Training Service Dogs

Training Service Dogs: A Comprehensive Guide for Future Handlers

Having a service dog can be life changing for people with disabilities. Service dogs are highly trained to perform specific tasks that help mitigate their handler's disability and increase independence. While organizations exist that provide fully trained service dogs, many people choose to owner-train their own service dog. This allows them to bond with the dog from a young age and have more control over its training. Owner-training a service dog is a big commitment but can be very rewarding. In this comprehensive guide, I'll cover everything you need to know as a future service dog handler, from choosing a puppy to public access training.

Choosing a Service Dog Candidate

Choosing the right service dog candidate is one of the most important decisions you'll make. Pay close attention to temperament when selecting a puppy or young dog. Look for an eager to please attitude and rock solid nerves. The dog must be comfortable in all environments and show no signs of aggression or reactivity. Service dogs also need to be intelligent enough to master complex tasks but calm and focused when working.

Certain breeds commonly selected for service work include:

• Labradors:Known for their friendly, stable temperaments. Labs are smart, eager to please and highly trainable. Their moderate energy level and size make them good mobility dogs.
• Golden Retrievers:Similar to labs in temperament. Goldens are bright, gentle dogs that transition well to public settings. Their devoted nature makes them excellent for medical alert and psychiatric work.
• German Shepherds:Intelligent, protective dogs often chosen for mobility and medical alert tasks. Their trainability and confidence allow them to guide handlers through crowds or unfamiliar settings.
• Poodles:Incredibly smart, athletic dogs perfect for a wide range of service tasks. Poodles are hypoallergenic and come in multiple sizes. Their eagerness to work and non-shedding coats are big advantages.

While purebreds are most common, mixed breeds can also make wonderful service dogs if temperament tested thoroughly. Rescue dogs are generally not recommended because their genetic background and early life experiences are unknown.

No matter its breed, the puppy or dog should exhibit confidence, curiosity and deliberate focus when interacting with its environment. Shyness, anxiety or hyperactivity are undesirable traits for prospective service dogs. Socialization and extensive temperament testing during puppy hood gives important insight into whether a candidate has service dog potential.

Obtaining a Service Dog Candidate

You'll increase your chances of success by starting with a puppy specifically bred for service work. Reputable breeders or organizations breed dogs for health, temperament and trainability. Some things to look for include:

• Whelped in a clean, stimulating environment:Pups benefit tremendously from proper breeder care and early neurological stimulation.
• Health tested parents:Hereditary issues like hip dysplasia can shorten a service dog's working life. Choose puppies from health tested parents with OFA ratings of Good or Excellent.
• Puppy aptitude testing:Structured testing between 7-8 weeks identifies pups with the confidence, intelligence and focus needed for service work.
• Early socialization:The breeder should expose pups to new sights, sounds, surfaces and experiences from 3-16 weeks old to develop a solid temperament.

Reputable breeders and organizations with proven success in supplying service dogs include:

• Guide Dogs for the Blind
• Paws With A Cause
• Canine Companions for Independence
• Assistance Dogs International(Search for ADI accredited programs near you)

You can also find service dog candidates at shelters or rescues if you have experience evaluating temperament. Look for organizations that temperament test and specially train dogs with service potential. Some examples are:

• Shelter to Service Dogs
• Rescue to Service Dogs
• Service Dog Project

No matter where you find your prospect, temperament and genetic soundness are the top priorities. Raise any red flags with the breeder/organization before committing to a puppy.

Preparing For a New Service Dog Puppy

Welcoming a service dog puppy into your home is exciting but requires planning. Make sure you have the time, energy, financial means and living situation to properly raise and train a service dog. Some preparations include:

• Puppy proofing:Get down on your knees and remove anything hazardous or valuable a pup could destroy. Block access to electric cords.
• Supplies:Stock up on leashes, collars, bowls, beds, chew toys, enzyme cleaner, potty training aids and vet recommended food.
• Containment:Determine where the puppy will be confined when you can't directly supervise. Options are a crate, exercise pen or dog proofed room.
• Vet care:Establish a relationship with a vet clinic experienced in service dog health. Schedule the pup's first appointment for an exam and vaccinations.
• Socialization plan:Make a checklist of experiences, environments and surfaces to expose the puppy to. Recruit friends with friendly, vaccinated dogs for socialization play dates.
• Training treats:Purchase soft, pea-sized training treats the puppy loves. Treats are vital for capturing and rewarding desired behaviors.
• Schedule:Adjust your schedule to accommodate the puppy's feeding, exercise, training and potty needs. Young pups require near constant supervision.
• Pet sitter:Line up a pet sitter, friend or family member that can care for the puppy if you need to be away. Consistency is crucial during the foundational training phase.

