The Prospect Process"I am not looking for a friend." Repeat that to yourself. When picking the right dog to be a service dog, you have to consider your needs and those of the dog in question, before anything else. It won't be fair to either of you to choose a dog with tendencies that go against everything you need that dog to be. Forcing a shy dog to become very brave may break that dog. Asking a dog with a history of insecurity around men to go out into the world and force them to be near men is not only unfair to the dog but very dangerous for yourself and the general public. Not all dogs can be service dogs. Will your service dog be your friend one day? Absolutely! But that will never be the dog's primary function in your life. If it was, yeah, you could bring home just about any dog. Service dogs are like the Black Ops of the dog world. They have to be spectacular, brave, and bad-ass. They have to be able to learn a wide range of very special skills and not break under pressure. They have a very important job to do, and only the best make it. Most shelters, rescues, and breeders will be focused on evaluating you. They may not be expecting you to be evaluating the dog past how well it would do with a family or other pets. Below, I'll break down the employer-employee analogy more in-depth to help you see how it all works.
Just as an employer may look at a huge stack of resumes, you may find yourself looking at over a hundred ads, and only finding 20 or 30 dogs you want to learn more about, and from there only a handful that you meet in person as true potentials. It can be a long process, but don't get discouraged! Where Your Heart Fails You (and the Dog)Your heart wants to do the right thing. Your heart wants to save the poor rescued pup found on the side of the road. Your heart breaks for the dog with the amputated leg, or the one that has been at the shelter for years with no one interested in them. Your heart wants you to take home the first dog that looks deep into your soul and makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Your heart desperately wants to give the battered dog the life it deserves, and fix everything bad that has ever happened to them by filling the dog's life with nothing but love. Your heart's opinion matters, but letting it lead your brain in the decision of choosing a service dog will most certainly lead you dangerously awry. Choosing a service dog can't be about saving a dog's life because there are a lot of dogs who need saving, and many whose histories would present major problems during service dog training. Shopping with your heart makes you miss important details, like how the dog approaches you, what their kennel behavior is like, how they are depicted and described to you, and more. Shopping with your brain helps you absorb all of the possible information about this new dog that you possibly can. You can observe how they act, listen to how they are described, and evaluate the dog for who they are, not who you want them to be. That's the kicker. When you shop with your heart, you're more likely to paint the dog as the dog you want them to be. When you shop with your brain, you see the dog for who they are now, and can evaluate them more clearly to help make predictions about who they could be with the right training. Shop with your heart and you may save a dog who needs you, but miss the dog who could help you. Shop with your brain and you have a better chance to find the dog who you need, and will be able to help you. There's nothing wrong with the dog needing you, too, but that should never be your reason for picking that dog when looking for a potential service dog. Evaluating an Adoption Ad - What to Look For
This trio of photos depicts body language of dogs who are unsure and lacking in confidence.
Below are photos that show good body language traits Instant Disqualifying Traits (for Service dog work)
Examples of Adoption Ads - Promising and Not So Promising*All ads are similar to existing ones online, but names and details have been changed. This is a learning exercise only, and is not meant to disparage any one dog or how that dog is described. Any of these dogs could make great companions; only a few would be worthwhile to look more closely at for service dog work.
Closing Notes I want you to have the tools you need to find the best possible dog as your working partner, and these tips will help you work towards that goal. There are times in life when you have to think with your head, not your heart, and this is certainly one of those times. Best of luck in your searches!
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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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