What kind of dog would you get?

A therapy dog is usually considered a dog which visits hospitals, nursing homes and the like to cheer people up, while what you would be referring to is an emotional support animal, which are pets for people with mental health conditions, and which have a right to live in no pets housing.

What you want is a very calm and easy going dog which is not startled easily and will reamin calm when all around them is falling apart. You do not want a dog which is going to react to percieved danger, as this is only going to make your daughters situation worse. You do not need a dog to bark and lunge everytime your daughter sees someone who reminds them of the attacker. What she does need is a dog who will remain calm no matter what is going on around her, to allow your daughter to realise that not all people are dangerous. Any mentally healthy dog will bark and proctect if the need arises, but you do not want a dog who does so eveytime your daugher stresses out as this is playing into her fears, and is going to make her condition worse and not better.

I stronlgy suggest you read this article:

http://www.iaadp.org/ptsd.html

Getting a puppy can be difficult as the puppy will be looking to your daugher for support in growing up and can learn to be fearful being aorund such people. Stable dogs can be difficult to find in shelters. It may be a long slow road to trying to find a suitable dog.

One option would be to apply for a failed guide dog, from a guide dog program. These are dogs have been carefully bred and raised, socialised extensively and also have basic obedience. They would be aged between 1-2 years of age and would have been withdrawn from the formal training for any number of reasons. They are usually great with people with anxiety and depression. Often the waiting lists can be long, but it can be well worth the wait, for the right dog. Some programs may gvie you priority because of your daughters condition. To find such a program look at the International Guide Dog Federation website to find programs near you, and then contact them directly.

http://www.ifgdsb.org.uk/worldmap.asp

Reserch the breeds on offer from such programs and decide if there is a specific breed that you would like.

You mean emotional support dog, not therapy dog. A therapy dog goes visiting with his owner to cheer up others.

Remember that there is a difference between an emotional support dog and a protection dog. Emotional support is what she needs now, not an attack dog.

Please read this important article:

"Disaster Is Not What a Trauma Victim Needs"

http://www.iaadp.org/ptsd.html

Getting a reactive or overtly protective dog would dangerous. Avoid breeds known for protectiveness. Choose instead a dog who has a rock solid calm temperament and an absolute level head. Such a dog will remain calm and reassuring during panic attacks, instead of fueling the fire by lunging and growling at every one in sight because he's mis-read your daughter's symptom as a real threat.

A mentally sound dog will indeed protect her if she is ever really threatened. You needn't worry about that. But a calm, well socialized, well grounded dog won't be going off protecting her when it isn't needed and getting you into lawsuits.

Your best bet for a bomb proof dog is to find a retired show dog. I know that sounds odd, but you'd be getting a young adult who is very well socialized, housebroken and experienced in seeing the world.

I'd suggest you look for something like a lab or lab mix. It's pretty hard to set a mentally sound lab off accidentally.

When you get the dog, enroll them both in dog obedience classes. You tend to meet a nice class of person in dog classes. They're animal lovers. Another neat thing about obedience classes is that everyone is focused on the dogs, usually their own. Social situations are easier because it is never inappropriate to talk about your dog if you don't know what to say. It isn't considered strange if you don't make eye contact with others because most people will be watching their dogs. Obedience classes are usually safe social situations for people with anxiety disorders to practice in.

Good luck. I wish you and your daughter the best.

It depends on exactly what you want. Do you want a big dog to make you feel safe, or do you want a small dog that you can cuddle with?

If you want a big security dog that's good with kids (and I might be biased here) I'd say go with a Rottweiler. They look scary, but they will protect you, your child, and they are very patient, loving dogs. You have to train them properly, as with all dogs, so if you're not willing to put in the work, don't get a dog at all.

If you prefer a smaller lap dog, consider a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. They're not tiny yippy monsters, they're on the bigger end of the toy breeds, but they are loyal, sweet, and very affectionate. They're the kind of dog that will snuggle with you all night. For a child with post traumatic stress disorder, this could be just what she needs. They're also relatively easier to train than some other dogs since they're not terribly dominant in nature.

Keep in mind too there are thousands of wonderful loving dogs as close as your nearest shelter who need homes. The good thing about shelter dogs is you can try them out before you buy them and find the perfect fit for your daughter. They're also substantially less expensive than a purebred dog will be.

Whatever you choice, I wish you the best of luck with your daughter. My spouse has PTSD, and its a terrible terrible thing for someone to have. Luckily for your daughter, it only happened once and she obviously has a mother who loves her and is taking appropriate measures to help her. Some people never recover sadly, but I think your girl will be o.k. as long as you both work very hard together and you continue to support her.

