Any service dog who engages in public access work needs to be identified as a service dog. In many cases, a vest is the most practical way to do this. Choosing the right vest is important. The …
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Training Service Dogs to Flip Light Switches
Turning light switches on and off is a commonly needed service dog task for dogs helping people who have disabilities ranging from mobility impairments and low vision to PTSD. This is one of those …
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Selecting and Training Cues for Service Dog Tasks
Putting a behavior on cue is typically a straightforward process. Trainers choose a word or gesture as the cue, and introduce it when the dog begins to offer the behavior reliably. The trainer should …
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Working with Clients with Disabilities that Affect Speech
When we think of disabilities, we usually think of someone limited in their ability to walk or with altered cognition, or a person who has a sensory limitation. Rarely do people think of disabilities …
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Three Important Public Access Skills for Service Dog Handlers
Public access training is the most demanding aspect of preparing a dog for service work. When we think about public access training, the first hurdles that come to mind are the challenges this work …
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Training loose leash walking with a wheelchair
Training a service dog to walk on a loose leash in a variety of distracting settings is always challenging, but when the handler uses a wheelchair, there are even more factors to consider. Wheelchairs …
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