Can you train my dog to be a Service Dog?
Service Dog Performing Task: Opening Door for Disabled Handler
Not every dog can be a service dog. Regardless of breed, all service dogs need a special set of qualities in order to be reliable in their work. These characteristics include:
Calm but friendly
Alert but not reactive
Able to be touched by anyone, including strangers
Willingness to please
Tendency to follow you around
Socialized to many different situations and environments
Ability to learn quickly and retain information
I like to give the example- Imagine you are at the bank with your dog and a robbery takes place. Your dog should be the calmest in the room. Unfortunately not all dogs can handle the stressful situations that may happen when you are out in public which is why not all dogs have the right temperament to become service dogs.
Even if you plan to train your own dog as a service dog, you should seek the help of a professional dog trainer. But there are foundation skills that you can start at home that will give your dog a great start on a service dog career.
Potty on command
Focus on handler and ignore distractions
All AKC Canine Good Citizen objectives
Public Access skills
Service dogs and their handlers have a responsibility each time they go into a public place. The teams should be relaxed and present a positive image of service dogs. Assistance Dogs International has established standards for service dog behavior in the Public Access Test including, but not limited to:
Controlled loading into and unloading out of a vehicle
Controlled approach to a building
Controlled entry and exit through a doorway
Heeling through a building
Six-foot recall on lead
Sit on command in various situations
Down on command in various situations
Control in a restaurant
Control when the leash is dropped
Tasking Skills
The main purpose of a service dog is to perform a task specific to the handler’s disability. Often, service dogs perform a range of behaviors that qualify as tasks, in addition to providing unconditional love and companionship to the handler.
Commonly known tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf to noises like ringing phones, pulling a wheelchair, and retrieving dropped items. However, not all disabilities are obvious, and service dog tasks can also include alerting a person with a seizure disorder or diabetes to an oncoming attack, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a person with PTSD during an anxiety attack, or any other duties specific to a disability.
The Epidemic of Fake Service Dogs
Because service dogs have public access into restaurants, stores, and the cabin area of airplanes, some people obtain fake service dog credentials just because they want their dog to be with them. For a certain amount of money and minimal application standards, a dog owner can receive a vest and certificate for an untrained pet. This practice is unethical and detrimental to the well-being of working service dogs. The exploitation of service dog laws is a federal crime.
Service Dog Information
If you are interested in learning more about service dogs, Assistance Dogs International is a coalition of service dog organizations dedicated to maintaining high standards in the service dog community, educating the public, and advocating for the rights of people with disabilities who utilize service dogs. There are also support groups and The American Disabilities Act website