Beyond the Dog Park

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Administrator

Dog trainers hate being the “bearer of bad news” but sometimes I find myself in the position of telling pet owners that their dog is just not the right fit for dog park play. There are many reasons this might be the case for instance:

1. The dog may show aggressive behavior to other dogs.

2. The dog may show aggression to people (there are people in the dog park too!)

3. The dog may be fearful and easily overwhelmed by the dog park environment.

4. The dog may be exhibiting some overexcited behavior around other dogs when on leash and the dog park visits may be contributing to this behavior.

5. The dog may be too small, delicate, and easily injured.

6. The dog may simply not be enjoying dog park visits.

7. The dog may be practicing bad manners at the dog park and may need more training.

Regardless of the reason, this really and truly is not bad news. Why, well simply put, there is a whole wide world outside of the dog park and many things to do. Here is a short list of dog park alternatives that, depending on your dog’s behavioral needs, may be appropriate for your dog:

1. Go on a hike, in Northern Virginia, there are many, many options for great hikes with your dog.

2. Use a long line, you can get long leashes of various lengths to give your dog more freedom in an open space. Of course be aware, if your long leash is very long, make sure you aren’t in a situation where you could lose control of your dog.

3. Go out on the town, there are many dog friendly shops and even outdoor dining areas. If your dog is well trained and calm when in close proximity with people and dogs, this may be fun for you and your dog.

4. Set up a play date with  a dog your dog interacts peacefully with.

5. Play games with your dogs, for instance fetch, or hide a toy, or teach your dog scent games by hiding treats in containers and letting your dog figure out where they are.

6. Massage your dog and relax together.

7. Set up an “at home” agility course and teach your dog to run it.

8. Train your dog a cool trick.

Think of something else fun to do? Please feel free to share and have fun exploring the big wide world outside of the dog park!

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Is it the right time to get a new dog?

Posted on May 12, 2013 by Administrator

Many times, clients approach me wanting to expand their canine family. This is a very personal decision and the circumstances of each situation have a huge impact on when it is the “right” time. However, there are some cases when it is better to wait before getting a new dog.

1. When you are having a new baby, it’s usually better to hold off on getting a new dog.  Parenting is a major life change and new parents are exhausted just meeting their babies’ needs. A canine family member will also be demanding of your time and energy.  While every child matures at a different rate, it is generally better to wait until the youngest child in the home is elementary school age before adding a new dog to the home.

2. When your current dog has a severe behavior problem such as separation anxiety or aggressive behavior, you need to fully address your current dog’s behavior problem first. Adding a new dog will bring its own set of challenges and the new dog’s behavior can be impacted by the behavior of the current dog in the home.  Sometimes people ask me if a dog with separation anxiety would be happier with another dog friend.  Most dogs with separation anxiety will not be calmer if there is another dog around. Infrequently, with some individual fearful dogs, another confident dog may help the fearful dog feel more comfortable. However, I’ve worked with many cases where people found that adding a dog to the home created more problems than it solved.

3. If your current dog is aggressive with other dogs he or she may be happier living without another dog in the home. However, depending on the severity of the dog’s aggressive behavior, the dog may be able to adjust or even enjoy living with certain individual dogs. Some dogs that show aggressive behavior to dogs are able to get along with some individual dogs if the match is made carefully and the dogs are introduced slowly. A skilled behavior consultant or trainer can help in providing guidance on whether this would be true for your dog.

4. If your current dog is young it is often better to hold off on getting another dog. I recommend waiting until the youngest dog in the home is no younger than 1 before adding another dog and it is even better to wait until the youngest dog is over 2 1/2. Simply put, young puppies need their owner’s time and focus. Raising young pups together can result in serious behavior challenges. Dogs become adolescents at around 6 months and their behavior can change significantly during this time period until they fully mature (around age 2-3). “Teenage” dogs, just like young puppies, require their owners’ time and energy.  It is better to focus on meeting your dog’s changing behavioral needs during adolescence to ensure that he develops into a well behaved adult dog.

