a young dog who really wants to be a good girl - she loves training type of play. For reasons I'll skip, I want to teach her to help... PTSD and Panic Attacks. Eventually, if I can get her prepared for actual service, I hope to have her certified at some point. Any resources you can provide would be so helpful! I plan on checking out the rest of your videos - this one was very helpful... I wasn't sure how to teach her to recognize behavior to interrupt and this is a great start! Thank you for sharing this information. We can't afford a service dog - but we have a good little pup that wants to help. She already knows when I'm stressed out and just barks at me. Anyway, I look forward to checking out your channel. I'm glad I found you!
Thank you I am very sick and I also have Trich so I'm hoping I can train my SD to stop my pulling.
Some dogs I think this comes naturally with. I say this because I have a doxie and number one he can tell when someone is about to go into a seizure because he used to go and lay very very close to the client I used to have that had seizures he wouldn't leave and would act very concerned when that person I cared for did that . Then he helps me with my PTSD anxiety and depression and if I'm having an anxiety attack or anything he is right there nudging me with his nose trying to help cheer me up He will try to get as close to me as possible so I feel comforted when my stress gets unmanageable. It doesn't help when I dont have my dog with me my anxiety and PTSD are so bad my doctor seen me have an episode and asked me if I needed her to write me a letter she said the most she could do is write one for housing. The thing is I didnt train him these things they have just come naturally ... Hes a brilliant dog maybe his past owner worked with him a bit I adopted him from a doctor . Smarter then can be .
I had a standard red years ago. Very intuitive dog as well and very protective! She loved kids!
When I have an anxiety attack I feel dizzy and reach my hands out to the nearest thing to ground myself. How can I teach my dog to put her head under my hand when this happens and not other times?
I actually haven't had a bad panic attack in months and when I did (way worse than dizziness) it was in a restaurant where she put her head in my lap and kept licking my hand until I finally realized I needed to take a break and go outside to calm down. She's a trained service dog but not specifically a PSD. I want to encourage these behaviors she's doing already but I'm not sure how exactly. Any input is welcome!
Rantics treats every time she does them
First teach your dog to follow you everywhere you go, INCLUDING your home, after she/he learns that step, then teach him/her a verbal que, whenever you feel you need assistance give him/her the verbal que, I prefer verbal instead of physical silenced queing, because it's safer, and you don't have to worry if your dog sees it or not. 😊
Teach them to stay very still (basically an advanced stay) then continue to test this by slowly and lightly applying some weight or pressure onto your SD. Of course you’re not going to putting that much body weight on them but always be careful with this.
how did you teach the dog to nudge and what are other things the dog can do to distract their handler
I would also like to know other alert behaviours
i want to know that too
Other than nudging, pawing/scratching at the owners leg is common, as is some dogs going straight into DPT and using that as their alert. Some people do have their dog whine, but it can be disruptive so most people choose not to
You can use any behavior that is not disruptive in public. Most people use nose nudge, pawing, rearing up with front paws on your chest or face licking as they are hard to ignore.
You first will have to capture the behaviour you want, in this case nudging. You can teach the dog to nudge by first getting a piece of tape and putting around two of your fingers. Get a strong scented food and rub it on the tape. Say the command "Nudge" when your dog touches the tape, clicking or using your voice to mark the behaviour which is nudging here, and reward.
Make sure to change the place your fingers are so the dog will have to move after the tape. After that is perfect, you can move the tape to your knee or anywhere else you want. Add in the cue you want with his behaviour, as you see in the video. Lessen the vocal cue (command).
Hope this helps!
She cares so much for mom! Good girl! :)
Thanks for this video I'm working on training anxiety alert with my service dog.
Excellent!
Amazing ! I want a dog so bad !! 😩😩😩 I am just interested how people do train their dogs 😮😮😮
That is a very happy pupper
This is very helpful. There are no trainers for this near me and whenever I have reached out I rarely hear back. These videos are helping me to work with my own dog to help me through these things. I just wanted to say thank you.
Thank you sooo much!
THANK. YOU.
Wow! Thank you so much for this!
THANK YOU SO MUCH
Thank you.
Another awesome video on SD training. Thanks Donna.
that was a really great video and I will use it in training my dog but I do have a question. How do you teach the dog to nudge in the first place?
Check out my one way hearing alert video. It describes it there.
its so crazy how smart dogs are!
Thank you Donna. I'm finding your videos very helpful
This is actually my exact problem that I want to teach my dog, thank you!
