Winchester, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/06/2013 -- Since the U.S. Department of Justice officially began to recognize psychiatric service dogs in the Americans with Disabilities Act in 2011, these professionally trained animals have been changing the lives of thousands of people with developmental disabilities, severe anxiety, PTSD, seizure behaviors, panic attacks, depression, hypertension, bipolar and personality disorders, and accompanying physical disorders and disabilities. Dog Wish, a non-profit organization specializing in training service dogs, trains dogs to perform tasks specific to psychiatric service dogs.

“We have been committed to helping those with critical needs for psychiatric service dogs for over a decade,” said Bob Taylor, dog trainer and founder of Wish Dog. “It has been extremely rewarding to train and place over 200 service K-9s with individuals who have come to us for help,” Taylor added.

Psychiatric service dogs trained by Dog Wish perform more intelligent, complex tasks than traditional service animals, such as detecting abnormal and unwanted neurological behavior in the brain of the handler, detecting abnormal and unwanted smells in the body of the handler, detecting and alerting to incorrect intentions in their handler, and stopping their handler from actions that can cause them injury. These dogs are not only there for emotional support, but have been extensively conditioned with advanced training to detect, understand and respond to the mental and emotional needs of their handlers.

Psychiatric service dogs’ primary functions include shielding handlers against stress, helping them to communicate better, helping handlers be more neurologically balanced, and be more cognitive and rational. Each of these functions can be considered a task the dog performs for the patient. Unlike a guide or mobility dog, a psychiatric service dog’s tasks are designed to enhance their handler’s ability to function more normally in day-to-day life.

About Dog Wish
Dog Wish is a charitable non-profit organization that trains top quality service dogs and places them with those with Autism, dementia, PTSD, seizures, and more, at cost-effective rates. For over thirty years, Dog Wish has offered the best in dog training for working dogs, service dogs, and family pets. Founder Bob Taylor has been honored for his work by several organizations, like The Red Cross, Make-A-Wish Foundation, the German Shepherd Dog Club, and others.

During the past several years, Taylor has trained over 300 service dogs for the disabled community, and Dog Wish continues to provide and place dogs trained on a level that changes the lives of everyone who owns them. To learn more about psychiatric service dogs, visit http://www.dogwish.org/.