Owner Training Part 2

[Abhean]

As the handler/trainer you must understand what you are going to have to do as far as training goes. This is a long process, normally it takes about 2 years to fully owner train a service dog. This process can be very enjoyable by both the owner and the dog and creates a very strong bond between the two.

So, what's involved? The IAADP requires the following.

• An assistance dog should be given a minimum of one hundred twenty (120) hours of schooling over a period of Six Months or more.* At least thirty (30) hours should be devoted to outings that will prepare the dog to work obediently and unobtrusively in public places.
• A dog must master the basic obedience skills: "Sit, Stay, Come, Down, Heel" and a dropped leash recall in a store in response to verbal commands and/or hand signals.
• A dog must acquire proper social behavior skills. It includes at a minimum:

• No aggressive behavior toward people or other animals - no biting, snapping, snarling, growling or lunging and barking at them when working off your property.
  • No soliciting food or petting from other people while on duty.
  • No sniffing merchandise or people or intruding into another dog's space while on duty.
  • Socialize to tolerate strange sights, sounds, odors etc. in a wide variety of public settings.
  • Ignores food on the floor or dropped in the dog's vicinity while working outside the home.
  • Works calmly on leash. No unruly behavior or unnecessary vocalizations in public settings.
  • No urinating or defecating in public unless given a specific command or signal to toilet in an appropriate place.

• The dog must be individually trained to perform identifiable tasks on command or cue for the benefit of the disabled human partner. This includes alerting to sounds, medical problems, certain scents like peanuts or situations if training is involved.
• Any training that arouses a dog's prey drive or fear to elicit a display of aggression for guard or defense purposes is strictly prohibited. Non aggressive barking as a trained behavior is permitted in appropriate situations.
• Trainers function as ambassadors for the assistance dog movement. This includes a disabled owner trainer, a provider's staff or a volunteer with a puppy or adult dog "in training." It also includes an assistance dog partner or able bodied facilitator helping a disabled loved one to keep up an assistance dog's training. At a minimum, you should:
• Know pertinent canine laws (i.e. leash laws and public access laws)
• Ensure the dog is healthy, flea free and the rabies vaccination is up to date
• Take time to make sure your dog is well groomed and free of any foul odor
• Show respect and consideration to other people and property.
• Use humane training methods; monitor the dog's stress level; provide rest breaks.
• Carry clean up materials. Arrange for prompt clean up if a dog eliminates or gets sick.
• Be polite and willing to educate the public about assistance dogs and access rights.
• Public Access Testing

Remember these are base minimums.

I would suggest, on top of keeping a training log, is to go through the AKCs Canine Good Citizen program. Reason I like it so much is that the beginning level proves that the dog is good on obedience training, and the final level is the Public Access Training test.

While service dog teams do not have to be "certified" (in the US) the more paperwork you can provide could save you a lot of time if your team is pulled into court. It does happen especially when you have public access problems and law enforcement hands you a summons so the judge can decide.

During your training you may find that you are at a loss on how to get your dog to do a specific task. Do not be afraid to reach out. In this age there are so many tools and groups out there that want you to succeed. YouTube is a great resource, groups on social media and forums like the one here. Also do not hesitate to call a trainer in to help.