I've written posts on questions to ask yourself before you pair with a service dog, how to know if a service dog is a good fit for you, how to handle life once the service dog is sharing it with you, and more, but nothing where we talk about you, and how to help you prepare yourself. It's a big change partnering with a service dog, but it's an even bigger change if it's you who will be training it. When I undertook this task, I was going from being bed ridden or couch ridden most days to suddenly being expected to work with a trainer for 5 hours every week, and do 2-3 20-40 minute training sessions with a young, unruly dog every single day! I didn't fully anticipate how hard it would be on my body or my condition, but I found my way through and am stronger for it. The idea for this post came from a friend, who will hopefully have a service dog of her own one day, but it ultimately for anyone who is thinking about training their own service dog and wants to do a little leg work before they find they right dog. Strength: Mental & PhysicalLearning to Put the Pain Second - Why? Before your SDiT learns how to prevent flares, I assure you they will cause more flares in the beginning. This isn't their fault or yours, it's merely a fact. Your dog will make mistakes and they have to learn how to be gentle with you. Even if you have a dog that is in tune with you, they'll still make mistakes. So will you. Part of giving them the chance to learn everything they need to know is learning how to put them first, pain second. That skill will take time to learn. There will be some training sessions where you can end early and take a break, and others when you have to push through until the dog understands the concept being taught. It's important to end training on a successful note, which means there will be times when your dog makes a mistake that hurts a ton and you have to keep going, so that you can help your dog end on a successful beat. Ending on a successful note leaves your dog with the memory of doing the action correctly, being praised, and thinking that learning with you is fun. That's how it should be. The first year, you won't have the luxury of asking the dog to go to Place or Leave something alone. That first year, will take so much management all the time and lots of fitting in training and playtime and doing the schedule and working with your trainer. The first year is the hardest, but you can do it. This skill may not develop until once you begin training your dog, but you can try to kick start it early. Each time you feel a flare starting and you're already doing an activity, don't stop. Don't take a break. Try to take a breath, and say to yourself, Okay - I'm going to keep at this for 1 more minute, then rest. The next time it happens, push yourself to keep going for 2 minutes before you stop. Each time may be a different duration, and that is okay. Being able to withstand the pain for a set duration isn't the goal. The goal, instead, is to find the mental strength, find whatever motivates you the best, to get a little bit more out of yourself before stopping an activity. The more you practice this, the easier it will happen. Building Your Physical Strength - Okay, so, you likely haven't been moving much because maybe you haven't had a reason to or you've been moving way too much and overextending yourself. This part is about learning to push yourself, but also how to build up your muscles and your stamina, both of which you will need. Your dog is going to need exercise 2x a day (may vary per breed), playtime every day, and training every day. All of that is going to require that you have the ability to sustain movement for a set amount of time. It's hard! I honestly didn't go on walks until we got Robbie and even then my walks were supervised by a person until I got stronger and he learned his bracing task. Your trainer will probably want your lessons with them to be at minimum 1 hour long. When you train with your dog, depending on their age, those training sessions on your own time will need to be anywhere from 5 minutes to 30 minutes long. Some even longer, though those are usually seated. But if sitting is really hard for you, that's something to practice too. Yes, exercise! I know you're tired of hearing that you need to exercise, so I'll rephrase. I want you to practice moving. Moving sucks. But once you start training, you are going to have move a lot. That is going to be a much rougher transition for you if you wait to start moving when the dog comes. Be smart about it though. Research low level physical therapy exercises that are recommended if you had an injury in the affected body parts. Don't do 30 reps of something - do 5 or 7. Don't work out hard for 45 minutes - aim for 5 minutes to start, then 10, then 15, and work up to what you can handle reliably. Write down the exercises you find, because it gets hard to remember. Start walking (or rolling) more. Use a fitness app to track how many steps you take in the house. Or go to your mailbox once a day. Make yourself move on the good days and on the bad ones. That last bit is so important, because there will be days when your service dog in training triggers so many flares and you have no choice but to keep going. Practicing moving on bad days now will help your muscles and mind prepare to make that decision. Education
Creating Structure/RoutinesEven before the dog arrives, you can begin structuring your days. Decide when you will have meals each day, when are times to rest or do chores, and when are times for other responsibilities like child care or work. Fill the dog spaces with reading about dogs, dog laws, looking for a dog, looking for a trainer, and more. Once you have a dog, it may look like this...
