#essacommunity

[sunny-essa-pups]

Moonie got customized today and yesterday :) new hairstyle, piercing, and a new harmess

[laylabugsz]

HI IM BUG !!

I was an ESSA creator on TikTok but it’s being shut down tomorrow unfortunately :(

BUT

I decided to make a Tumblr so I can still post about my essa’s and such

So here’s a little bit about me!

I’m 17 but I’m turning 18 this year

I have 7 essa’s

I like shows/movies like- Scott pilgrim , Bluey , family guy , and big mouth

I like music like - TV Girl , Alex G , Weezer , Green Day , and Radiohead

I like games like - class of 09 , yandere simulator , Minecraft , and Danganronpa

I am autistic

I love to draw

So now my dni list….

Homophobes

Racists

Xenophobes

Nazis/neo nazis

21+

Misogynists

Sexists

Ableists

MAPS

ZOOS

“Dark humor” enjoyers

People against essa’s

So that’s all about me!

[sunny-essa-pups]

To me, it honestly feels like most people who get mad about it are just... getting mad to get mad? It harms no one, and to be it seems more like using the SSD term promotes that SDs should be in stores, not ESAs.

Id pretty much call mine a SSD for all the reasons you do, and mine carries my meds for me :> i just normally dont openly call them a SSD because bullying aufnwj

id genuinely like to know, is SSD (stuffed service dog) a genuinely hurtful term? ive been told by pinterest users it is (despite having lots of reasons to call my SSD an SSD) in very nasty ways so i never listen but id love to be educated by someone who isnt calling me ableist or telling me to end my life over it :)

reasons i call Ares an SSD under the cut:

-i am a 17 year old male, and the term ESSA is mainly associated with 10-12 year old girls that mainly roleplay with their plushies. while i do this from time to time i mainly use him as a tool, not a toy (i know there ARE adult individuals who have ESSAS and they are valid too! i call ares an ESSA as well! i just personally enjoy the disconnection from the term ESSA which doesnt feel as serious)

-i am highly interested in service dogs as a whole and am currently attending school to learn how to train them (calling ares an SSD fuels my hyperfixation)

-ares is a genuine piece of equipment given to me by my psychiatrist and therapist of 2 years, and he is so important that when my high school did not allow me to bring him into class in 11th-12th grade, she gave me a medical excuse that forced them to allow me. he is a piece of medical equipment (her words)

-no i am not mocking service dog owners or calling my ares a service dog, i use the term to elevate his status from ESSA. he is not a stuffed service dog because he is a service dog. he is a stuffed service dog because he is a STUFFED DOG that serves me. difference.

-i genuinely need a service animal but as you probably know they are insanely expensive. calling ares an SSD instead of an ESSA kind of soothes that pain

i am not using the term SSD to be offensive or "be different", i use the term SSD for myself

[sunny-essa-pups]

Puppiesss

[sunny-essa-pups]

Question for Service Dog Handlers!!

Ykw, Service Dog Handlers. Question. How do yall actually feel about SSDs(Stuffed Service Dogs)? (Explanation under cut for what they ACTUALLY are). Genuinely asking cause ive seen so much harassment and death threats just for people using this term (ofc on tiktok, the forbidden place 💔)

Reminder that these votes are anonymous! Dont feel preassured into saying you support them, your vote is anon, and if you genuinely dont like the term, for a variety of reasons, vote as such!

Additional votes from people who dont use tumblr will be at the very bottom! I encorage you also read those :) theres very legitimate reasons to why someone may not like the term!

A more in depth breakdown

A SSD, when actually being genuinely used, is (often) used by those who qualify for a Service Dog but dont have the means to get one.

While they can not task, they still provide a service (ie; Service ≠ task).

(Service: the action of helping or doing work for someone)

A SSD can provide Help, not by doing work, but via carrying Meds, sweets, tactile stimulation, place for a head rest (dizzy spells-) and so on.

