StepWise Guide For Emotional Support Dog Owners
Dogs occupy nearly 90 million households around the United States and are no doubt the most popular cat breeds pet animals. The popularity of dogs as a pet is due to its long history as the go-to human-animal companion, and due to various other characteristics. Dogs are naturally affectionate and loyal that makes them perfect companions to humans in their everyday lives.
Recently, pet dogs have taken on new roles that include catering to people with physical and mental disabilities. Various roles such as Emotional Support Animal (ESA), Therapy Dog, and service animal.
With an emotional support dog letter, you can have your pet dog as an ESA. With the ESA letter, this dog can live with you in rental houses/ apartments, and travel with you will help you keep your emotional and mental difficulties in control. The ESA pet dog acts more like therapy dogs, in that they help their companions with just their presence and by being open to receiving and giving affection. However, the ESA, unlike the therapy animal, doesn’t need any training.
Here are some of the tips that prospective Emotional Support Animal handlers benefit from and improve their ESA experience.
Choose the right dog breed
There are near 190 hypoallergenic dogs breeds according to the American Kennel Club (AKC). Each dog breed has specific characteristics, and it is up to you to choose the right breed that fits your bill. The breed choice should be made keeping in mind your lifestyle, work hours, and most importantly, your budget.
The breed should be one that is easily trainable, sociable, and loves human companionship. The size of the dog and the energy levels are also important in choosing the dog. You should have a dog whose size fits the living space you occupy and whose energy level isn’t high. Dogs with moderate energy levels are appeased with walks and indoor activities.
Taking good care of your pet dog
In order to have a pet dog or a norwegian forest cat that is affectionate to you and gives you the attention you need, you must first take care of the pet dog. Taking care of your dog includes making sure that you give the pet the exercise it needs. For some breeds, it is also important to make sure that the dog receives a lot of mental exercise through activities and games.
You should also take care of the pet’s diet. Provide your pooch with a high-quality diet, making sure not to overfeed it. The dog will also require proper grooming (according to its breed) and will need to get routinely checked by a vet. It is better if you check your dog regularly for any parasites and injuries, especially as the dog enters adult and senior years.
About the ESA letter
Make sure that you get the ESA letter through a valid source when acquiring online. The mental health therapist should be a licensed mental health specialist who should access your mental health condition to overcome your depression. Make sure to update your letter should be renewed annually.
There are a lot of fraudulent services that claim to provide ESA letters, so beware of them. A service that provides you with a mental health specialist and is thorough with the assessment should be trusted.
Some try to sell to the prospective ESA handlers, certificates, and licenses under the name of ESA. Know that there is no other documentation required, other than a prescribed and authorized letter. You can also do your research and read the feedback from other customers and ask around. The authorities have every right to deny you the ESA provisions if the ESA letter is not authorized or valid.
Related Resources:
Dog Breeds Suitable To Become Emotional Support Animals