As of May 2026, Emotional Support Animal training is now required under HUD’s new Guidance for federal enforcement purposes. To receive federal protection through HUD’s complaint process, your ESA must be trained to perform work or a task related to your disability. Since the Fair Housing Act (FHA) itself does not define “emotional support animal” or “assistance animal,” we must look to HUD’s Guidance to understand how these protections are enforced. Under the new Guidance, HUD will only review complaints involving Emotional Support Animals that are trained to respond to a symptom of their owner’s disability.

First Step to Training Your Emotional Support Animal

To train a pet to be an emotional support animal, your first step is to teach basic obedience and calm public behavior. And now, since HUD only backs federal complaints for animals trained to perform a disability-related task, consider adding one trained task like Deep Pressure Therapy, tactile stimulation, or interrupting anxious behavior as the second step.

Does Everyone Have To Train their Emotional Support Animals?

The Fair Housing Act itself hasn’t changed, so requirements still vary by state and property. Some states, such as Colorado, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Wisconsin, Louisiana (requiring therapeutic emotional support), and New Jersey, still maintain the “original” definition that an ESA only needs to provide comfort or support and does not need to be specifically trained. That means, if you live in a state that does not have its own law, your rights are governed by the FHA and any HUD Guidance, and therefore, they are recommended to be trained. In addition, some states provide protections for emotional support animals or service dogs in training (SDiT). A few examples are Colorado and New Jersey. 

In this article, we will explain the training requirements for emotional support dogs and share tips and advice for proper training.

Emotional Support Animal Training Requirements

Under previous federal guidelines, emotional support dogs did not need any specialized training. Emotional support dogs provided comfort to their owners in times of distress by being loyal, present, and comforting companions. In the past and today, to maintain housing rights, an emotional support dog does need general training to be well-behaved and safe for other residents. If an emotional support dog frequently disrupts the neighbors, goes to the bathroom where it isn’t supposed to, damages property, or attacks someone, these can be reasons to disallow the dog, even with ESA status. Like other animals and humans living in residential buildings, ESAs are expected to be good neighbors. 

However, after the HUD guidance update in 2026, states without their own Fair Housing accommodations for Emotional Support Animals may now be required to train their ESA to perform a task that aids in their specific disability.

What trained qualities should an Emotional Support Dog possess?

ESA owners should strive to train their emotional support dogs to have the following qualities:

1. Basic Obedience

Training Goal: Teach your ESA to respond to their name and follow basic commands like “sit,” “stay,” and “come.”

Why It’s Important: Basic obedience ensures your ESA is manageable and safe in various situations. It helps prevent accidents and makes your animal a more welcome presence in different environments.

2. Calm Behavior in Public

Training Goal: Train your ESA to remain quiet, avoid jumping on people, and stay calm in new environments.

Why It’s Important: Calm public behavior is crucial for maintaining housing rights and access to common areas. Disruptive behavior can lead to complaints and potentially jeopardize your ability to keep your ESA in rental housing.

3. Proper Potty Habits

Training Goal: Ensure your ESA uses designated areas for bathroom needs and can signal when they need to go. It might also be a good idea to teach them to use the bathroom on cue, such as “go potty”, to make sure they are going when and where you want them to.

Why It’s Important: Proper bathroom habits are essential for maintaining a clean living environment and preventing property damage. Inappropriate elimination can lead to conflicts with landlords or property managers, potentially risking your housing situation.

4. Socialization

Training Goal: Teach your ESA to be comfortable around different people and animals without showing aggression or fear.

Why It’s Important: Good socialization helps prevent conflicts with neighbors, other pets, or strangers. It ensures your ESA can accompany you in common areas without causing stress or issues.

5. Emotional Responsiveness

Training Goal: Develop your ESA’s ability to recognize your symptoms and respond when needed.

Why It’s Important: This is one of many ways your ESA can provide better support, especially if your disability involves extreme anxiety, a panic disorder, or trauma responses. An emotionally responsive dog can provide better support during these times of increased stress and anxiety, fulfilling their primary role more effectively.

