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 …
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 …
Continue Reading about Three Important Public Access Skills for Service Dog Handlers →
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 …
Continue Reading about Training loose leash walking with a wheelchair →
Maintaining a Team’s Training
It’s always exciting when a service dog team transitions from “in training” to working independently. However, as trainers know, service dogs are never really done with training, so a plan needs to be …
Supporting Teams as They Venture Back Into a Post-Pandemic World
People with disabilities have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Both dogs and handlers have been more isolated and are likely not to have been out and about in busy …
Continue Reading about Supporting Teams as They Venture Back Into a Post-Pandemic World →
Addressing Stress in Public Access Training
Service dogs need to behave calmly in restaurants, in supermarkets, on public transportation and in various other complex environments. They need to ignore distractions and be ready to perform tasks …
Continue Reading about Addressing Stress in Public Access Training →