*Keep in mind, if starting with a young puppy there will be more potty breaks and naps, but still lots of structure* Neither routine has every minute planned out, but you get the general idea. Making a rough routine guideline, both a daily ideal and a skeleton one (for your bad days) can help you set up your day to integrate your service dog's training more fully and teach your body how to cope with the uptick in activity. Training: Plan to do 2-3 dedicated training sessions a day, as well as integrating various command practice time into your normal routines. Exercise: Most large breeds will need exercise 2x a day. If you haven't been able to exercise yourself, exercising a dog who is learning to walk on a leash nicely may be difficult and painful. Potty Breaks: Even if you have a fenced yard and a doggy door, it will still be helpful for you to set and enforce potty break times during the day. This creates a routine for your dog, which you can integrate into you training when you begin working public. Doing so will decrease the risk of your dog going randomly in a store, or trying to whine or bark to get your attention. Preparing yourself now by figuring out what are good time intervals for you and maybe even practicing them, every day to help yourself get in the swing of it. Letting your dog go freely at home seems easier and acceptable, but it's not fair to ask them to have complete free choice at home, then try to force structure in public. It's far better to create structure at home and at work. I like 4 potty breaks, because it breaks up the day nicely, but a healthy adult dog should be able to have 2-3 potty breaks easily. Find a TrainerI cannot stress this enough. Too many people get the dog first, then scramble to find a trainer. Once you get the dog, there is no waiting around for the right time to start the work. It begins the day the dog comes home. If you delay training, you may think it's all fine and dandy, but in the meantime, your new dog is learning whether you like it or not. Chances are, if you aren't teaching them anything actively, they are learning a bunch of behaviors you don't want them to know, like pulling on the leash, barking at mealtime, rushing doors, ignoring you, and more. Please find a trainer first. A good service dog trainer is a vital component in you pulling this off. If you can't find a service dog trainer, find a general trainer whom you've met with and who understands what your expectations for this dog will be. A good trainer should be able to help you find the right dog, and will also be ready to jump in with you within days of bringing your new dog home, or even on that very first day. When I say trainer, too, I don't mean group classes. Group classes have their place and can be useful training tools, but for the long haul, you will want a private trainer who can work with you and your individual needs regarding the dog. A group trainer may or may not be sympathetic to the limitations posed by your disability. Something to consider. Find a MentorFacebook Groups: I joined several chronic pain service dog groups on Facebook, and honestly I don't recommend it. At least not for long. These groups sound like they could be an awesome resource, but more often than not, they are incredibly large and unruly. In the dog training world, everyone has their own opinion and their own version of what's right. In the big Facebook groups, it's way too easy for someone to get bullied or discriminated against. An admin might step in, but often it takes them hours or days to do so, at which point the mean comments have already caused the receiver great stress and possibly a pain flare. The same tends to apply to service dog forums as well. If you do want to join a group on Facebook, here are a few tips for turning them into a good resource:
Mentors: I found my mentor in a Facebook group. She was always ready to answer my questions, never judged me or put me down, and wanted to talk about how I was doing with my condition. She offered to let me private message her to ask more detailed questions. This grew into a strong friendship, and I was able to leave the toxic group environment. Over time, I needed less guidance, but she was always there ready to cheer me on or provide feedback if I got stuck. You may find a mentor in a Facebook group, in a service dog forum, or by reaching out to handler-dog teams you find online or meet in person. Don't be afraid to ask for help! Maintain Your HopeFinding a service dog, and training it, will take just about everything you've got. It could take months to find the right dog. Once you have the right dog, it will be at least a year before they can start helping you, or at the very least, get to where they cause less flares on accident. It takes a ton of hope to sustain you through this journey. With that in mind, I recommend you begin cultivating your hope now, and find ways to remind yourself of it.
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These tips should help you get in gear, long before you find the right dog for you. Training a service dog yourself is hard, but setting yourself up for success early will pay off in the long run, I can assure you.
If you have something you feel other future handlers could benefit from knowing to help set themselves up for success, please share in the comments!
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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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