Similarly it is important to think about whether you can truly meet your dog’s needs if you are adding a puppy when you already have a geriatric dog. Senior dogs who like to play with young puppies are the minority. Most older dogs like to play with their owners and prefer a quiet home environment. Imagine having a toddler move in with a 90 year old.  If you really want to add in a new dog when you have a senior dog in the home, plan ahead to make sure you are meeting your geriatric dog’s needs. I brought in Firefly when my dog, Phaser was geriatric. It was challenging and I kept them in separate areas of my home most of the time in order to allow Phaser plenty of quiet rest time.

5. If you have life circumstances that can make it difficult for you to meet a dog’s needs it is best to be realistic and hold off on getting a dog.  Jobs that require frequent relocations or travel, very long work hours and financial restrictions may all impact your ability to meet a dog’s needs.  Animal shelters are always looking for volunteers if you need a short term “dog fix” until your life circumstances allow you to be in a position to care for a dog.

If after giving your life situation a lot of careful thought, you’ve decided you are ready to meet the needs of a new dog, make sure you continue your careful research as you decide, just which dog is right for you.

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Dog Lawns

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Administrator

I love spring, it’s my favorite time of year with gorgeous cool days, flowers and beautiful weather to enjoy time with the dogs. And for the first time ever, I’m happy with my lawn. I’ve spent years experimenting with lawn products, constant reseeding and “pet urine repair” products to no avail. My lawn was always a mess of mud patches, bare patches and tons of crabgrass. So it has been an especially nice surprise for me to find my lawn actually looking pretty nice. It’s not perfect, there are a few areas in need of repair where my dogs decided to perfect their excavation skills. However, it’s much better than in years past and many of my clients are asking me questions about it, so I thought I would share what seems to be working.

My lawn, looking green and happy.

Last fall, we seeded our entire yard with a mixture of clover and grass – we literally just tossed it over our existing weedy and patchy lawn using a seed spreader. I had to buy the clover seed separately because it normally is considered a weed and we mixed it in with a bag of grass seed. I did a bit of research and learned that clover does not burn as easily as grass. The down side to clover is it also isn’t as tough in terms of handling trampling as grass so we opted to do a combination. The clover has made a huge difference. It looks great, and is handling the conditions in my backyard very well.

A close up of my clover/grass lawn

We mow once a week and keep it pretty high. We leave most of the clippings in the yard. That’s it for our lawn care. Now I’m not under any delusions, August will be the real test. Keeping fingers crossed that it holds up.  Happy spring everyone!

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Playing Fetch

Posted on February 16, 2013 by Administrator

Retrieve games are fun and an easy ways to exercise your dog. Frankly, it’s always nice if you have the flu or are just plain feeling lazy, to toss a ball to tire out your pooch instead of walking the dog yourself. Also, if your dog loves to play, you may be able to use fetch as a reward for training, so you’ll have more options to reward behaviors. Most dogs can learn to play fetch, but many pet owners aren’t sure quite how to start:

1. Many dogs nowadays spend more time indoors than outdoors, so the outdoors is full of excitement and distractions. It can be easier to start fetch games indoors. However, you may be able to start outdoors if you can find a quiet spot. I often start in a hallway and I close all doors and try to leave only one path for the dog to move. That way the dog is already set up to move in a pattern of bringing the toy back to me.

Video link – Puppy Firefly plays fetch

2. I personally try to avoid using food when working on retrieve games if at all possible. Sometimes food treats will distract the dog from the game, also I really want the game itself to be the reward. It’s hard to work away from using food to reward fetch after using food rewards. That said, if the dog has some issues with guarding – for instance, the dog plays keep away with the toy or clamps onto the toy and will not release, then food may be needed initially. If you do find yourself needing to use food, I suggest using the lowest value treat that the dog will work for (the dog’s own kibble if possible). Also try to move away from using the food reward as quickly as possible.

3. Do not leave your fetch toys out. Put them away, make them “extra special” so the dog only has access to them when you play. I use a variety of different toys for fetch, anything the dog really likes. I often will combine fetch and controlled tug games. Tug toys with a tennis ball at one end are great. You can often later transition to just a ball. I often use more than one toy in each session, switching off right in the middle of the game.

