Tips On Training Your Own Service Dog

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service dog training

It’s no secret that a dog is one of the most reliable partners you can have in life. They can assist you in many ways and can be trained to do many things that can transform the way you live your life.

Training your own service dog might seem like a daunting task. However, with so many people in need of service dogs, such as individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or a medical condition (such as diabetes), there are a lot of reasons to consider taking on this task on your own. Here are some simple tips to help you train your own service dog if you need one.

First, determine if your dog can be a service dog.

Keep in mind that service dog training takes a lot of time and effort. But how do you know if your dog has what it takes to be a service dog? Service dogs can be trained in different categories, such as working, hearing, and seeing. A few important things to consider are the following:

  • Temperament: Is your dog submissive or aggressive? is he or she eager to please?
  • Breed: Certain dog breeds are more suitable for service dog work, such as Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers.
  • Overall health condition: Health conditions, such as diabetes and joint problems, can only put an unnecessary burden on your pet.

Start with the basics.

Basic skills to teach service dogs include making eye contact, sitting down, leaving something alone, moving their body in any direction, and staying quiet. In a previous article, we made a list of 7 commands to teach a service dog. Be sure to check it out!

Since you’re interested in having a service dog, you’ve probably already realized that this requires a lot of work and dedication. You’ll need to adapt your lifestyle according to your dog’s training. If you’re not ready to make these changes, it’s best to wait before getting a service dog or training one.

golden retriever service dog

Train them to perform the service dog tasks you require.

Depending on your disability, you can train your dog to open drawers and cabinets, call 911, bring you to safety, detect abnormalities in your blood sugar levels, help you get dressed, and interrupt self-harming behaviors. These skills should only be taught after they’ve mastered the fundamentals.

Also, training sessions shouldn’t be long and must be stress-free for your dog. Otherwise, this negatively affects their ability to learn. Many trainers believe that the best way to teach anything to a dog is to start with fun and games. This is a great way to show your dog that the training experience is enjoyable and will help to build the bond between you and your dog.

Final Thoughts

We hope that this blog post has given you some inspiration for training your own service dog. Remember not to rush with training and consider getting help from a professional trainer. Don’t give up! As you continue to train, perseverance will only make your dog better.

If you’re interested in more service dog posts, check these out:

Do you own an assistance animal? Register your pet today.

The Service Animal Registry of California invites you to have your assistance animal registered in order to designate its status. We also encourage you to take our online classes so you can be fully aware of your rights and gain more knowledge about your support animal.

Finally, we present to you our book entitled, “ASSISTANCE ANIMAL LAWS: LEARN YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING SERVICE ANIMALS, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS, THERAPY PETS, AND OTHER DOGS, CATS, AND ASSISTANCE ANIMALS” to provide you with a complete education on assistance animals.

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