The breed of dog is not as important as the temperament of the dog as to whether they will make a good therapy dog. The dog must enjoy the company of strangers and being petted, a lot! The dog must be happy going to new places where there are lots of people.

Here are some of the dog breeds that have been known for being great with kids: Basset hound, Beagle, Cairn Terrier, Cocker Spaniel, Bearded Collie, Belgian Sheepdog, Boxer Dog, Dalmatian, Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, Old English Sheepdog, Samoyed, Irish Wolfhound, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Pug, Saint Bernard, Poodle and Dachshund

So sorry to hear about you daughter. Good Luck and God Bless!!!!

You first need to find out if you and your family are suitable for a dog. A dog is a whole lot more than just cuddles and feeding it. Dogs usually live for 10-15 years, which is a huge commitment.

They need exercise, discipline and affection IN THAT ORDER.

I would suggest doing HEAPS of research before making the descison to bring home a dog/puppy.

Here's some good websites to start with:

http://www.doginfomat.com/b4ugetadog.htm

http://www.cesarmillaninc.com/tips/addition_right_...

http://www.akc.org/future_dog_owner/ready_for_dog....

http://www.pets.ca/articles/article_gettingadog.ht...

Other animals can be used for therapy too, not just dogs.

Good luck.

A steady dog that offers both comfort, companionship, and security would be the Newfoundland. They are great, enormous shaggy black dogs that look (and act) like enormous teddy bears. They bond very closely with family and can be quite protective with loved ones.

There are a few drawbacks to owning one of these dogs:

Drooling> Though they are not the worst of droolers, they will still drool quite regularly.

Grooming Needs> This breed needs a good deal of grooming. Twice a week is the minimum it should be brushed. Daily is better.

Health Screening> You need to look for a breeder who carefully screens for hip dysplasia.

Cost> These dogs grow fast as puppies and while they are growing they eat A LOT! Vet bills are also higher.

If you can handle of of these big, heavy, sweetheart dogs they may be just the breed you are looking for.

I'm sorry for your daughter - I hope she gets better!

As for the type of dog, only the energy level really matters for this purpose. I'd get a dog that's mellow; the high-strung ones move suddenly a lot. And you can find plenty of puppies and dogs at your local animal shelter. Just pick one out there, or look on http://www.petfinder.com/

I'm partial to English Mastiffs. They are natural family guardians, excellent judges of character and I know several who are certified therapy and service dogs. As puppies, they're quite rambunctious and goofy. Once they mellow out, they are the biggest lapdogs out there. They're extremely family-oriented, many of them are flat-out velcro dogs. (These are dogs that always want to be with you.) They're generally very good with other pets, dogs and friendly strangers, and they're excellent with children. A well-bred Mastiff who has been properly socialized has a very even temperament and is very well-mannered with strangers.. that is, unless you do not accept the stranger. They will indeed pick up on apprehension. I cannot tell you how many people I know who were amazed at how well their usually docile, people-loving dog handled the situation when dangerous stranger approached. (I'm a member of a Mastiff forum.) The sheer size of this dog alone is enough to deter someone, I know I wouldn't want to go up against 200 pounds of muscle, and their bark is like thunder.

This site has a good amount of very interesting Mastiffs. I randomly clicked on one, and that very first one was about a Mastiff (Dozer, I believe) who was adopted because the family's son had PTSD.

http://sneakpeeks.typepad.com/mastiffs/

She might be put off by their big, slobbery jowls at first. I was fourteen when my dad decided we should get a Mastiff, and let me tell you, I'm now sixteen and wouldn't want any other dog.

Also, whatever breed, I recommend a male. They're typically more chilled out and goofy than females. No mood swings!

I would get a gentle, friendly dog.

Think big in this situation

Gold retrievers, Labradors... I like those 2 dogs. They have SWEET HEART written across their face and they are very sweet dogs and love to spend time outside and inside.. Loyal and happy dogs too

i could be what i'm now, a stable ol' American blended breed. i could be severe, have a stable paintings ethic, and p.c. to stay in a stable working living house. If I have been saved as in basic terms a puppy in a fenced backyard, i could be digging super holes and barking because of the shear boredom of all of it. i could p.c. to be taken locations, to income new issues, and to work out human beings. i could be friendly yet reserved and not aggressive. i could be very unswerving to my loving proprietor and to the my kinfolk. My look could be standard. No extremes, possibly a medium or double coat. very like a bypass between a spaniel and a shepherd. coloration black possibly brown with somewhat white trim. i could be alluring to determine and severe-high quality to touch. i could problaby weight 50-60#.