6. Household Manners

Training Goal: Train your ESA to respect household boundaries and avoid destructive behaviors.

Why It’s Important: Good household manners prevent property damage and create a more harmonious living environment. This is especially important in rental situations where property damage could lead to financial penalties or eviction.

7. Noise Control

Training Goal: Train your ESA to minimize excessive vocalization and respond to “quiet” commands.
Why It’s Important: Excessive noise can be disruptive to neighbors and may violate noise ordinances or lease agreements. Controlling your ESA’s vocalizations helps maintain positive relationships with neighbors and landlords.

Tips on Training Your Emotional Support Dog

ESA owner training ESA dog in park
Start with basic obedience training to help your emotional support dog respond to your needs.

Training an emotional support dog is a rewarding journey that can help your furry friend become a calm, well-behaved companion. Here are some general tips and practical advice to help you train your emotional support dog. When following these tips, practice in a calm, quiet, familiar environment, and keep plenty of treats on hand. And remember, every dog is an individual, so go at your dog’s pace and always end training on a good note..

1. Start with Basic Obedience Training

Basic obedience is the foundation of any good training program. Start with simple commands like “sit,” “stay,” and “come.” Here’s how to teach some of these basic commands:

  • “Sit”: Hold a treat close to your dog’s nose, then slowly move it over their head. As their head follows the treat, their bottom should naturally lower to the ground. When they sit, praise and reward them immediately. Once they are sitting frequently with just the treat, you can start saying “sit” as you move the treat over their head. Repeat this exercise for 5-10 minutes each day, spaced out throughout the day. Eventually you’ll be able to phase out the treat, and they should reliably sit with just the verbal cue.
  • “Stay”: Ask your dog to sit, then hold your hand out, palm facing them, and say “stay.” Take one step back. If your dog stays in place, move back to them, give them a treat, and praise them heavily. Gradually increase the distance and time they need to stay before rewarding them, and always make sure you are moving back to them before releasing them from the stay position.
  • “Come”: In an enclosed area, such as a backyard or even your living room, let your dog do their own thing while following them closely. Periodically, say their name in a high-pitched, cheerful voice, followed by the word “come!”. It’s important that you only say the word ‘come’ once. As soon as they move towards you, praise and reward them heavily. Gradually increase your distance from them, always making sure that you are the most exciting thing in the area. This may require crouching onto the ground and slapping your knees, or making additional high-pitched noises to increase their interest in you. “Come” is one of the hardest behaviors to teach a dog, so take your time to get it right, and go slow when increasing distance and adding in distractions.

2. Socialize Your Dog with New People and Places

Socialization helps your dog become comfortable around new people, animals, and environments. Remember, every dog is an individual, so go slow with any new introductions.Here’s how to do it:

  • New Environments: Start by taking your dog to quiet places like a park or an open field. If they remain calm, reward them with treats and praise. As they get used to these environments, gradually introduce them to busier places like streets or shopping areas. Always reward them for calm behavior.
  • Meeting New People and Dogs: Arrange for your dog to meet different types of people—men, women, children, and even people in uniforms. Allow your dog to approach new people slowly, and reward them when they remain calm and friendly. When meeting other dogs, start with calm, friendly dogs in a neutral space, and keep an eye on body language to ensure positive interactions.
  • Sounds, Smells, Textures, and Objects: Depending on where you live, you may also need to help your dog acclimate to certain sounds, like a garbage truck, or smells, like a nearby racetrack. You may also need to introduce your dog to textures, such as asphalt, or unusual objects, like a crane. Dogs need positive affirmation from you as you socialize them that these are all things that are normal and can be ignored, rather than causing them stress.
  • If at any point you notice any kind of fearful, reactive, or aggressive behavior from your dog, for any reason, you should stop training immediately and contact a professional trainer for guidance. Socialization is one of the most important training tasks for dogs. Take your time, follow your dog’s lead when it comes to their comfort level and interest, and always make every experience a positive one.

