I get asked this a lot. How do I begin? How do I know if a service dog is right for me? Should I go through a program or train it myself? In this post, I will answer all of these questions, and set up a few questions for you to ask yourself about partnering with a service dog. Whether you get a dog from a program, or train yourself, it will be a ton of work, very rewarding, and will change your life for the better. Don't be daunted by the information presented here - it's a lot, but I promise it will help you, and it's everything that I wish someone had discussed with me before I made the decision to train Robbie. Questions to Ask Yourself Before Deciding to Partner with a SD
Components of Training a Service DogBehavior - Service dogs need to have outstanding behavior when out in public, and we're also chosen to keep Robbie's behavior outstanding at home as well. This means holding your dog to the same rules and standards at home and at work. This can take a lot of hard work and upkeep. For instance, if you don't want your dog eating scraps off the floor in a restaurant, don't let them eat kitchen floor scraps. If your dog needs to greet strangers politely and friendly, then don't let them later jump all over friends at the house. Socialization - Service dogs need to be able to handle just about anything they are exposed to, stay calm, and perform their duties without missing a beat. Many public places can be overwhelming and stressful to a dog who hasn't been properly socialized to them. Things like bright lights, strong smells, crowded places, people of different races, people with assistance equipment, and more. Socialization is as important, if not more, as obedience and task training because your dog needs to be able to do those commands and tasks around any distraction. Position & Action Training - These are your commands and tasks. Positions are commands like sit, down, come to heel, stand, etc. Actions are walking at heel, opening doors, finding help, etc. This will take a lot of time, especially depending on how fast your dog learns, what they have issues with, etc. This must be worked on a little bit each day, even once the dog is "finished" to keep them sharp, and to provide your dog with mental stimulation. At minimum, you should do an hour of work with your service dog in training every day, and that doesn't even include the training that comes with structured exercise, potty breaks, and playtime. Creativity - As a disabled trainer, you are going to have be really creative in how you teach things. Sure you can read books on it, or my blog, but your pain is unique to you and your dog's personality and learning style is unique to them. Something that worked for everyone else, may not work for you. Part of training your own service dog is the willingness to sit down and think "ok - this is the end goal. Now how I am going to teach this? What are the steps? If one step doesn't work, how will I change it?" Patience - THERE IS NO MAGIC PROCESS. Repeat that to yourself. This will take time. If you already have a hectic life, or are in the process of moving, dealing with your condition in terms of acceptance or multiple surgeries, then this is not the time. Training a service dog is like having a baby. It takes a ton of effort, lots of sacrifices, and money. You have to be willing to on your worst days, sit down, take a moment, and work with your dog on something. This is not the same thing as adopting a pet dog. It can't be kept in a kennel or ignored for most of the day, then worked with for 5 minutes and then ignored again. That's not how you train an animal anyways, especially not one who needs to learn to always be at your side. That being said, you also can't rush this. Start slow. Teach a new command in a quiet room with no distractions. Don't try it out in public for the first time, expecting success. That will put stress on you and the dog, which isn't fair. Tough Choices: Program or Owner-TrainingThere are two ways to obtain a service dog. Program/Charity Program or Owner-Training. Both avenues have their advantages and disadvantages.
What Does It Mean to "Washout" & What Causes It?When a dog is called a "washout" it means that the dog had to be taken out of service dog training for one reason or another. The decision to washout your service dog is extremely difficult and should be thought long and hard about. It's hard because you've spent so much time and money raising and training your dog only for it to not work. Ultimately it comes down to whats best for the dog and for you. Possible reasons may include:
Accidents happen, health issues can't be predicted, and some dogs just aren't cut out for this life. When we searched for Robbie, we joked that we were looking for a unicorn, because we were. We were searching for that one dog who met a list of very specific criteria, who would have the drive to work and to help me daily, and that's a lot to ask of any dog. Washouts happen, and it's something to be aware of. Additional Resources to Help YouWords of EncouragementPartnering with a service dog, no matter how you initially obtain one, will be equally rewarding and difficult. I want to encourage anyone interested in partnering with a service dog, to do so because it is worth it! But I also want you to be aware of the amount of work that goes into it. It isn't the same as using a wheelchair. A dog is a living, breathing creature, who yes will help you, but who also has needs of their own. Rushing training will get you nowhere. Forcing a dog who doesn't like working to work all the time will get you nowhere. Signing up for this journey when you haven't yet accepted your condition or you are at a hectic point in your life - new baby, moving, etc - will only make the process harder. Even if someone someone does train the dog for you, there is still much for you to do. You need to practice with the dog, you need to give them mental stimulation. It isn't a car that you drop off to get detailed, then pick it up and its ready to go. You will still need to learn how to work as a team with your dog, how to read their language, how to play with and love them accordingly, how to ask them for their help when you need it, and more. Working with a service dog changed my life for the better in so many ways. Training him changed my life and I wouldn't change that either. Before you partner with a service dog, think about these points, these big questions, and then decide. When you do, if need a little more advice, you know where to find me :)
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My Name is Sally...I have a condition called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. This blog is about my journey training Robbie, a dog who helped me regain independence, confidence, and achieve the impossible in the face of my disability. It continues on with the training of Austin, Robbie's successor. Check Out... - "More than a Dog" was published on a site called The Mighty Categories
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