4. Keep your initial play sessions very brief. For some dogs it may be 2 or 3 tosses and then ending the game. Ideally you are ending the game before your dog wants to. Your dog will remember how much fun that was and be eager to start again the next time.

5. As with many things, fetch games are often easier to teach when you start with a young puppy, I usually start fetch games with my own pups as soon as I get them – yes at 8-10 weeks of age. That does not mean it is impossible to teach an older dog.

6. Act silly. High pitch, repetitive noises can get puppies to move. So for instance, saying “hurry, hurry, hurry!” or clapping as the puppy brings the toy back may help. Use your movement as well. For instance, toss the toy then as the pup starts to run back with it, start running away from the puppy yourself to build some distance.

7. If your pup plays tug, you can use that to encourage the pup to bring the toy back to you. Tug a little bit, then interrupt the tug game with a strong “sit” cue to prompt the dog to drop the toy and sit. Then toss the tug just a foot or two away. When the pup goes to get it, grab the end of the toy and prompt the pup to move towards you for another short tug game. As you repeat this process many dogs will start to move in that very same pattern. If your dog has trouble dropping tug toys or gets too excited by tug games to the point of not dropping the toy when you tell him to, or showing some unwanted “over the top” excited behavior, then your pup may need more training before trying this technique or this technique may not be appropriate. See this article on teaching your dog how to play controlled tug games.

8. I like having dogs give me the toy or ball right to my hand. First, it allows me to be even lazier when I exercise my dog since now I don’t even have to bend to get the toy. Secondly, I like to train my dogs to hand me their leashes and other items later on, and starting with the dog in a pattern of handing the ball to my hand makes this easier to teach. I simply start this by setting my puppy up to hand the toy to my hand. At the beginning I will make sure my hand is right there, ready to receive the toy under the pup’s mouth right when the pup approaches. When the pup gets better, I slowly make it a little harder by moving my hand away right as the pup is about to give it to me so the pup has to work a little harder to bring it right to my hand. I will not toss the toy until the pup hands it to me directly.

While I will sometimes interrupt the game with a command, such as a sit, or down and rewarding with a toy toss, I also am careful not to interrupt the game with too many commands. I really want this to be about having fun. Dogs that tend to get too excited may do better with more training interruptions than the dogs that are hard to motivate.

In a multiple dog household it is best to separate the dogs when you are teaching them how to play. Then when you try to play with more than one dog at the same time, do not let them steal from each other mid game – you may trigger a conflict or may end up with dogs playing with each other rather than with you. Or you could even end up having the dog that usually loses the toy lose interest in playing fetch entirely.  Each dog needs to play with the toy you throw for them. Any switching or stealing makes the game end for a few minutes for the dog that was “the thief.” This can get pretty tricky, as you may have to give verbal feedback from a distance. In my household Firefly and Louie used to try to “steal” the other dog’s toy. With a lot of practice Firefly has learned that the toy I give her is for her, and the one I’m throwing for Louie is for him to bring back. If it is hard to prevent the dogs from stealing or interfering in the game it is perfectly ok to confine the dogs you are not playing with.

Make sure fetch is not the only game you play with your dog. Some individual dogs may be prone to developing compulsive behaviors or may start to demand that you play with them to the point of becoming annoying. Other dogs may become a bit obsessed by the ball or other item you use for fetch games. Mixing up activities that your dog engages in on a daily basis, making sure you use a variety of different objects to play and making sure that you are initiating play sessions rather than responding to pushy behavior can help keep fetch games a healthy way to have fun with your dog. I start and end all the games at my house. When I say “all done” my dogs know I’m really done, I say it one time and it means the game is over and I put the toy away.

I’ve found that the majority of dogs are able to learn how to play fetch, but there are some individual dogs that really are not interested and may do better with other games or activities. Also fetch games are not appropriate if a dog gets so excited that the owner cannot control the dog, if the dog exhibits unsafe behaviors, or guarding behaviors like “keep away.” If this is the case, the owner to first needs to work on addressing these behaviors with a professional before trying to play fetch games.

Have fun playing with your dog!

Feel like taking your fetch games up to a competitive level? Check out the local disc dog club: http://www.aircanines.com/

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Are we having fun yet?

