Thank you for giving us wings and the freedom to discover new beginnings, at the other side of the world. We love you ….
FLY WITH YOUR ASSISTANCE DOG (PSD)
We train dogs as companions for people with mental disabilities who experience relief through their dog. These dogs work in the attachment and relationship system and for this reason they must be protected and spared from separation from its humans as well as from negative experiences and trauma in order to maintain their function for its humans and to be able to fulfill their tasks.
What we do?
Assistance dog (PSD)
– what is it?
Who we are?
Assistance dog (PSD)
– for whom?
What we want?
Contact
Our challenge
Our organization
PSDeurope Training – Contents
The PSDeurope video
current customer base (Feb 23)
Interested parties and inquiries (Feb 23)
Completed PSD trainings (Feb 23)
Important information
After our assistance dog test program within the 2022 PSD (Psychiatric Service Dog according to US DoT standards) training was very successful and our clients were able to travel with European airlines in many cases, we have now decided to push the assistance dog training, develop it further and offer it as an independent training. We note that assistance dog training for mental health problems is being re-regulated in Europe and is subject to new standards. We have and will continue to incorporate these into the current program.
PSD quick access bar
Quickly find the topic you are particularly interested in and click on the corresponding image
Your PSD test
Your dog as PSD ? Find out if this is possible, do your personal test. All information is treated confidentially
Download
This is our Member Download Area. Use the transmitted password to visit the site. You will find many important hints and lists there.
Video examples
Here you will find examples of videos created for the basic skills and task list
Trainings - Progress
This checklist allows you to record and view your personal progress during the PSDeurope training.
PSDeurope Webshop
Visit our store. Here you will find all PSDeurope trainings, products and offers to fly with your dog.
Online therapy booking
Book your online therapy session with our psychotherapist Dr. Beate Pottmann-Knapp
Data transmission
Please send us your data and information with this form. We need this for the creation of all PSDeurope documents, certificates and ID cards.
Theory course access
After booking your specific PSDeurope training, you will find the link to our online training platform here.
What we do?
We train assistance dogs in Europe WITH A FOCUS ON MENTAL DISABLILITY
We train according to the general guidelines of the US Department of Transport (USDoT), or according to the latest European and international guidelines for training assistance dogs for people with psychological and mental problems. 🐾 💝
PSD-europe Training for PSD according to US-DoT Standards
A PSD should also accompany its human on trips (especially air travel). For flights and travel to/through/from USA and Canada the US DoT standards are to be followed and will be trained in our PSDeurope training.
Assistance Dog Training
If you are traveling with your dog, European airlines, airports, rail – and other travel companies often require you to have completed assistance dog training. This differs in some respects from the US standards. This training has therefore become the focus of our program in 2022 and will be updated every 3 months.
The combination of theory and practice as a challenge
A well-trained assistance dog (PSD) human/dog partner team requires theoretical and practical know-how. Knowhow for the everyday life accomplishment with mental restrictions and problem definitions. Our focus is on strengthening the bond and relationship within the team. Your dog should support you as best as possible in everyday life and life design. 🍀
Who we are?
We work Non Profit, as NGO
PSDeurope is part of the Association for Bonding and Relationship in Animal Assisted Work, VFBB, based in Austria and operates as a non-profit institution.
Based in Austria with the claim to represent the topic of assistance dogs (PSD) globally in a serious manner.
In Europe we are the first institute to deal intensively with the topic of assistance dog training for psychological and mental problems and the associated requirements.
People from psychotherapy, management, law, dog training
We are a team of people who bring experience from a variety of fields to create an optimal product to train and certify a dog as an assistance dog (PSD) with his human
Cooperation with dog schools, assistance dog trainers and European clubs
PSDeurope can only work the global market with cooperations. We know that and are therefore open to any kind of meaningful cooperation. Initial steps have been successfully implemented in Spain, Switzerland, Portugal, Austria, Germany, Indonesia and the USA.
What we want?
The recognition of the assistance dog/PSD as a special status of a service dog.
Each assistance dog/PSD is individually assigned to a specific person. The assignment happens after the bonding phenomenon as between mother and infant. Teams are created spontaneously or intentionally.
Therefore, the same guidelines cannot generally apply to the assistance dog as to assistance dogs in general. According to our concept, training without the associated human being is not meaningful and not possible.
Seriously helping people who need an assistance dog (PSD) to manage your life
People with mental/psychiatric/mental impairments, who experience symptom relief through the bond with their dog, cope with everyday life and give their lives meaning and room for development, should also have the opportunity to take their dog with them on trips – without discrimination – and with any means of transport.
The special focus is on meeting all the necessary regulations to fly with the dog in the cabin.
Be a good and stable partner to airlines worldwide on the subject of assistance dogs (PSD)
The behavior of the human/dog teams we train must contribute to flight safety. We also expect exemplary behavior in the airport areas as well as at check-in and security control. These are very important topics in our theory training as well as in the prescribed dog skills for acceptance as an assistance dog (PSD) team.
During the training and also during the leading of the dog all regulations of the animal protection must be fulfilled extensively.
respect the standards of globally active institutions such as ESAAT, PSDP or iaadp
The widest possible acceptance of PSDeurope training would be promoted through accreditation with globally active service and assistance dog associations. It is therefore our goal to discuss, agree and accredit with these institutions the acceptance, scope and content of the PSDeurope training system.
This includes the companies that manage our human/animal partner teams on land, water and in the air.
What is an assistance dog or a PSD?