Preparing for your new service dog puppy takes time and effort but pays off in the long run. Having supplies, systems and schedule adjustments in place makes the first few weeks smoother.

Service Dog Puppy Training Fundamentals

The most critical period for behavior development is between 8 weeks to 6 months old. Focus training on the following core concepts to raise a successful service dog:

House Training

• Take the puppy out to potty frequently, at least every two hours when awake plus after eating, playing, sleeping and chewing.
• Always praise and reward pottying outside with treats and a happy voice. Limit scolding accidents inside.
• Feed on a consistent schedule and restrict water 2-3 hours before bedtime to help avoid overnight accidents.
• Confine the puppy or directly supervise when inside. The more accidents they have in the home, the more that spot will smell like an approved potty area.

Stay diligent and patient. Most puppies reliably house train between 4-6 months old.

Socialization

• Safely expose the puppy to a wide variety of people, environments, sounds and objects. Create positive associations through treats, toys and praise.
• Prioritize introducing different ages, abilities, sizes and ethnicities of people. Also expose the puppy to uniforms, hats, beards, wheelchairs, crutches, canes and people with poor mobility.
• Arrange controlled meetings with vaccinated, gentle puppies and dogs so they learn how to politely interact with others.
• Bring the puppy to parks, stores, elevators, stairs, slippery floors, cars and public transportation. Let them hear machinery, sirens, bikes, skateboards and screaming kids from a distance.
• Don't flood the puppy or force interactions. Keep experiences positive and don't pass their stress threshold.

Socialization prevents future reactivity or fearfulness. It should continue throughout the dog's life but is most urgent before 12-16 weeks old.

Basic Cues

• Use reward-based methods to teach cues like sit, down, stay, come, heel, leave it and drop it. Keep training sessions short and upbeat.
• Practice cues in different locations with reasonable distractions. Increase difficulty gradually. Avoid repetitive drilling.
• Reward voluntary focus and eye contact. Say the puppy's name before issuing cues to teach responsiveness.
• Discourage behaviors like jumping, nipping, barking and pulling on leash with redirection, distraction or timeout. Never use punishment.
• Hand feed meals and treats to establish yourself as the giver of all good things.

Laying a foundation of obedience provides control, imparts manners and strengthens your bond. Execute cues cheerfully and mix training with play.

Handling and Body Conditioning

• Hand feed meals and treats while gently handling the puppy's body - paws, ears, tail, muzzle and toes. Teach them to accept restraint.
• Get the puppy comfortable wearing a collar, harness, leash, being crated and having their nails trimmed. Make it fun with toys and praise.
• Gently expose the puppy to being bumped, unbalanced, moved while standing/sitting, and having equipment like capes, goggles or boots placed on them. Keep it gradual and positive.
• Play crate games to teach the puppy a crate is rewarding, not scary. Randomly call them in and reward for entering.

This desensitization prevents service tasks involving equipment and restraint from being uncomfortable or scary later on.

Raising a service dog puppy has unique challenges but the effort pays off. Use positive, structured training to shape good manners, confidence and focus. The result will be a well-rounded dog ready for specialized task training.

Choosing Tasks for Your Service Dog

Service dogs are legally defined by the specialized tasks they perform to mitigate their handler's disability. Choosing appropriate, realistic tasks for your dog is an important step. Consider the following:

• Your individual disability and needs:Make a list of daily challenges your service dog could potentially assist with. Discuss them with a trainer experienced in task training.
• The dog's size, strength and temperament:A small dog can retrieve items but not provide mobility support like a large breed. Pick tasks that align with the dog's natural abilities.
• Complexity of tasks:Start with simpler tasks like retrieval before training complex, multi-step responses. Make sure the dog exhibits the focus and trainability needed for difficult tasks.
• Public access requirements:Is performing the task in public realistic based on the dog's temperament? Some medical alert cues may be subtle.
• Avoidance of harm:Does the task put undue physical or emotional stress on the dog? Monitor for signs of discomfort or anxiety.
• Legal considerations:Familiarize yourself with the ADA's service animal requirements. Tasks must relate specifically to disability needs.