Thank you SO much for this
I appreciate your videos so much. A professionally trained service dog is so unaffordable. We will have classes and apply for the canine good citizens test, but need to train for tasks ourselves. :/
Check out our online classes too! www.servicedogtraininginstitute.ca/course-catalogue
Awesome video! Love all your videos as you give great step by step structure!
Awesome video! Thank you!!
Great video thanks for the help
This is SO amazing! I myself have bad anxiety, and need help to stop my annoying habits when getting it. This helped alot!! Thank you!
I mean the service dog part, I wish I can train my 3 year old lab to do this, if he's willing.. xD
love this video, and great advice!
Im diabetic and have bad anxiety and tend to scratch my legs arms hands when I’m anxious I’m currently in the training of a service dog 🦮 it’s going very well so far ur videos are AMAZING 💖 I’m in the process of teaching him to stop me from scratching 😁💖🦮 keep up the good work Donna!!!
My dad will be getting an apartment soon and i have developed severe anxiety, severe depression, and severe self harm behaviors, the apartment allows animals so i will be looking for a puppy to train and raise so i can have atleast someone there to prevent it
YAY!! Thanks for the video!
I've been hoping you'd do some psych related tasks videos!
Any chance you could tackle a demo of DPT, and alerting to someone approaching from behind? So many others to choose from but those are 2 good ones to continue with I think.
This video is amazing. Thank you for posting it! I have a question though: my most common initial ptsd reaction is dissociation, where I simply leave my body, go all quiet, loose the ability to speak and hold eye contact. It is a really sucky indicator to work on, but it’s what I’ve got. Is this doable or do I need to aim for the next level of my attack? That would be shaking and/or hyperventilating..he pretty much has that down. But if it’s at all possible I would like for him to alert me when I start dissociating
What should I do if I don't scratch myself in one spot? I will scratch at my face, fingers, scalp, and shoulders. I can't predict which one will be the target of the behavior and often do not notice I am doing it. But scratching my fingers is definitely a low level symptom and all the others are medium. They are often followed by a panic attack of some sort. Roo (my SDIT) already know how to get my medication when I ask him to and will do DPT when I as him to. So, it is just that first alerting part I need advice on. But it would also be nice to know if I can teach him that these things are a chain and that he should do them one after the other. But the commands are pretty simple and DPT is verbal/nonverbal.
Thanks! I think this will really help with my service dog's training!
You are welcome!
Very helpful, thank you ❤️❤️ I'm working on training my lab/pointer to be a service dog, and I'm going to get him registered in the nearby future❤️
This is so helpful
This is so interesting and entertaining
Ms. Hill, is the training of each dog based around the needs of the owner? Like anxiety, depression and mobility impairments, even retrieving items and possibly helping me get up inclines in my chair? I am very adamant that my service dog will be a Doberman because of my current connection to the breed. Mine helps me through a lot but didn’t take his K-9 good citizenship test even though he passed all the required training.. he has helped me more than I could possibly count.
So helpful! Thank you! ❤
You are welcome!
Very informational! You do an excellent job, Donna :) Also- what breed of dog is shown in this video? I love it. Thank you.
This was really helpful tbh. I have anxiety attacks in public alot and it is one thing that makes me scared of going out. I want to train my girl a nudge comand for alerting me as she can't always give me a paw if we're walking.
I wanted to know if I was heavily breathing as the signal to my dog that I'm having an anxiety attack can I make her verbal command whatever I feel will come out of my mouth easier at that moment. Often I will repeat a shortened version of her name: Kod's. It's because I do it to get her attention as she listens to her name or nicknames well but I dunno if I should make 'Kod's' her verbal cue.
It feels like I should buy I dunno.
Also this is not for training as official. We're in Britain so we don't have service dogs like this. This is more for when I'm walking her or in places where she can go. I was going to get her a harness saying she's working when she is more well trained just so people don't talk to her and then I just explain of absolutely necessary why she has it on.
Also can we have multiple behaviour cues we can train her to respond to and interrupt? I tend to scratch a lot, play with my fingers, move my feet a lot if I'm sat down, bounce my leg, keep myself tightly packed, like my arms tight to my body or crossing or closing my legs tightly. I also breathing heavily or look around a room a lot or space our but I don't think she'll respond to the look part and spacing out part
great video
Thanks!
Thank you for this video! I do the same thing you do but on my arm. It can get pretty ugly sometimes. I've got a 12 month old Aussie I'm wanting to train for PTSD attacks
Dogs can be so helpful!
I have a miniature poodle who was never taught alert but he alerts to my cardiac arrhythmia and me picking my lips i have ptsd and bipolar and bpd he also alerted to my grandmas blood sugar dropping my grandma is diabetic
Im a dog trainer and have been trying to train this, my dog harry is a littke confused in the topuc but hes still very new to it, so i do understand his confusing but hes been getting better wuth his alerts tysm!