Posted on December 29, 2012 by Administrator

Over the past couple of months, I saw the following three situations:

1. An owner walked down King Street in old town Alexandria happily with her little mixed bred dog on a busy Saturday morning. The little dog walked quickly, with its head low and tail tucked, frightened of the loud sounds and traffic.

2. An owner enjoyed his coffee while sitting on a dog park bench. His dog was on its back being jumped on repeatedly by another dog. The owner did not notice the fact that his dog’s tail was tucked and he was running away from the other dogs, terrified.

3. A competitor entered a dog show with a stressed dog. Her dog panted constantly while in the crate waiting for her turn. When they entered the ring, the dog was distracted and unfocused. The owner left the ring and then talked to several bystanders about how her dog needed more practice and to go to more dog shows.

It probably seems pretty obvious that these were unpleasant experiences for the dogs. These owners all were people who loved their dogs and they assumed, mistakenly, that activities that they enjoyed were fun for their dog too. In some cases, a dog may make it pretty clear that it is not having a good time, by barking, lunging showing aggression or really overt fear. However, it is not always obvious. Some dogs are very subtle when they are stressed, simply moving more slowly or even acting “sleepy.” Just because a dog is moving a lot, or seems excited does not mean that the dog is enjoying the experience. Also, sometimes owners are distracted or caught up in doing something they enjoy and do not realize how unhappy their dog is. I often find myself talking to my clients about what truly is fun for their dogs. My clients may have goals for their dogs that may be fun for them, but stressful for their dog.

Some situations may be unavoidable-for instance and dog that is fearful of traffic that lives in an urban setting. In a case like this it is important to address the dog’s stress level. Behavior modification (desensitization/counter conditioning), training and building a trusting relationship with the dog can help. For some dogs, exposing them to a challenging situation briefly, at a level that they can handle, may help improve their confidence over time. However, it is always important to ask whether this an experience that my dog needs, that would be helpful for my dog’s quality of life, or is this simply an experience that I want?

I’ll admit, sometimes I want to do something with my dog that isn’t all that much fun for my dog. I will even do silly things, like put a hat on them for a photo, or take them to environments or situations that may not be that much fun for them. However, I try my best to be aware of what I am doing for me and what is truly fun for my dog. If I put my dog in a situation that is stressful or difficult, I will do my best to try to make the situation easier, I will watch the dog’s body language closely, be ready to remove my dog if I need to and give him breaks. I also am aware to make sure that I keep those stressful experiences to a minimum. After all, I get to choose how I spend my time, my dog relies on me to make those decisions for him. At the end of the day, I want my dog to have had fun too.

Wishing everyone and their pets, a truly happy New Year!

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Getting Ready for the Holidays

Posted on November 12, 2012 by Administrator

It seems the holiday season starts earlier and earlier each year. While this is often a joyous time of year, it also can be stressful. Anytime people are stressed, their dogs can become stressed too. Add in changes of routine and erratic schedules and you have a recipe for dog behavior problems. Fortunately with a little planning, it really is not that hard to avoid dog behavior problems during the holiday season.

Collie puppy wearing a red holiday hat.

First realistically assess your pet’s needs. If your pet is wary around unfamiliar people, then your pet may be better off confined to a quiet crate or room away from visitors during your holiday gathering. Err on the side of caution, I have lost track of the number of people who have shared that the very first time their dog bit someone was during a holiday event. Keep in mind that a long, late party or several holiday events close together can test the patience of even the most social dogs. Watch your dog for signs of stress and be ready to give him breaks when needed.

Have  a contingency plan for how to handle the unexpected. If your cousin plans to bring her pet to your home for a holiday gathering, what will you do if your dog does not welcome her dog? Discuss in advance where you have an extra crate or room for animal confinement in case the dogs need to be separated.  I often keep some dog treats on a table and ask visitors “please ask my dog to sit for a treat” so that my visitors know what my expectations are for my dog’s behavior. The treats also help prevent visitors from being tempted to feed my dogs table scraps.

