How to Start Service Dog Training
If you love dogs and know how to train them well, you may just have what it takes to start service dog training. Dog training, especially service dogs, requires you to be able to get into the mind of the dog, so-to-speak. You are training the dog to help someone with a disability.
- Select a trainable dog. While all
dogs can be taught to “Sit” “Stay” and “Come” not all
dogs are suitable as service dogs. Therefore, if you are looking for
a breed that will take to commands well, choose a Golden Retriever,
German Shepherd, or a Labrador Retriever. Of course, other breeds do
make excellent service dogs, but these three breeds are often easier
to train especially if you plan to do it yourself. - Choose either an adult or a puppy that has a good bloodline that you can
trace. Keep in mind, if you choose a puppy, they are not going to
have a long attention span in the beginning and regardless of the
breed, puppies are puppies. On the other hand, an adult dog could
have some bad habits that a previous owner instilled. This means you
have to weigh the pros and cons of both before deciding. - Begin basic training immediately
upon bringing your new friend home. You cannot jump right into the
service training without have a good report with the dog or puppy.
Moreover, he needs to know the basic commands, how to walk on a
leash, and you need to increase his vocabulary by adding new words.
In order to service dog train, you must be willing to put in the
time and effort because the best trained service dogs did not start
off as such, they began as every other puppy.