Make sure to teach the alert behaviors well first and generalize them before pairing with the new behavioral cue.
@@supernaturalbc2008 i am! Ive been working on it only so hes not all in zll just confused like "mom what r we doing?" so yeah hes doing well
Nice, what is a good way to turn it off so they do not keep doing it so the anxiety or attack does not get worse? What are some of the difficulties with this? Thanks. Blessings.
I let mine paw my thie. Then say okay okay I'm listening to you.
I don't want to teach my dog and take her everywhere with me. While that would be amazing I don't have the resources or time for that. I just want to teach her how to help me when I'm gonna get an anxiety attack or I'm gonna self harm (especially that one as I could cut too deep and end up seriously injured or dead). Eventually when I get a puppy in the future I will do service dog training with them and teach them my signals for things. Hopefully my boyfriend will help me with the training too. I normally go to him for help, but if he's not there when I have an attack, I need some help.
How you doing a year later? I hope you’re well
Is there a way to train the dog to respond without physical cues? As far as PTSD and those I know with it, most don't have strong physical tells and can quite often go from calm to panicking very quickly. Maybe I just don't see the tells other than stress and anger since I have zero training?
I'm currently a full time college student and have anxiety and panic attacks severe enough to warrant a heavy interest in a service animal, but i feel like I cant invest enough time in training an animal from scratch. Should I just forget about the possibility of a SD or are there programs that can do a lot of the training with and/or for me?
When I have anxiety I start breathing a little different, that's about the only thing noticeable from another's perspective, is it possible to teach a dog to react to that? Or is it too subtle for them to notice?
I have sever anxiety as well as PTSD. I have panic and anxiety attacks that can be debilitating. However my Fiance and are struggling financially, where can I find a service dog that is less expensive but still dependable and well trained
I have a question that I would appreciate someone answering. If you are prone to self harm, and need that to be blocked by your service dog, how would I go about using it as a cue? I can't just hold a blade by my arm, as that's both unsafe and really triggering. I do tend to scratch a lot as well, but my biggest concern is self harm
I don't have too bad anxiety but it is hard for me to control my emotions and I break down in tears sometimes to certain triggers. Would an ESA be helpful to me?
I love this video but is there a way to train my dog to start nudging like hers did? I am not 100% sure how to get him to the point of preforming it for step one.
I've been doing my own research for a few years now before I start training my dog for anxiety. The only thing I can't find, is it against the law to do this out in public and get denied to bring your service dog into the place? Just wanted to make sure so I don't break any rules/laws in the process of doing so. Or if they ask for a card of proof of the dog's job, where do I get that stuff?
No one is allowed to deny you and your service dog access to any public place that can be accessed by a human (consider service dogs humans). So no, if your dog is a qualified service dog you cannot be denied.
It depends on where you are located. Check the laws for your local state or province. In BC dogs must be certified by the Ministry of Justice. Some states in the US will protect owner-trained service dogs but not service dogs in training. Journal and document all your training for both general behaviors and task-specific behaviors, keep receipts for training, make sure you have a Dr's note prescribing a Service dog. They are seen as medical devices and they only get access because you do. They do not have rights of their own just like hearing aids and wheelchairs.
I was bullied really badly and was self harming but I got over it. I just got a German Shepherd and she is like my bestfriend I feel safe around her. I don't really like people I just get really tense and start feeling dizzy, or if I see certain people in my school I litterally just break down in tears. My parents think I might need a service dog and they want to make Nani my service dog cause she is like the only "person" I guess that I feel safe around. But my parents aren't too sure it's such a good idea. When my anxiety starts acting up, It starts with me getting really tense. Is there any way I could teach my dog to sense that and help me...? And any advice for starting out a service dog?
Thank you for this! I have a question about morphing behaviors. My SDIT created his own "alert" to my rising anxiety/panic which is barking. Do you have any suggestions for how I can morph this into a more appropriate (silent) behavior?
Follow the same process. Teach him a desired alert behavior. Mimic your anxiety behaviors, cue the new behavior and then let him do the old one. Phase out the barking by marking before he has a chance to do it.
I have a question. I hardly breathe, and have excitability, and just fearful jitters inside! How would I train my dog for that? I do not scratch or anything. It is something inside that the dog needs to sense.
Would the same alerts work for schizophrenia? Or would this only work for someone with anxiety? (Sorry im trying to get a service dog and im all very new to this)
How long does it usually take to train a dog to do this. I am trying to train my Retriever to be my Service animal because of my extreme panic attacks.