Because more and more people are growing up with minimal animal contact, I have learned never to make assumptions. Even people who say that they are “dog people” may not understand what your dog needs. Tell people how to behave around your dog but do not expect them to train your dog for you. If your dog still needs some training, use leashes, gates, crates and close supervision to make sure the holiday party does not end up being an opportunity for him to practice bad manners. Keep treats in your pocket and be ready to reward desired behavior.

While a holiday gathering may be a great opportunity to practice and reinforce training skills, it is not the place to work on a serious behavior problem. The reality is that a dog with a serious behavior problem needs your full attention and you cannot do that when you are complimenting your aunt on her delicious cookies or reminiscing with your cousin about childhood memories. Instead manage your dog to prevent an unsafe situation and make arrangements with a qualified professional to address your dog’s behavior problem.

Last but not least, do not let family dynamics get in the way of meeting your dog’s needs. My clients have often shared that they have felt pressured to do something with their dog, that they did not actually want to do during a holiday gathering. Being assertive and honest and standing up for your dog’s needs may feel difficult but can prevent an even worse situation.

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Making Your Backyard Fun for Your Dog

Posted on October 15, 2012 by Administrator

Many of my Northern Virginia clients share the same challenge that I face, our backyards are small, and we’d love for our dogs to spend time outside but in just a few moments they are barking and disrupting the neighborhood. The reality is that for most dogs, time spent in the yard is just not all that exciting. The passers by outside of the yard, are much more exciting, and barking at them, or other unwanted behavior such as digging or destroying plants can quickly become bad habits.

Fortunately, there are ways to make time in your yard much more interesting and fun for your dog:

1. Just as you might provide a variety of chews and toys in a dog’s crate to keep him engaged, you can do the same in your yard. Rotate toys and leave a variety of toys in your yard.

2. Set up some safe, low height agility obstacles in your yard.  Teach your dog how to use the obstacles using treats and toys and then change the arrangement of obstacles periodically. Running your dog in your own agility course is fun for you and keeps life interesting for your dog.

3. Play scent games in your yard. Hide toys filled with special treats, kibble/treat filled toys, drag a hot dog around and hide it to lay out a track for your dog to sniff. Dab interesting odors on dog toys such as vanilla and hide them in your yard as well. You can set up opportunities where you hide special smelly treats throughout your yard so your dog has to sniff around to find them. Check out this video of my own dogs looking for freeze dried liver in my yard.

Backyard Scent Game

This game is great for dogs of all ages, as you can see in the video, Monty, my senior dog who wears a splint on an injured leg, has just as much fun as my younger dogs. My dogs are now “experts” at this game so I hide the liver in difficult spots such as in the middle of the lawn and inside the tunnel. When I first started playing this with them I would toss the treats in a short and easy to follow trail. Of course, if your dogs might fight over food, you need to be careful and play this type of game with dogs one at a time.  If you use pesticides or weed killers on your lawn it is best not to hide food directly on the grass.

4. Channel your dog’s interest in digging by creating a small section of your yard where it is ok for your dog to dig. An area of loose soil or an old sandbox or child’s pool can be used to bury toys for him to attract him to that location. In summer months, fill up a child’s wading pool with water and toss in a few floatable toys.

5. Play with your dog yourself in your yard, fetch or controlled tug games, training practice or with a lure type toy.

Supervise your dog when he is in your yard and make sure your fencing is secure. If you have any other backyard enrichment ideas you would like to share, please do chime in!

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Good Manners and Dog Owners

Posted on September 24, 2012 by Administrator

Recently I became aware of a new campaign to educate the public that some dogs need more space than other dogs. There are several similar campaigns and I’ve seen everything from badges, color coded leashes, capes, T-shirts, bandannas and buttons used by pet owners in an attempt to keep people or other unfamiliar dogs from interacting with their pet dog. These efforts are typically focused on dogs that exhibit fearful or aggressive behavior with dogs or people.

I applaud the efforts of these programs and hope that they help in educating the public. However, at the same time I can’t help but think that this really is true for all dogs. All dogs and their owners deserve the courtesy of being asked before being interacted with. And unless permission is given, all dog owners should give other dogs and their owners sufficient space to go about their business without interference.

The truth is that this is just a matter of being polite. The same way it is not polite to let a dog jump on an unfamiliar person or to let the dog touch another person’s personal belongings, it is not appropriate to let a dog interact with another person’s dog without asking them first.