3. Teach Your Dog to Perform a Task

You may teach your dog to perform a task for you. Here are some services you may want to train your ESA to do for you:

  • Deep Pressure Therapy: Teach your dog to lie or lean (or even step!) on your chest or lap when you’re stressed. Use the “paws up” command to get them onto the sofa or your lap, then reward them for staying still and calm.
  • Interrupt Anxious Behavior: Teach your dog to nudge or paw at you when you show signs of stress, like leg bouncing or fast breathing. Mimic the habit during training, and reward the dog the moment they notice and react.
  • Retrieve a Specific Item: Teach your dog to bring you one item on command. Use a consistent cue word like “bring it,” and reward every successful retrieval.
  • Grounding Contact: Teach your dog to press their body against your leg or side on command. This gives you something physical to focus on during a panic episode.

4. Help Your Dog Overcome Fears

Some dogs may be scared of certain things, everyday things, like the vacuum cleaner or a delivery driver. You can help them feel more comfortable using desensitization and counterconditioning:

  • Get Used to Loud Noises: Play recordings of sounds like thunderstorms or fireworks at a low volume while giving your dog treats. Gradually increase the volume over time, always rewarding calm behavior.
  • Create Positive Associations: If your dog is afraid of something specific, like a vacuum cleaner, use treats to create a positive association. Start with the vacuum off, reward your dog for calm behavior, then gradually work up to turning it on and moving it.
  • Desensitize to Common Occurrences: While some response to a person knocking at the door is expected for dogs, some can take it to the extreme with excessive barking, growling, and even property damage. Desensitize your dog to the arrival of a delivery driver, utility reader, or guests by staying calm and rewarding their own calm behavior. Teach them a “quiet” cue so that they only bark once or twice to alert you, and then go quiet. Limit their access to any windows if they tend to get wound up when they see something outside, too.

Sometimes desensitization and counterconditioning work, and sometimes it doesn’t. Not every dog can be trained to do what needs to be done, but do your best to support your dog the best you can.

5. Keep a Consistent Training Routine

Consistency is key in dog training. Even after your dog is a pro at any behavior, it’s still a good idea to schedule practice sessions periodically to keep those training muscles working. Every owner and dog’s routine will be different, so create something that works for both you AND your dog, so that you can stick to it. Here’s a sample daily training schedule:

  • Morning: Spend 10 minutes practicing basic commands like “sit” and “stay,” followed by a 20- to 30-minute walk or play session.
  • Afternoon: Practice socialization by visiting a new location or meeting new people or dogs, followed by a few minutes of relaxation training on a mat.
  • Evening: Work on specific emotional support tasks, such as deep pressure therapy or behavior interruption, and finish with a fun play session or mental stimulation activity like a puzzle toy.

6. Adjust and Monitor Progress

Training is a gradual process, and every dog learns at their own pace. Keep a training journal to track your dog’s progress and make changes to your approach as needed. If you find certain challenges are too difficult, consider seeking help from a professional dog trainer or behaviorist.

Deep Pressure Therapy

ESA dog on couch training
If you need your emotional support dog to respond to your anxiety, you can train them to do deep pressure therapy.

Clinical studies have shown that a technique called Deep Pressure Therapy (DPT) can help calm those who suffer from anxiety, autism, self-harming behaviors, and stress in general. This is a skill that some psychiatric service dogs are able to perform. 

Teaching an emotional support dog to perform this task may also benefit ESA owners. 

The principle behind DPT is to have the dog apply gentle pressure to your body, chest, or affected body part, depending on the size of the canine. For smaller dogs, you can teach them to lie directly across your chest or along the front of your body, while larger breeds can be trained to place their heads or feet across your lap or legs, or even just press up against you, whatever is most comfortable for you. We offer a free training guide for anyone interested; email us anytime to request it.

Here are some suggested steps for teaching your dog Deep Pressure Therapy:

  1. On the Sofa & Paws Up Command

    If your dog isn’t used to being on a sofa, you may have to coax them with some treats. This is as simple as showing your dog the treat, then slowly moving them to the back of the sofa while excitedly saying their name and “paws up” (e.g., “Toby, paws up!”)

