Service Dog Training

Dogs have been the companions of people for generations. They have been family pets, protectors, and to many people they are constant companions trained to help with a disability. Service dog training is a way to teach these pets to be helpers for people suffering from a disability. Service dogs range from guide dogs for the blind to seizure response dogs. Some dogs are trained for people with multiple disabilities. Service dogs are a great way for those with a disability to gain independence.

Service dog training begins when the dog is still a puppy. Socializing the dog and getting it used to real world circumstances is the first step. Most training facilities have a foster program that allows families to foster the puppy and teach it basic commands. They raise the puppy for a year or two and introduce it to the real world. Service animals in training are allowed to go into restaurants and businesses so that they can get used to doing this.

After the dog is raised to 18 to 20 months old, it is taken back by the training school and given formal training. Service dogs are trained in their specialty before the disable recipient is introduced to the dog. Some training programs are more intense and require much more time to get the dogs properly prepared.

Once the dog has been prepared, they are introduced to their new owner. Trainers match the dogs with people based on personality, activity level, and how well they work together. When a proper match is found, they begin to train the dog and disabled person together as a team. The training can take a few days or it can take a few months, but when it is complete the disabled person can finally gain the independence they want.