How do I apply for a Psychiatric Service Dog?

Stiggy’s Dogs provides Psychiatric Service Dogs to all Military Veterans who suffer from Combat-Related PTSD and TBI.  Applicant must have a diagnosis of Combat-Related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and/or Combat-Related Traumatic Brian Injury (TBI). Also required is a note from your doctor stating you would benefit form a Service Dog. We interview each Veteran and family to make sure both needs will be met for Veteran and dog before considering placement. If you are interested, or know somebody who is, email for application, info@stiggy’sdogs.org

What is a Psychiatric Service Dog?

Like guide dogs for the blind, Psychiatric Service Dogs aid people with mental illnesses; from anxiety disorder, Traumatic Brian Injury and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). These dogs are taught specific tasks ranging from: reminding veterans to take their medicine, waking them up from a nightmare or alarm clock ringing, to directing them through a crowd.

What type of training do your dogs get?

Stiggy’s Dogs requires all of our dogs to have more than 120 hours of Basic Obedience Training, Task Training, and Outing to various public places.  All of our dogs are required to pass the Canine Good Citizen Certification, the Service Dog Public Access Test, and the Stiggy’s Dogs Team Evaluation before permanent deployment.

Since each person is an individual and each experiences their disability uniquely, each Stiggy’s Dogs are individually trained to meet their Veterans specific needs. Training time frame depend individually on the dog and the Veterans needs, ranging from 2-6 months. (Half of training time is done with the Veteran)

What specific tasks do you train for?

Each dog is individually trained per each Veteran’s needs. All dogs are highly socialized in public areas, stores, restaurants, etc.  Examples of tasks asked to train for include: Remind when to take medications, trained by alarm clock to wake Veteran up on time, carry Medications for them, divert through a crowds, wake from night terrors, provide Tactile Stimulation during intense moments of stress and panic, and “Watch my back”.

How can I donate a dog?

To become a Stiggy’s Dogs, an animal must go through behavior evaluation and temperament testing.  This is done on-site of the rescue, shelter, or home—therefore they must be local to us in Michigan.  Because we are a small facility, our training and boarding capacity is very limited, with only one or two dogs come into the program at a time.  Once a dog passes the initial temperament and behavior testing, they are put through a learning capabilities test which gauges a dog’s learning style and capabilities.

Our dogs are exposed to a variety of different people (including children), other dogs and animals, handling, noises, traffic, novel objects, and retrieving and training aptitude. We may accept some donated dogs from the public into our program, but fairly few dogs will meet the rigorous criteria to be accepted into the program.

Where do you get your dogs?

All our dogs come though other Rescue Organizations, Shelters, Animal Control and Humans Societies. We believe that many mixed breed and rescue dogs can be trained to make wonderful service dogs. Keeping with our mission of “Rescuing One to Rescue Another”

I have a dog already. Can you train him to be my service dog?

Things to consider:

• 30% of the dogs who start any Service Dog Training Program will not complete it due to:
  • Behavior issues
  • Temperament issues
  • Reactivity level
  • Intelligence level
  • Working ethic of dog (willingness to participate in training)
• Dog’s must be temperament evaluated and behavior assessed prior to training to ensure the dog is of neutral behavior and temperament
• Stiggy’s Dogs work in very challenging environments involving close contact with strangers, large crowds, noises, and all manner of novel objects. Most dogs justifiably find these things frightening.
• You also have to consider the dog’s energy level: is he too active, energetic, or reactive to new things.
  • Despite the fact that a service dog is trained to do many tasks, a good portion of his job involves simply waiting quietly at his partner’s side.

How much does a Stiggy’s Dog cost?

FREE! All our dogs come trained and certified. We supply the crate, bedding, specific toys, leash, collars, dog tags, Service Dog Vest, spayed/neutered, all up to date on immunizations and heart worm medication. A complete Doc Stiggy Handbook created specifically for each Veteran, detailing their dogs’ behaviors, training, commands, likes/dislikes, Veterinarian papers and Certification cards.

Stiggy’s Dogs Train Your Own FAQ

What is a Companion Dog?

A Companion Dog is any family pet that may or may not have basic training knowledge.  They remain in the home and only are allowed in public places that accept dogs; such as pet stores, dog parks, as well as some state and local parks.

What is an Emotional Support Dog?

