One of the most frequent requests I receive is about training your own service dog. The ADA covers Service Dogs but NOT Service Dogs In Training (SDiT). SDiTs are regulated by most states. Some states, such as California, mimics federal SD law with either a trainer or disabled handler. Others states may have much tighter laws on who can train and what, if any, access rights the dogs have.
Make a new toy out of an old toy and get rid of one of those old t-shirts stuffed in the back of your drawer at the same time.  Dogs wear muzzles for many different reasons, not just aggression.
Why is it a good practice to teach a dog to wear a muzzle? Putting a dog into a situation where they are already uncomfortable and then adding the never-before-worn muzzle adds even more stress to the situation. This means their next experience with training, at the vet or groomers will be even more stressful. My dogs are all muzzle trained. Over the past couple of years our Desi has had a lot of vet visits due to skin issues. As the vets and vet techs are climbing over this 150 pound Great Dane to examine and obtain scrapings and biopsies they need to feel safe in order to give him the best care. I am not offended and actually offer to muzzle him. I want to make sure he's getting the best care but I don't want him stressed out, either, since that can make his issues worse. We start muzzle training early. We show them the muzzle, let them sniff and check it out, giving them treats. Then we put treats in the muzzle so they can put their faces in to get the treats. Once they are consistently putting their snouts in by their own choice we add the strap. Then we secure it, very briefly, with a high value squirt of spray cheese added. Gradually they wear it for longer and longer periods of time, adding activities such as going outside or for walks, always keeping it fun with high value treats. With all the holiday foods, treats, gifts, guests and socializing dogs can be exposed to things that are harmful. Even the best trained dog may be offered something they shouldn't eat or find something that isn't good for them. If you suspect your dog has ingested something they shouldn't have, getting proper treatment as quickly as possible is essential. In our area emergency vets are quite a bit of travel time as well as being very expensive. One year our curious puppy ate something she shouldn't have (and that we shouldn't have left out). Of course it was a Sunday and knowing the emergency vet was over an hour away we contacted the ASPCAs Poison Control number (888) 426-4435. For a fee (a fraction of the cost of an emergency vet visit) they were able to advise us what to do and we avoided that long, scary and expensive trip. I highly recommend keeping their information close at hand. You can also find a list of harmful plants, foods and other products on their website, https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control, in addition to their mobile app.   The holiday season is almost upon us. Wait, Leave It and Place can keep your dog from getting into trouble. Spending time now teaching, proofing or fine tuning these behaviors can help keep your dog safe as well as a welcome part of the celebrations.
Wait. Wait tells the dog to wait a moment, be patient and something else is going to happen. Wait while you hook their leash up, wait while your food is prepared, wait before going out the door, wait before getting in or out of the car. This gives you time to do something safely and without mishap from a dog jumping, darting, even knocking things out of your hands. Leave It. This cue prevents a dog from snatching or eating something they shouldn’t have. With all the food , breakable decorations and even extra medications due to seasonal illnesses that are around knowing your dog has a rock solid leave it can save their life. Drop It. Teaching a dog to drop an item that they’ve already picked up, such as the random sock, wrapped gift, shoe, will end those unwanted games of chase. With a solid Drop It cue the dog will drop the item instead. Place. A dog who knows to go to their safe spot while you answer the door, carry packages thru the room, clean up a mess, can alleviate a lot of tension. This is a great way to prevent them from darting out the door when holiday visitors or deliveries arrive. If your dog already knows these cues start practicing now. Just a few minutes per day, adding them in here and there, will help the dog be ready to deliver the requested behavior when you ask for it. If your dog doesn’t know these cues or they aren’t working like they should, then reach out for help. It can eliminate some of the stress of the season.  Remember that cute little puppy you brought home a few months ago? Where did he go? The dog between 6 and 18 months of age is not quite an adult but no longer a young puppy. Just because they are ‘full size’ doesn’t mean their brain is fully developed. It may even seem all the work that you have put into his training has gone up in smoke. No worry, tho, your sweet puppy is still in there, he is just growing up and going thru that ‘awkward phase’ that many trainers refer to as the Brat Zone, the adolescent. Here are a few tips to get thru this time.
I promise this is temporary. Talk to a trainer who is experienced and uses reward based training to help if you need to get a handle on wayward behaviors before they become a real problem. ©29k9   Operant Conditioning is learning thru consequence (both rewards and punishments). We learn that if we do one thing, something else will follow. Science has repeatedly shown us that long term, rewards are more successful. Study after study shows us this. A Review of Dog Training Methods: Welfare, Learning ability, and Current Standards, authored by IJ Makowska, M.Sc., Ph.D. for the BCSPCA, she demonstrates thru multiple studies and research just how important making the right choices in training are to a dog’s welfare.