When do you stop giving the treats? And can the dog gradually stop doing the behavior if there are no more treats involved?
How do you train the dog to do that , I'm getting a puppy to train for m anxiety attacks and paranoid attacks and where I live they isn't any help from charity's for mental health support dogs .
Thank you for the informative video! I have some questions though. How does a dog alerting you help? If you have severe anxiety, you will already know when you are having an attack. Also, what can the dog do to help with the anxiety? I have severe anxiety that sometimes gives me severe chest pain (and also for some reason makes me so I can not talk), so if I had a service dog, rubbing my chest to try to ease the pain would be a decent signal, but then what would the dog do to help me? Lastly, I sometimes rub my chest due to pain but am not anxious (at least not to my knowledge), so wouldn't that confuse the dog?
The alert will let you know that you are ding it. That allows you to change your behavior or the environment to alleviate your anxiety.
Does anyone know if I can use this to train my cat? Training him to be an ESA for my depression and Axeinty
how do you teach the alert behavior?
How do we get them to understand what to do in the first place?
Do you mean a nose nudge? Check out my 'one way hearing alert' for that.
I have extreme anxiety but my family doesn't have enough money to afford training or an already trained dog.. what do y'all recommend I do? (I'm 13)
How did you get her to nudge in the first place?
How do you teach the dog to nudge you? I can't figure out how to get them to do that. :/
i faint when my blood sugar gets too low. is there a way for a dog to sense sugar levels?
how were you able to get the dog to nudge you?
My dog will not do these behaviors on his own without prompting. How do I shape a behavior my dog never does on his own?
I would like help train this to my dog, not necessarily a ptsd or as, I just want to train it to help me with my fear of walking out alone. My display of anxiety is usually just severely increased heart rate, maybe fast walking, or clenching my fists. How should I go about picking the behavior to alert? Clenched fists? is there a way for a dog to sense when my heart rate and fear levels increase?
I have PTSD but I have less visible cues when I am anxious. I taught my dog to comfort me on command. Slowly, my dog is picking up on when I am about to give to command because i am stressed. I think it takes more time, but she is catching on. And the command is really easy to use in the interim
I pick my lips when I start going into an attack, would that be a reasonable cue?
I want my dog to paw at my leg when I shake it, so I taught him to paw at it when I was sitting down but he can’t understand that I want him to do it when I stand too so he just looks at me when I say the command, anyone have any idea how to fix this?
My dog I believe can do this but she's very shy in public how do I train her not to be shy in public before she's a service animal she has to learn how to behave in public but how does she do that without going into public
I don't have PTSD but I do have anxiety attacks and more than half the time I pass out. If my dog is trained to help me in those situations, is he a service dog or still a ESA?
How do you get them to specifically nudge in the first place? Do you just sit there and wait until they do it or do you show them?
Check out my hearing alert video to show you how to train the nudge.
I have a question how much are service dogs? I have no dogs so i want to buy a already trained dog.. i have anxiety attacks every 5 minutes..
What behavior should i have my dog do for nail biting?
lesbian mothman that’s a good one i she that issue to part of my mental health mabey we can try a hand nudge
my dog does that for medical adema detections .. detects 97 percent of scent in the legs ,,
Interesting!
My dog is a pug, but he isn’t very high engery. I want to speak to my therapist about her opinion on teaching him to stop me from hurting myself and others. I want him to be a service dog because i will accidentally physically hurt someone without knowing it and i want him to stop me from doing that, BUT i’m too afraid to talk to my mom or my step dad about it because my mom would just brush it off. :/ And i would like another dog (one more service dog-y like a beagle, not to large) but i already have two dogs. And i’m thinking about the money situation, i’m only 12. Does anyone have any advice.
I have really bad anxiety to the point I cannot go out alone or I get so anxious and have tons of anxiety attacks, But family told me that is not a good reason enough to have a service dog?
To be called a service dog, the dog must mitigate your disability by performing specially-trained tasks. An emotional support animal (ESA) can help you by cuddling. ESA are recognized for tenancy and transportation in the US but not for public access like service dogs. Recognition for ESA varies in other countries. Talk to your DR to see if you might qualify. You need to be diagnosed with a disability by a Dr.
how do i teach her to nudge?
How do you get the dog to start nudging your leg in the first place?
Check out my 'one way hearing alert' for that.
Where can I get my dog professionally trained to do this? Does a program exist?
Yes, Google "professionally trained PTSD service dogs." We also offer self-paced online classes for anxiety alerts as well. www.servicedogtraininginstitute.ca/course-catalogue