And no, im not counting the stories of kids annoying Service Dog handlers with theirs. Thats unfortunate kids being kids that werent raised right.

The way i have viewed it is that they are providing me a service, and i personally believe that most SD handlers dont care about a plush and would rather a plush with a Service Dog patch over a living fake 'service dog'. As well as to me, it feels like bringing an ESSA (Emotional Support Stuffed Animal) is more encouraging to bring ESAs in places their not allowed.)

The only argument i have seen against them is "SD handlers find it Offensive because their dogs had hours of training," but that is people speaking for you all. Speak for yourself.

others who agree with em from Tiktok but dont have tumblr

Person who says they are offensive from tiktok

^ completely understandable! The term DSSA is a great option and also accurately describes what we claim SSDs to do! They offered a legitimate reason for why they dont like the term, and explained politely when asked :) they are also checking with people they know for me for addition votes!

8 others agreed with the above

Two others just flat said ALL is offensive.

9 for DSSA ONLY

24 for They can help

14 for idc

[sunny-essa-pups]

SSD posting over on tiktok cause why am i witnessing people telling others to 'keys', threatening them, harassing and/or bullying over a term. Why in the world, in a community mainly about mental health and coping, are there people being rude to those coping. I have genuinely only witnessed two out of HUNDREDS of service dig handlers not like the term

[sunny-essa-pups]

Me and my new boy! 💕

[sunny-essa-pups]

Hi there! I have an essa and I was wondering how you add weights to yours? Also wanted to say that I’m a trans man too!

If you mean to the ears, i first carefully clip the string that holds their ears in place when you first buy them(almost all dogs with floppy ears will have these), cut the inside of the ear open in a small slit, slide some coins in til their at the tip of the ears, sew around the coins to secure them in place, than sew the hole in the ear closed. This lets the ears flop around more naturally like a real dogs!

If you wsnt the plush itself to be weighted, you can use mutiple things, like dry rice, uncooked beans... but theres of course plastic or glass pellets you can buy. After you got your chosen thing to add weight to your plush, you can either sew a pocket from fabric, or use a sock you dont use, fill it with your Weight product, and dew this pocket closed

After this, cut a hole in your plush's stomach and put the weighted item inside. You may have to take some stuffing out. After that, you can sew the plush up, and they'll be weighted :)

Also, awesome!! I dont see many other male ESSA handlers!! :0

[sunny-essa-pups]

Me and Honey are out at a restaurant! We have fried ice cream, it was soooo good!

More pics later! We're going grocery shopping too :D

[sunny-essa-pups]

Apollo got a bath today!

I love when the pups get baths! They look so cute when their wet!!

[sunny-essa-pups]

Zuko! I love my little husky dude

[sunny-essa-pups]

Lets learn about...

Zuko!

¤♡It's to be noted that i love to rp, and i love to give my plushes personalities because it makes me feel more connected to them♡¤

Name: Zuko

Gender: Male

Breed: Husky

Brand: Douglas Cuddle Toys

Birthday: March 6th, 2025

Job: Sled dog! He adores running and pulling things! Taking charge is his favorite.

Personality: an energetic pup! He finds it hard to stay still and needs to burn off that energy. If he doesn't have work to do, he will wreck havoc arpwund the house!

¤♡the birthday is the day i actually received the plush!♡¤

Want to see all the pups? Click here!

[sunny-essa-pups]

Hi sunny-essa-pups! I am the anon that asked abt the ssd thingy on kipri’s blog. I’d gladly read your ssd stuff! The more info the better :D

Hihi!!!

Time to info dump >:)

Okay! So (as slightly obvious from my account-) i try to advocate for SSDs a lot :)

LONG RAMBLE UNDER THE CUT

The Claims Against

The main reason most people are Against SSDs is because they claim they either

1: Mock Service Dogs

2: Service Dog Owners find them offensive

But

1: mocking has to be done with intent of mocking

2: i am currently researching into the claim SD owners find them offensive.