Moreover, by doing this, the dog owner can teach their dog good manners too. Dogs can learn that they cannot just rush up to greet every dog they see. I teach my clients with friendly dogs to teach their dogs to sit and watch them first. Then only if their dog is calm and showing friendly body language, is the dog permitted to briefly greet.

Of course, good manners does not apply only to dog-dog interaction. Everyone should ask before approaching and interacting with another person’s dog – regardless of how friendly the dog appears to be.

What’s extra nice about always politely respecting everyone’s space, is we don’t need to single out any particular pet.  All dogs and their owners are deserving of being treated with good manners.

Posted in Dog Aggression, Dog Behavior, Dog Training | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Dirt or hair?

Posted on September 17, 2012 by Administrator

The poodle crosses continue to increase in popularity – from labradoodles, goldendoodles, Maltipoos, Yorki-poos, to whoodles and even sheepadoodles, there is an endless variety of poodle crosses to choose from. Certainly, “doodles” and similar crosses can make lovely pets, many of them are friendly, social and outgoing – and they are adorable to boot. However, the reality is that no breed or mix is free from behavioral challenges. In fact, this year I’ve been receiving an increasing number inquiries for behavior help by owners of poodle crosses to address more serious challenges including aggressive behavior.

Poodles are very active, sensitive dogs. Labradors and Goldens can also be energetic, and owners of Goldendoodles and Labradoodles often are surprised by their energy needs. That is not to say there are not some low key, easy going doodles, but simply put, temperament and behavior in these crosses can be difficult to predict. There is a high demand for poodle crosses and people are willing to pay a significant amount for them. As a result, there are unscrupulous breeding practices.

Many times people tell me that the main reason they have chosen one of these crosses is because of the dog’s coat. Some mistakenly believe that these dogs are “hypoallergenic.” Science does not support that any breed of dog is “hypoallergenic.” People who have allergies are not allergic to the dog’s hair itself, they are allergic to a particular protein that is in the saliva and dander of all dogs. There may be some breeds and individual dogs who may release less of this protein into the environment. However, there is no definitive science on this issue yet. When it comes to allergies, unfortunately there are no guarantees about any particular breed or individual dog being less likely to trigger an allergic reaction than another.

Sadie, an adorable Goldendoodle getting ready for a hike.

No one likes to spend extra time cleaning and some people choose poodle crosses because they prefer not having a lot of dog hair to vacuum. I really do empathize, but a non shedding breed does not guarantee a cleaner house.  Dogs that shed, tend to shed everything, including dirt. My smooth coated collies typically shake off leaves and mud before they enter my home. The coats of breeds that do not shed, tend to hold everything in, including water, dirt, mud, so forth. Dogs that have a lot of hair around their muzzles often soak their whole face when they drink water, then they drip that water as they walk away from the bowl. We all know how well hardwood floors hold up to being repeatedly wet. Now imagine those cute fuzzy, goldendoodle paws running around the mulch, leaves and mud. Yep everything sticks to them. So the time you save not having to vacuum hair, you will spend cleaning your dog up directly – or trading your vacuum in for a mop.

Last but not least, because there is so much variation among Doodle crosses, there are some doodles that do actually shed. In fact I have recently worked with one labradoodle and another goldendoodle from different breeders that each shed. The owners both arrived at lessons with light colored dog hair all over their clothing. The breeders misled both of the owners of these dogs telling them that they would end up with a non-shedding dog. Fortunately for the dogs, in both of these cases, the owners were willing to live with the shedding.

Sadie, happily dirty, after a long fun hike in the woods.

Poodle crosses can make lovely pets, however, here’s the hard reality: all dogs are messy. If you are choosing a dog, please think about more than just coat in your decision making. The truth is that if the dog’s behavior does not fit into your lifestyle, you are going to have problems that are much more serious than just vacuuming a little more frequently.

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I want to train my dog as a Service Dog

Posted on August 23, 2012 by Administrator

It seems that I see a new story about the wonderful things a service dog can do for a person with a disability on a weekly basis. Along with the positive press coverage comes an increased demand for service animals. Because the process of training a service animal is quite long, programs that provide trained service animals often have a long wait (2 years is not uncommon). Naturally many individuals look into other options and wonder if they can train their own dog to assist them with the help of a qualified trainer.