While a service dog can be taught almost any skill, focus on tasks that will provide the most value in your daily life. Here are examples of common service dog tasks:

For Mobility Support

• Forward momentum pull and bracing to assist walking
• Retrieving dropped items like walkers or canes
• Opening and closing doors or drawers
• Hitting handicap buttons to open doors
• Picking up objects off the floor
• Carrying and retrieving items in a bag or backpack
• Steadying handler's balance during transitions

For Hearing Alerts

• Alerting to important sounds like alarms, timers, knocks, baby cries
• Bringing phone or alerting device when it rings
• Warning handler if someone approaches from behind

For Medical Alerts and Response

• Retrieving medication or testing kits
• Alerting to impending seizures, panic attacks, diabetic emergencies
• Pressing alert buttons in emergencies
• Waking handler during night terrors or PTSD episodes
• Guiding handler to a safe place during an episode
• Blocking and providing tactile stimulation to interrupt episodes
• Retrieving the phone to call for help

For Psychiatric Assistance

• Tactile stimulation during anxiety attacks or dissociation
• Circling and guarding handler during panic attacks or PTSD episodes
• Guiding handler to exit overwhelming environments
• Interrupting self harming behaviors
• Turning on lights or clearing rooms for handlers with anxiety
• Reminding handler to take medication

Decide which tasks will give you the most freedom and independence. Then break down tasks into small, trainable steps a service dog can successfully learn.

Service Dog Task Training Tips

Training your own service dog is deeply rewarding but requires patience and precision. Follow these tips for effective task training:

Gather the Right Tools

• Treats:Soft, pea-sized treats the dog loves and only receives during training to keep motivation high.
• Targets:Use objects like plastic lids as visual targets to teach cues like touch, nudge or paw.
• Clicker:A clicker precisely marks correct behaviors so you know exactly when to reward.
• Props:Have any items the dog will need to interact with like light switches, doors or objects to retrieve.

Break Down Tasks

• Identify each small step needed to complete the complex task. Write them down.
• Train one step at a time until the dog masters it. String the steps together gradually.
• Practice the finished task in different locations to ensure the dog generalizes it.

Employ Shaping and Luring

• "Shape" the desired response by rewarding approximations and gradually requiring more from the dog.
• Lure the dog into correct positions with treats, then add a visual or verbal cue and fade the lure.

Utilize Targeting

• Teach the dog to reliably touch targets like his nose to your palm, a spoon, post it note, etc.
• Targets show the dog precisely where and how to perform cues, like pushing a handicap button.

Know When to Take a Break

• Keep training sessions short, just 5-10 minutes for puppies. Expand as their focus develops.
• End on a positive note with an easy skill they know well.
• Take breaks or stop completely if the dog becomes frustrated, distracted or stressed.

Avoid Corrections

• Only reward correct behaviors, don't punish mistakes. Stay upbeat; dogs shut down with harsh corrections.
• Simply repeat steps, adjust your technique, or make tasks easier if the dog is struggling.

With consistency and positive reinforcement, you can train your own service dog to master almost any task and greatly increase your independence. Be patient - it may take hundreds of repetitions for dogs to perfect complex skills.

Preparing Your Service Dog for Public Access

Public access training prepares service dogs to calmly navigate environments like restaurants, stores, planes and crowded spaces. While home obedience is important, dogs must master additional skills to work smoothly in public.

Manners Around Distractions

• With distance at first, practice obedience cues like sit, down, stay, heel with distractions like food, toys and other people/dogs.
• Work up to obedience right next to distractions. Reward calm focus on you over the environment.

Loose Leash Walking

• Condition the dog to walk attentively near your side or slightly in front, only going where you cue.
• Practice loose leash walking past tempting distractions like other dogs, continuously rewarding focus.

Settled Behavior

• Acclimate the dog to prolonged down stays in stimulating environments like patios, offices or classrooms.
• Practice having the dog hold stays and remain calm when you move away or talk to others. Reward calmness.
• Teach the dog to quietly rest and chew appropriate items.

Confidence Building

• Increase the dog's confidence by frequently bringing it to new environments and allowing it to calmly explore. Find opportunities for your dog to interact with friendly strangers.
• Avoid flooding the dog. Always keep exposures gradual and leave before they become nervous.

Equipment Desensitization

• Get the dog comfortable wearing any equipment that will accompany it, like vests, goggles, or being in a shopping cart. Pair high value rewards with equipment exposure.
• Accustom the dog to walking near wheelchairs, inclines, and being bumped by doors or tight spaces.