What Are SSDs?

SSDs is Stuffed Service Dogs. They are NOT claiming to be service dogs. They are, in a litaral sense, Stuffed Service Dogs. Its a break down of the terms.

First its important to actually Define what 'Service' means.

And a Stuffed Service Dog would be

Stuffed: Stuffed toy(ofc)

Service: the action of helping

Dog: simply because most SSDs are Dogs.

SSA can also be used (Stuffed Service Animal) but SSD is more recognizable.

What Defines Help?

Obviously, as stuffed animals, they can't task. That is why their Service is Helping, not Working.

Anything can be 'help' or be described as 'helpful', given context. If they make life easier, they can be Helpful.

Examples:

Dishwasher: Automates dishwashing, freeing up time and effort for other tasks

Noise-Canceling Headphones: Reduce distractions and promote focus, particularly beneficial in noisy environments.

How does this relate to Service?

The words Help and Service are often used interchangably, because they go hand and hand with each other:

Providing Assistance/Benefit: Both help and service aim to provide assistance or a benefit to another person or organization.

Meeting Needs: In many cases, both involve fulfilling a need or solving a problem for someone else.

Focus on the Recipient: Both concepts are directed towards someone who receives aid, support, or a particular action.

So the prev examples Service by:

A dishwasher provides the service of cleaning and sanitizing dishes, utensils, and cookware, automating a process that would otherwise be done manually

Noise-canceling headphones provide a service by actively reducing or eliminating unwanted background noise, creating a more focused and enjoyable listening experience.

How does SSDs Service?

SSDs can provide a service in a variety of ways!

For me personally, they help:

Carrying Inhaler

Carrying Anxiety meds

Carrying Communication Cards

Carrying mini Notebook

Carrying Sweets

Provides a Texture Sensory stim

Gives a grounding focus during panic

Head Rest for when i get dizzy and need to sit

For others?:

Holding small medical devices or supplies securely, such as:

- An EpiPen for severe allergic reactions.

- Insulin pump supplies for people with diabetes.

- Inhaler for managing respiratory conditions like asthma.

- Emergency medicine like nitroglycerin pills for heart conditions.

Offering a discreet way to carry and conceal medical equipment, reducing stigma and drawing less attention.

Carrying medical ID bracelets or necklaces, keeping the important information easily accessible and close to the body while also being less noticeable.

Offering a weighted function, using heavy materials or inserts, to help alleviate anxiety, stress, or sensory disorders through deep pressure stimulation and grounding.

Im sure there are other ways others may find how to help them as i dont have experinces in ways theyd help others. Thesr are examples off the top of my head.

[sunny-essa-pups]

Bathtime for Moon after our walk💕

Such a cutie

[sunny-essa-pups]

Let's learn about...

Lore!

¤♡It's to be noted that I love to rp, and I love to give my plushes personalities because it makes me feel more connected to them♡¤

Name: Lore (or Lord)

Gender: Male

Breed: Bernese Mountain Dog

Brand: Douglas Cuddle Toys

Birthday: April 22, 2025

Job: Trailblazer. Lore loves exploring the woods and running through the trails. He's always finding new paths and discovering hidden gems. His friends rely on him to lead the way and show them the best routes. He's very skilled at navigating through the wilderness.

Personality: Lore is a free-spirited pup. He's always up for an adventure and loves to explore new places. He's very curious and loves to investigate new sights and smells. He's also very playful and loves to run and chase after his friends. Despite his energetic personality, Lore is also very gentle and loving.

¤♡The birthday is the day I actually received the plush♡¤

Want to see all the pups? Click here!

[sunny-essa-pups]

My new pup! Er- wait... thats not a pup- a fox snuck in!

This is Deimos 💕 he wants to be a service pup, so he is pretending to be a dog to fit in! It's akright, he can be whoever he wants to be here 💕