Creating More Possibilities With Service Dogs

Service dogs are also commonly referred to as assistance dogs. There are no specific breed or other requirements in order for a dog to become a service dog, provided that they have undergone extensive dog training that makes them capable to provide the services they are intended for. There are various types of services dogs, depending on what purpose they serve. And accordingly, they undergo differing types of specialized training geared towards what the service ther provide.

Private organizations are the ones that typically breed and train service dogs. However, it is also possible that a private individual train his or her own dog to provide assistance in whichever way possible. However, service dogs are most commonly used in medical response units and providing help for disabled or handicapped inviduals.

Training for Service Dogs

There are a variety of options one has in terms of training their dogs to become assistance dogs. After all, there are no specific breed requirement for a dog to qualify as one. The aim of the training is to create desirable traits for the dog so they will conform to the instructions of their handler. Plus, you will need to take good care of the dog's health in order for it to stay in top shape and provide the assistance you need.

Training for dogs can be broken down into two types: under a training program or via self training procedures.

Dog Training Programs

There are several organizations in existence that cater to providing programs specific for service dogs. When you hand your dog or puppy over to these organizations, they will experience several working conditions that will enhance their potential to respond to certain situations. On top of that, your dog will also undergo obedience training so they will be able to heed and follow instructions effectively.

The entire process of training a dog will span over as short as a few weeks until several months, depending largely on the dog's ability to develop skills necessary in the training. Each dog or puppy will undergo certain tasks that will improve their personality and skills. As these dogs eventually earn skills, they will advance into the training which includes exposure to public places where most of their services will take place (particular for dogs that guide the blind).

If you want to obtain a dog that has undergone this service training program, you will have to go through a process of application and evaluation. Depending on the organization, you can either be charged with certain payments for obtaining the dog, you may be given the dog with charge after both you and the dog pass the required training, or the organization that trains the dog will maintain ownership of the dog during the time you have the dog.  In this case, you generally will be responsible forr all expenses the dog incurs. When the dog reaches retirement age, the dog goes back to the organization that retains ownership.

Training the Dog Yourself

Despite the large number of dog training programs available, most dog owners opt to train their dogs themselves. These owners hope to personalize their training methods to suit their own specific needs. If you have an existing dog, then you can definitely train them to become a service dog that is a reliable source of assistance during emergency situations.

Dog owners who are unaware on how training methods are conducted usually conduct their own research first. This is a good starting point to have establish a clear method on how training is to be undergone and what essential skills you dog needs to acquire and develop. Meanwhile, others can also hire the help of a professional handler to get a more hands-on approach into how the actual training is to be done.

Those who perform self-training must undergo their dog “in-training” for a period of at least a year to acquire the desired traits or skills. You can start with the basic obedience training methods then eventually move up towards special commands.

Purpose of Service Dogs

The most common usage for service dogs is to provide assistance to disabled persons. There are 4 types of service dogs, which are listed as follows:

*Guide dogs - This type of service dogs serve as the eyes and ears of disabled individuals, such as the blind. Thus, the presence of service dogs make it possible for blind people to expose themselves to public areas and be assured of their safety.

*Hearing dogs - This type of service dogs provide trained assistance to individuals who lack the hearing capabilities.

*Mobility dogs - This type of service dogs make life more efficient for individuals who use wheelchairs, or have difficulty getting up on their own feet. These dogs are responsible for opening doors or picking up any items dropped.

" Assistance Dogs - This includes other types of assistance, such as seizure alert dogs, psychiatric service dogs, austism assistance dogs, and many others.

Public Presence of Service Dogs

Today, there is a growing number of service dogs in the society. Indeed, these dogs have been given access to public places to make it possible for them to enter through certain establishment like restaurants, stores, or movie theaters, as well as public forms of transportation like subway trains, taxis, or airplanes.

Recognizing their importance to individuals who handle service dogs, one is not charged with additional payment. As the state and law continues to evaluate the importance of service dogs, they are also expanding on the rights provided to service dogs and their owners to have equal access to public places.