A dog that supports the psyche of a person and helps him to lead a normal life
Assistance dogs/PSDs are DOGS that provide therapeutic benefits to their owner with mental/psychiatric dysfunction or context related limitations (fear of flying, claustrophobia, etc.) through affection and companionship while being trained to reinforce those limitations not only through their existence but also through individual abilities
A dog that has and lives a special relationship and bond with its human
An assistance dog/PSD takes on special tasks that are not only based on special dispositions and abilities, but have a special bond and relationship with the assigned human as the basis of cooperation. Any training cannot therefore focus on the dog alone, but must take into account important elements of psychological cooperation. Man and dog form a functioning whole
A dog specialized in psychiatric/ psycho-somatic complaints
When the assistance dog/PSD is with its owner, the owner can and will be more relaxed, more confident, more present in the here and now. He/she often feels less lonely, freer from compulsions and other emotional limitations, and more open to many activities in everyday life.
A dog that is assisting its owner with psychiatric impairments may not be separated from the owner under any circumstances. Separation is very likely to trigger an acute crisis.
A dog that learns + carries out special tasks in dialogue with its human
An assistance dog/PSD performs specially learned tasks. A dog bonded to its human can learn the following tasks: warning of stress increase, increase of discomfort, of psychological seizures, psycho-somatic deterioration; recognizing emotional emergencies, fetching medications and aids; interrupting states of suffering, giving orientation, being an anchor, being the so-called “safe place”, giving concrete support during seizures, interrupting misbehavior, stabilizing emotions, activating resources, promoting concentration, monitoring and demanding structure and many more
Who needs an assistance dog (PSD)?
A person with psychological / mental limitations who can make their life better with a dog
A person with psychological problems who is recommended an animal by a doctor or psychotherapist
A person who already owns a dog and can no longer imagine living his life without it
A person who would like to travel but cannot do so without animal help due to fears and insecurities
We have the opportunity to do something positive and give many people another piece of normal life. Be part of it.
The history:
The knowledge and scientific confirmation that animals have a positive effect on the human psyche in many ways was first recognized in the USA. By law, animals that bring relief to a person with a mental/psychiatric impairment (mental disability) may not be separated from their owner – they are animals with special rights. They are called Emotional Support Animals.
This status is obtained when a specialist (GP, specialist in psychiatry/neurology, psychologist, psychotherapist) checks and confirms that the animal’s owner is suffering from a mental/psychiatric illness (diagnosis according to ICD or DSM) and alleviation of symptoms and complaints through the special bond and relationship with his animal.
Due to undisciplined behavior, the complaints increased and the demands for regulations and training of the animals became louder and louder. The US Department of Transportation (DoT) has done a thorough study on this issue. In December 2020, the results of the investigation were published in the US DoT Final Rule.
Dogs that provide mental support to their owners, are trained in prescribed behavioral rules, and have learned specific tasks that support their owner’s psyche must continue to be allowed in the cabin.
These dogs are given the title PSD. These regulations apply to all dogs in the USA, regardless of age, breed or size or other characteristics. The EU is working on a corresponding law for assistance dogs. We expect first announcements in 2024.
Want to book assistance dog (PSD) training for your dog?
You have further questions?
You want to test whether you can do a PSD training?
Our top priorities
The PSDeurope project is currently to be ranked above all other projects at VFBB. The background is the clear desire to fly (travel) with your own dog if it is prescribed by a suitable doctor or psychotherapist as a necessary PSD (psychiatric service dog). It is therefore the task and goal of PSDeurope to optimize PSD training for dogs and humans.
Customer service
We are not a profit-oriented organization that is concerned with generating new sales and selling our services and products at any price. We really want to help you train your dog to be a valuable service dog and we understand that this is not easy for all people with mental disabilities. We are here to help. We do not let you alone.
theory training
Theory training is one of the main pillars of our assistance dog (PSD) training. It is about giving you, as a dog owner, the best conditions to lead and train your service dog and to provide you with all the information you need to get along with your dog in a wide variety of situations (shopping, flying, visiting) without any problems.
Special: Traveling in Europe
We have designed our training according to USDoT standards so that it is accepted by European organizations, tour operators and official bodies and our clients can travel with their service dog in Europe without any problems. This is currently a great wish of our customers, which we have come very close to fulfilling in 2022. Many satisfied customers can and will confirm this.
Flying with the assistance dog (PSD)
Airlines are particularly interested in keeping their flights, their crews and their passengers absolutely safe. An assistance dog (PSD) can then pose some risk if the dog fails or the human/animal team does not harmonize well. It is therefore our task to make the airlines understand that we do not compromise on safety, our dogs are well trained and our customers take the same values for granted.
PSD Project: Accreditation
We are currently working on putting the VFBB and your projects PSDeurope and EURO-DOGS.eu on a broader basis. This requires the accreditation of the developed trainings with supra-regional organizations such as ESAAT for the therapy dog complex and IAADP for the assistance dog (PSD) training content. This is the specific target for 2023
Support us – share your story
In the past we have been repeatedly confronted with the importance of animal-assisted work in various areas. The topic fascinates us and is now much more than a hobby and an idea. We feel more than connected to our customers
Our partners & supporters
Do you have any questions - contact us?
Project by VFBB (Association for Bonding and Relationships between Humans and Animals)
Wörthersee Süduferstrasse 181
AT 9081 Maria Worth
Carinthia, Austria
Phone: +43 664 9654601
service@psd-europe.eu