I am going to use a simple example, flipping on a light switch and being rewarded with the light. If we want that light to turn on then every time we must flip that switch to make it happen. This is what we are teaching a dog with positive reinforcement. We do not have to use aversives such as shock collars (or electric, static, whatever you want to call it), prong collars or even high pitched whistles. How would this work, say, if I wanted you to turn on the light but you didn’t know that was what I wanted? Imagine that I put you in a room and wait for you to turn the light on. Then, every time you did something, but that something wasn’t turning on the light, you were punished. You stand up “zap”. You sit down “zap”. You ask what I want “zap”. This is positive punishment. At what point would you become reactive to everything because nothing is working or simply shut down and give up? How did you learn to flip the switch? You saw someone, probably a parent, do it and then did it yourself and were rewarded with the light turning on or off. This is positive reinforcement. How simple is this to do? When a dog is jumping they don’t KNOW this is the wrong behavior. They just know it will get your attention. So we choose the behavior we want them to do and then remove our attention from the jump and teach them that sitting gets them your attention. The dog darts out the door getting freedom and a game of chase. Wait, that’s not what you WANT them to do? Again, we determine the wanted behavior, not darting out the door. So first, we prevent the dart with a baby gate and/or leash and teach them that waiting while the door opens gets a reward. Then we teach them that going thru the door on cue gets a reward. Now the dog is waiting at the door instead of darting. We can even teach them to turn on that light switch by stacking behaviors. Yes, this will take some time, especially if your dog has spent time learning the wrong behaviors. In the end, tho, your dog will be happier and less likely to develop behavior issues. Using science and reward based training methods; this is how we should be teaching our dogs. Teach Rover that he must do certain things in order to get that reward. If he doesn’t do the behaviors that are required then he won’t get the reward. With dogs we cannot explain this to them but we can teach them by demonstrating that every time they make the right choice something good happens. When they make the wrong choice they get nothing. No attention, no yummy treats, no games to play, no snuggle time. Initially, we work on small, simple behaviors such as focus and sit to get rewards. Then we make things a little harder. Sitting and waiting in one place. Add in coming when called. Learning to choose the cooperative behavior in order to participate in the rewards of yummy treats, snuggle time, games of tug of war, going for fun walks.  “I want to train my dog as a service dog.”
“I want to get a puppy to train as a service dog.” “Can you certify my dog as a service dog?” “I want my emotional support dog to be certified.” “I wish my dog was a service dog.” I probably hear some variation of the above several times a week. Then I spend quite a bit of time explaining the law and practicalities of service dog training. So here are a few truths. “I want to train my dog as a service dog.” Odds are not good. While any dog CAN be a service dog not every dog SHOULD be. First, the adolescent or adult dog must be well socialized and trained already. They need that solid foundation of socializing and experiencing a wide variety of people, places, things, noises, animals. They must be able to tune out all of those things while performing specific tasks. They must do this without barking, lunging, biting or soiling. They also must be clean so must not mind being bathed on a regular basis. “I want to get a puppy to train as a service dog.” This can go well or it can go badly. A dog’s brain develops until about age 2. During that time their temperament can change quite a bit. The happy, friendly puppy becomes a reactive adolescent. Task training doesn’t typically begin until between 18 months and 2 years. Even when you build the best foundation you may still have a dog that just cannot handle the stress of the job. There goes years of planning and training out the window. And remember, while the ADA covers Service Dogs, Service Dogs in Training are covered by state laws. These laws vary in how restrictive they are and in who can train and where the training can occur. “Can you certify my dog as a service dog?” From the 2010 Department of Justice Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADA: Q17. Does the ADA require that service animals be certified as service animals? A. No. Covered entities may not require documentation, such as proof that the animal has been certified, trained, or licensed as a service animal, as a condition for entry. Those certificates you see online and from some trainers are bogus. I can test your dog and provide you with proof of passing that test (whether on basics, public access or tasks) but I will not certify your dog is a service dog. “I want my emotional support dog to be certified.” An Emotional Support Animal is covered under HUD, not the ADA. You have rights to housing and travel, subject to many restrictions. The animal itself is not certified but a patient’s need for a specific animal is what is certified. The only one who can do that certification is a Mental Health Care provider. I do recommend training, especially if you plan to travel, but there are no requirements for training to have an Emotional Support Animal except under certain conditions, such as an airline may require proof of training to fly. Do not assume the animal is welcome everywhere, not every housing falls under this law and airlines have their own rules regarding training, size and types of animals. Do your research first. “I wish my dog was a service dog.” Be careful what you wish for. Life with a Service Dog isn’t always easy. Many businesses don’t know or respect the law and will argue about your rights. You not only have to think about your own needs but you also have to think about giving the dog an opportunity to relieve themselves, eat and drink. Keeping them dry when it is raining, warm when it’s freezing and not letting them burn their pads on hot pavement. People will stop you while you are trying to pick out groceries or new underwear, while you are filling out paperwork, talking on the phone, ordering food. They will want to know what your disability is, in every gory detail, what tasks the dog does, how much the dog cost, how much training costs and finish by saying “I wish my dog could go everywhere with me”. They will want to pet your dog, talk to your dog, call your dog and find ways to interact with your dog that will distract him from his job. Some will even cuss and yell at you when you say “Please don’t, my dog is working.” There is a lot more to having a Service Dog than just “taking your dog everywhere”. You immediately become the center of attention. You have to know your rights and your dog’s rights. You have to know the law and be able to communicate it. People do not like to admit they are wrong and once they tell you “sorry, no dogs, no exceptions” they often will defend that statement angrily to the point of calling law enforcement to have you removed. Police will not enforce your rights as it is considered a civil matter. You options are to leave and: move on, file an ADA grievance or go to the news and social media. Staying and arguing, tho, is never advised. I do, however, leave a card with the law and DOJ contact information. I will follow up with something in writing advising them of the same thing. As summer hits full heat, especially here in our desert, it may not safe to walk our dogs as outside energetic activities can be flat out dangerous. This means boredom if they don't have enough mental stimulation to make up for it. Some dogs become very destructive when bored, others may become depressed. Here are fun activities that can liven up a boring summer for Fido, keeping them mentally active. #BoredDogs #TooHotDogs #SummerAlternatives #FidoNeedsFun  |
