Can I train my own service dog ?
Yes, you can train your own service dog, but it’s a complex and time – consuming process that requires a great deal of knowledge, patience, and commitment.
Advantages of Training Your Own Service Dog
- Bonding: Training your own dog allows for a stronger bond to develop between you and the dog. This bond can enhance the dog’s motivation to work for you and respond to your needs. For example, a dog that has been trained by its owner from a young age may be more attuned to the owner’s specific habits and body language.
- Customization: You can tailor the training to your exact requirements. If you have a unique disability or need that standard – trained service dogs may not fully address, you can focus on teaching the dog the specific tasks that are most beneficial to you. For instance, if you have a condition that causes you to have balance issues at specific times of the day, you can train the dog to provide more support during those times.
Challenges of Training Your Own Service Dog
- Lack of Professional Expertise: Without formal training in dog behavior and training techniques, you may struggle to teach the dog complex skills effectively. Professional trainers have in – depth knowledge of learning theory, such as operant conditioning and classical conditioning, which they use to train service dogs. For example, knowing when and how to use positive reinforcement (like treats, praise, and play) and negative punishment (such as withholding a reward when the dog makes a mistake) is crucial for successful training.
- Time – Consuming: Training a service dog requires a significant amount of time. You need to dedicate several hours each day to training sessions, including basic obedience training, socialization, and task – specific training. Basic obedience commands like “sit,” “stay,” “come,” and “heel” can take weeks or months to master, and task – specific skills can take even longer. For example, training a dog to retrieve dropped items for someone with limited mobility might involve multiple steps and extensive repetition over a period of months.
- Legal and Certification Requirements: There are legal requirements and certifications for service dogs. You need to ensure that your dog meets the standards set by laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the United States. The dog must be well – behaved in public and trained to perform tasks that mitigate your disability. Getting the necessary certifications and understanding the legal rights and responsibilities can be a complex process.
If you decide to train your own service dog, it’s advisable to consult with professional dog trainers, veterinarians, and organizations that support service dog training to ensure you’re on the right track.
How long are service dogs trained ?
Service dogs typically undergo extensive training that can last anywhere from several months to over two years, depending on the specific skills they need to learn and the complexity of the tasks they’ll perform.
Basic Training (6 – 12 months)
Socialization:
In the first few months (around 3 – 6 months), service dogs are intensively socialized. They are exposed to a wide variety of people, environments such as busy streets, supermarkets, parks, and different noises like traffic sounds, sirens, and crowds. This helps them become calm and confident in different situations and not be easily distracted or startled. For example, a service dog in training might visit a school during recess to get used to the noise and activity of children.
Obedience Training:
Basic obedience commands like ‘sit,’ ‘stay,’ ‘come,’ ‘heel,’and ‘down’ are taught during this period. This usually takes about 6 – 9 months. Repetition and positive reinforcement techniques such as treats, praise, and play are used. For instance, when teaching a dog to ‘sit,’ the trainer might hold a treat above the dog’s head and say the command. As the dog looks up, its bottom will naturally lower, and when it sits, it gets the treat and praise.
Advanced Training (6 – 18 months)
Task – Specific Training:
After the basic obedience is mastered, the dog moves on to learning specific tasks related to the handler’s needs. If the dog is being trained to assist a person with a visual impairment, it will learn how to guide its handler around obstacles, stop at curbs, and find doors. This kind of training can take 6 – 12 months or more, depending on the complexity of the tasks. For example, teaching a dog to recognize traffic signals and cross the street safely with a visually – impaired handler requires a lot of practice and repetition in different traffic situations.
Public Access Training:
Service dogs also need to learn how to behave appropriately in public places. They must be able to walk quietly beside their handler without being distracted by other people or animals. This training can last around 3 – 6 months and includes practicing in various public settings like restaurants, stores, and public transportation. The dog needs to learn to lie quietly under a table in a restaurant or stand calmly in a crowded bus without bothering others.
In addition to the formal training period, service dogs also need continuous reinforcement and practice throughout their working lives to maintain and improve their skills.