    Depending on your dog’s reluctance to join you on the sofa, you may have to reward them each time they get closer to being on the couch. If you only want your dog on the sofa when you cue them, it’s important that you still make the experience positive, even if you are telling them “off” or to go to their own bed. For dogs who show any reluctance about the sofa, it’s best to just encourage them no matter what, and then work on teaching the cue later.
  2. Practice

    If you have a smaller dog, the main goal is for your pooch to have all four paws on the sofa, and then be in a “down” position. If your dog is larger and you don’t want to or can’t bear their weight, this “paws up” command will be with the front paws or head on the sofa. Alternatively, you can also teach your dog to sit next to you, and then lean into you. This doesn’t apply as much pressure as a head or paws, but it might work better for owners who have physical limitations or who have extremely large dogs.

    Keep practicing the “paws up” command with treats until your dog knows what it means. Once this is accomplished, you can start gradually fading out the treats, so your dog responds to just the cue.
  3. Paws Off Command

    Next, you will want to teach your dog the “paws off” command. This is the same as “paws up,” but in reverse. To practice, call your dog off the sofa with the command “paws off.” This is taught similarly to the “come” command, so make sure you are making yourself the most exciting thing in the room when you are first teaching it, and, to avoid confusion, it’s advised to not start teaching this cue until after your dog is already fairly proficient in the “paws up” cue.

    Remember to reward them each time they follow through, then you can start gradually fade out the treats and begin combining both the “paws up” and “paws off” training sessions.
  4. Laying/Sitting on the Sofa

    Ideally, for the DPT to work, you want your small-to-medium-sized dog to lie vertically on top of or alongside your body with their paws on your shoulders and their head next to yours. If you have a large dog, they will put their paws across your legs or lay their head on your lap when you are in a sitting position, or they can simply sit next to you and lean into your body instead.

    Before moving on, your dog should know the “down” cue if you are going to be having them lie down on or next to you, a “paw” or “touch” cue if you are wanting them to place just their paws on you, a “head down” cue if you are wanting them to place their head down on your lap, or a “sit” and “lean” cue if you are wanting them to lean into you. Each additional step beyond the “paws up” cue should have a different verbal name to avoid confusion with other behaviors.

    To train your dog to lie down on top of you, use the “paws up” command, and then the “down” command once they are vertically in place or along your lap. When your dog accomplishes this task, give them a treat, followed by the “paws down” command. If you are teaching them to put their head or paws in your lap, give the “paws up” cue, then give the “paw/touch” cue to have them place one or both paws on your lap, or the “head down” cue if you want them to place their head on you instead. For the lean, give them the “paws up” cue, then the “sit” cue, and finally the “lean” cue.

    It will take a lot of daily practice before your dog can do this without a food reward. This is an incredibly complex chain of behaviors, so take it slowly and don’t try to combine too many cues at once. Once your dog is performing the behaviors consistently, you can begin fading out the food reward.
  5. Signs of Anxiety Training
    Once your dog has mastered the above techniques, take the training further by mimicking the symptoms you experience during a stressful situation. By practicing this while you are calm and able to reward your dog for following the commands, when you are in real need, it’s more likely that your dog will be able to respond quicker and more reliably, even if no food reward is present.

Can cats be trained as an ESA?

Cats can absolutely be trained to be Emotional Support Animals. There are animal trainers that specialize in training cats. Generally, all animals can be trained using positive reinforcement, so a cat can be trained for ESA tasks in the same way a dog can. It may be easier to determine if a dog is a better ESA candidate than a cat, since a cat’s personality can vary drastically. If you are struggling with training your cat to perform a task for your disability yourself, a professional cat trainer or behavior consultant to discuss the best way of choosing and training a cat as an ESA. There are several online training programs where you could start your research, such as the Animal Behavior Institute, Karen Pryor Academy, or ABC College, all of which offer programs on training cats.

Emotional Support Animals Help

Emotional support animals have a unique way of calming people or comforting them in their moments of need. To qualify for an emotional support dog, you need an ESA letter from a licensed healthcare professional. To work directly with a licensed ESA specialist, click the link below.

Make Your Dog an Official Emotional Support Dog

Get Your ESA Letter

Get Your ESA Letter From a Licensed Mental Health Professional