When considering whether to make your dog a Psychiatric Service Dog (PSD) or an Emotional Support Animal (ESA), it is essential to evaluate your specific needs. If your dog provides comfort and support for your mental health solely through its presence and does not perform specific tasks to assist with your mental health disability, it is likely classified as an ESA. For housing purposes, an ESA holds the same rights as a PSD, allowing exemption from no-pets housing policies as well as breed, size, and weight restrictions. Additionally, you will also be exempt from paying pet rent, fees, and deposits. By obtaining an ESA Letter, you can establish your dog as an ESA and take advantage of these benefits. On the other hand, a PSD must be individually trained to perform at least one task that can help alleviate your mental health disability. An example of a trained task may be “Therapeutic and Tactile Distraction” which means your dog is trained to sense when you’re feeling anxious and place pressure on your body to encourage emotional regulation and bring you to a calm state of mind where you can cope with your daily activities. If having your dog accompany you everywhere is important, opting for a PSD is more suitable. PSDs have access rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), allowing them to enter public places and board flights. It’s important to note that your dog must be trained to perform a specific task that helps alleviate your mental health symptoms in order to qualify as a PSD. You can have your dog professionally trained, or you can just train them yourself.