Wait, what? Public access training at-home? First, it is important for every potential service dog handler out there to understand that all public access training begins at home, because if your dog can't do the work at home, they will never be able to do it in public. Second, even dogs that are fully trained can benefit from practicing various skills and games at home that will carry over into public access work. Right now, all across the country, and world, there are teams being told by their government to stay home or are choosing to stay home and limit their access in public due to the Coronavirus. Taking a hiatus from any aspect of a service dog's job can sometimes have a negative impact on their skill work; though this isn't necessarily the case for every team. Teams who have just started PA training may be worried about a set back in training. Teams who already don't go into public very often may be worried about their dog losing that skill. Your team may have a completely different concern about taking a break from public work. I'm writing this post for all the teams staying home right now, to offer you a few suggestions on how to maintain your dog's confidence, public access skills you can perfect even further at home, games to play, training exercises you may not have thought to try, and a few other tips. Ways to Maintain Confidence (and why that's key)An insecure dog cannot function in public, plain and simple. A dog who has inconsistent confidence isn't reliable in public. Even if your dog is still learning the basics of sit, down, and heel, learning how to be confident in new places and around different stimuli will go a long way towards helping them feel comfortable doing any command or task in public one day. Confidence training happens when the dog does something hard, conquers it, and feels good about themselves. You see it when a dog first climbs onto a new object... their tail starts out low, deep in thought. Maybe they hesitate a little. The more times you ask them to get onto the object, the higher their whole body perks up and they're more willing to move forward. That's confidence. It's important. How do we get it?
Public Access Skills to Do At Home
General Training TipsSocialization/Exposure This is arguably the hardest to maintain. However, there are ways.
Don't Underestimate the Value of a Walk
What's Been Getting Put on Hold?
Working with Your Trainer
Games to Play
Update or Start Your Training JournalKeeping up with a training journal can take a lot of time and energy. Use this time to update it and reorganize things if needed. Or, if you haven't started a journal yet, take to the internet and research how other teams may be doing theirs to figure out a good way to set up yours. I offer a blank training journal on my design store, specifically designed for service dog owner - trainers, complete with a socialization suggestion list. You can find that here. I also sell a monthly budget tracker for service dog owners, here. Other ways to keep a journal include: a blog, video recordings, a vlog, apps like Evernote that let you take written notes or audio recordings, or even something super simple like typing up a monthly overview at the end of each month - what you focused on that month, what went well, what needs work, etc. Additional TipsPlaces to Buy Supplies for Your Dog Online Keep training every day! Even if you can't see your trainer for a while, keep doing everything you can to maintain what your dog has learned. Work on the basics over and over until they become second nature for you guys. Get creative with distractions to test your dog around in your home. Don't assume it will stick in their brain. A dog can forget how to do sit promptly and correctly if they aren't given a chance to practice it. It's easy to take your dog's good performance for granted, but trust me - it's surprising what can fall apart, disappear, or get sloppy without constant work. Change Your Routines at Least 2x per Week
You've got this. Above all else, try to see this as an opportunity to work on other things, instead of as a setback. It is a set back for actual public access work, but public access work is nothing without a really strong foundation built at home. Now is your time to lay that foundation or patch a few cracks.
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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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