Response to Distractions

• Proof the dog's trained tasks in public environments. Practice medic alert responses when strangers approach, for example.
• Work up to the dog performing tasks amid realistic distractions like noise, food smells, passing cars, or crowding.

With extensive practice and patience, you can prepare your service dog to pass its Public Access Test and have excellent manners. Always emphasize praise and rewards over corrections when training in public.

Obtaining Public Access for Your Service Dog

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), privately owner trained service dogs must meet the same standards as program dogs to qualify for public access. There are two ways to certify your service dog:

Pass a Public Access Test

• Tests are administered by service dog trainers to assess the dog's temperament and training in public environments.
• Key elements evaluated are loose leash walking, ignoring distractions, settled behavior in restaurants/stores, and performing trained tasks.
• Upon passing, the evaluator will provide documentation stating your dog demonstrated appropriate public access skills.
• While not legally required everywhere, passing a reputable public access test is the gold standard for owner trained dogs.

Obtain a Letter from Your Medical Provider

• A detailed letter from your doctor or mental health provider confirming you require a service dog for disability-related needs can also establish public access rights.
• The letter should explain how your disability limits major life activities and describe the dog's specific trained tasks that mitigate your impairment.
• Include the letter when disputing public access issues to demonstrate your dog is an individually trained service animal, not just an emotional support pet.

No registration, certification, special ID cards, or vests are mandated for service dogs under the ADA. However, public access documentation provides important proof if you face access challenges.

Costs of Owner Training a Service Dog

While ultimately saving money over getting a program dog, owner training a service dog still involves significant costs. Estimate $10,000 or more for expenses like:

• Purchase priceof a well-bred puppy from health tested parents, often $1500 - $2500.
• Veterinary careincluding exams, vaccines, spay/neuter, preventatives like flea/tick/heartworm medication, and any illness or injury treatment. Budget $2000+ the first year.
• High quality foodsuited for working dogs. Feed premium kibble or a freshly cooked diet. $1000+ annually.
• Suppliessuch as leashes, collars, bowls, beds, crates, toys, treats, cleaning supplies. Easily $500-1000+ initially.
• Training courseslike puppy and obedience classes. Private lessons in public access and task training. $1500+ over the dog’s career.
• Groomingcosts like nail trims, bathing, brushing, tooth brushing. More if the dog requires professional haircuts. Budget $400+ yearly.
• Service dog gearlike vests, patches, specialized equipment. $200-500+
• Application feesfor public access tests. Usually $100-300.
• Travel expensesif traveling for training courses, conferences, or public access testing.
• Emergency pet sitter feesif unable to take the dog on short notice. $50-100 per day.
• Professional liability insurance. Recommended in case of any incidents in public. Covers legal fees. Usually $200-300 annually.

The first year raising and training a service dog puppy is particularly expensive. Ongoing costs for food, healthcare, supplies and miscellaneous expenses continue over the dog’s working life. Owner training saves over program fees, but is still a significant commitment!

Service Dog Retirement

After 8-10 years of assistance (sometimes longer), service dogs inevitably reach retirement age due to slowing down physically and/or behaviorally. Signs a dog may be ready for retirement include:

• Reluctance or stress performing trained tasks
• Sleeping more, less energy and engagement with training
• Gaining weight and slowing down on walks
• Development of arthritis or orthopedic issues
• Increased reactivity or distractibility in public

Transitioning a beloved service dog into retirement can be extremely difficult for handlers. Make sure you prepare financially and emotionally to care for your retired service dog's needs:

• Budget for increased vet costs as they age. Health issues will mount. Save over their career to cover dental work, medications, mobility assistance, etc.
• Adjust your schedule and lifestyle to accommodate their reduced activity level and physical limitations.
• Prepare your home environment with ramps, easily accessed food/water, comfortable beds, and shelter from cold floors.
• Shower your retired hero with rest, relaxation and all the toys and treats they love! They’ve earned it.
• Seek support from fellow service dog handlers, as saying goodbye to your assistance dog’s working life requires grieving.

Service dogs give us so much. They deserve a dignified, comfortable retirement where they are still cherished and cared for. With forethought and planning, you can ensure many happy years and make the transition easier.

Training your own service dog takes an immense amount of love, dedication and work. While extremely rewarding, take time considering the commitment involved before embarking on your service dog journey. Use positive and structured training, starting with focus on socialization, manners and bombproof obedience. Slowly shape complex task training and proof behaviors in public for smooth access. Celebrate the incredible partnership you build and the increased independence your service dog provides. They are truly life changing.