While it seems appealing to beat the long wait lists and bureaucratic application by simply “doing it yourself” the reality is that training your own dog as a service dog is a significant challenge. Professionals are much faster at training a dog than a novice, so the training process (when done correctly) can take as long or even longer for someone training their own dog for service work than simply applying for a program trained service dog.

Moreover, as many as 50% of dogs that are bred and selected for service work end up needing a career change and are unable to complete the training process. Most pet dogs are not appropriate for work as a service animal in places pets are not permitted.  Because temperament and behavior in dogs can change and is difficult to predict, there is no way to be certain that a dog that begins the long training process will be able to finish. High quality service dog programs conduct ongoing assessments during and after the training process. Pet owners who choose to train their own dog for service work assume the costs and risks themselves. I tell my clients who are training their own dog for service work that they need to have a plan for what they will do if the dog they are training is not able to continue the training process. The plan may be simply that the dog will live as a well loved pet at home, or perhaps they will participate in a different dog sport or training activity, but this “plan” needs to always be kept in mind.

All that being said, there are some situations where it is not only appropriate but advantageous for a person to train their own dog as a service dog. When done correctly, the owner of the dog will have had so much hands on experience that he/she will be an extremely highly skilled handler at the end of the process and in a very good position to maintain the dog’s training over time. Also, some people prefer to choose the breed or size of the dog and most service dog programs have limitations on the breeds chosen. While the training process start to finish may take a long time, the dog will be learning tasks along the way. The owner may have the benefit of having the dog help them at home sooner doing some tasks as the dog learns them. Last but not least, for a person who enjoys the process of training a dog, the process of training the dog for service work can be empowering in itself.

Sadly, I often receive inquiries from people who would like to train a dog for service work but have a dog that is completely unsuited for this difficult work. The service dog candidate must be healthy, friendly and happy. The service dog candidate cannot have any serious behavioral problems – this means no aggressive behavior, no separation anxiety, no serious fearful behaviors. A dog that growls at some people, that may attack another dog or that is afraid in new environments is not a dog that is appropriate to consider for service dog training. The hard reality is that while we can usually modify behavior problems in dogs, we cannot eliminate the problem completely. The service dog training process, even when done using reward based training methods, puts additional pressure on the dog. Pressure tends to make behavior problems worse.

With dogs recently adopted from shelters, there really is no way for the owner to know for sure whether the dog would be a good candidate for service work. Simply put, temperament and behavior in newly adopted dogs tends to change over the first several months.With puppies, you cannot be certain about the adult dog’s temperament either. Choosing a career path for a young puppy is a little like having a parent predict a child’s career path when they are in kindergarten. Of course, young puppies and shelter dogs do need basic training, but the owner needs to be realistic and in “watch and see” mode in terms of assessing the dog’s aptitude for advanced service dog training. There are wonderful mixed bred dogs from shelters and rescue groups that may be able to work as service animals, however, dogs or pups acquired from responsible and reputable breeders that do thorough health and temperament screenings and have a history of producing service dogs are the safest bet as candidates for service dog training.

It is as important for the owner to be a great candidate as the dog. The owner needs to be able to meet the dog’s exercise, food, play, and veterinary needs (or have a caregiver who can assist) and love training. An owner trainer is going to be training a lot and for a long time, so they really need to enjoy the process. They need to have access to an experienced and qualified professional trainer who is experienced in training the type of service animal they need and be financially able to pay for this help. Depending on the nature of the person’s disability, some supportive healthcare professionals may also be needed, perhaps a physical therapist, occupational therapist, counselor or medical doctor.

If you are interested in learning more about service dogs, the International Association of Assistance Dog Partners is an excellent resource.

It is important for people interested in service animals to be fully informed on service dog laws and definitions. It is also important for people to be aware of the definition of disability, as only people who meet the ADA’s definition may use a service animal. Additionally, therapy dogs are not the same thing as service dogs and it is important for handlers of both therapy and service dogs to know the difference.

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