An Emotional Support Dog is a dog that has completed and passed a Basic Obedience course and passed Canine Good Citizen evaluation, as well as begun to learn tasks in the home and outings to public locations under the guidance of a certified trainer.  These dogs may continue training and go one of two routes:

• Become a certified Therapy Dog that is invited to visit specific locations such as hospitals, courts, schools, and nursing homes.  These dogs are trained to work with multiple people; gravitating toward the person most in need of affection.
• Become a PSD and work exclusively with their handler both in the home and in public.

What is a PSD?

A PSD (Psychiatric Service Dog) is a highly individually trained dog that has completed over 120 hours of training to basic commands, disability-mitigating tasks, public outings, introduction to all manner of novel objects, and all types of people as well as passed all required standardized tests and evaluations.  The job of the PSD is first and foremost their Handler, and are not allowed or encouraged to interact with the general public.  These dogs are legally protected by law, and are able to be everywhere with their Handler.

Why do I have to apply?

Our program mission is to work with military veterans suffering from combat-zone related PTSD and/or TBI, DD214s will need to be provided, as will a doctor’s note stating a dog is necessary to mitigate the disability.

What if I don’t have a dog?

Stiggy’s Dogs offers a new Companion Dog Program to local veterans where a Stiggy’s Dogs Trainer will assist the veteran in picking out a good companion at local shelters, rescues, and animal control centers.  The veteran may apply for a companion dog at info@stiggysdogs.org

I have a dog already, will you train my dog?

Yes.  Stiggy’s Dogs now offers a train your own dog program.  If you have a dog within the ages of 1-3 years, and would like to have your dog tested to see if Service Dog training is possible, email for an application at info@stiggysdogs.org

Why does my dog need to be 1 year of age before testing?

Dogs age more rapidly than humans, but still go through different fear and learning stages during their adolescence.  When a dog is under a year of age, their personality may still change due to exposure to new positive and/or fearful situations.  By evaluating a dog over a year of age, they have gone through the fear stages, and are more stable in personality.  All standardized tests require the dog to be a minimum of 1 year of age.

Why does my dog have to have a behavior assessment done?

Because the nature of the Service Dog is to be working in and around the public, all candidates for Service Dog training must be of neutral behavior and temperament before being accepted into the program.  Behavior Evaluations and Assessments are required to be performed by Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists, and must be submitted in writing to the Director of Training along with Application.

How can I get my dog evaluated for behavior and temperament?

You can contact your local veterinarian for behaviorists in your area, find one on one of these sites: http://www.animalbehavior.org/ABSAppliedBehavior/caab-directory, http://www.dacvb.org/resources/find/,  or contact training@stiggysdogs.org and request an evaluation by one of ours*.

*not available in all areas

What if I already took my dog to obedience classes?

If you have completed a Basic Obedience Class already, provide proof of your completion, the name of your trainer and their phone number along with your completed application.  If your dog has successfully completed a minimum of a 6-week course, you may be eligible to take the CGC evaluation and move into the next class level.

What is CGC?

The American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen (CGC) is a nationally standardized evaluation on canine manners and the handler/dog team.  All of our dogs must pass this test first before continuing training.

What is the SDPAT?

The SDPAT (Service Dog Public Access Test) is a standardized test to show the public working skills of a service dog candidate.  Dogs must be of neutral behavior at all times in public, and under their handler’s control.  Before a dog can be a service dog, along with the task training, they must pass this public access test.

What vaccines and/or medications are recommended for classes?

Yearly Boosters recommended by veterinarians:

• DHPP
• Leptospirosis (check with your local veterinarian to see if required in your area)
• Lyme (check with your local veterinarian to see if required in your area).

Twice yearly vaccine requirements (due to the public nature of your dog’s job, this is required once every 6 months):

• Bordetella

1-3 year Booster:

• Rabies (check with your veterinarian to see if your area qualifies for the 3 year vaccine)

Monthly Heartworm Preventative

Monthly Flea & Tick Preventative

What areas do you service?

As of now, Stiggy’s Dogs can only offer this service to local Michigan veterans of Oakland County, Livingston County, and Allegan County.

Can you just train my dog a few tasks for around the house, I don’t want a full service dog?

Even if you do not plan on utilizing your trained dog as a service dog, all other training requirements must be met before task training can begin.  The bond between the Handler and dog must be very solid and the dog must have command compliance before tasks can be taught.

What types training do you offer?

Basic Obedience, CGC & SDPAT preparatory classes, Public Outings and Service Dog Tasks

Will you train my dog if I am not a veteran?

While we understand the need for Psychiatric Service Dogs is growing, we have chosen to specialize in working with veterans who suffer from combat-zone related PTSD and/or TBI.