PAWS TO FREEDOM
Assistance Dog Team Training

Teaching People with Disabilities
to train their own Assistance Dogs
by Building Peaceable Partnerships to Independence

Assistance Dog Training

CONSIDERING AN ASSISTANCE DOG?

From a Program?
Here are some topics to consider discussing with a Program.
Ask to see their Business License, Interview Trainer, Find out methods, goals and evaluation of training, ask for references/check with Better Business Bureau, Ask Who retains legal ownership of dog?, How long for training?, Is there a waiting list?, Fees, Travel, Room & Board, ask to see a sample contract, what back-ground does trainer have for training and assessing your abilities & needs?, what are your guarantees of confidentiality?, Decide if you can work with the program. Don't Rush! Some Programs are listed with Delta Society.

Owner-Training?
Teamwork I & II books. These are Dog Training Manuals for People with Disabilities. Available through Dogwise. I also recommend reading info on the Psychiatric Service Dog Society website.

It is generally best to work with a trainer in addition to doing your own training. For information on Hiring a Dog Trainer check out this Article. It's very helpful.

Consider talking with others who have Service Dogs...ask questions. Many groups are available online. Here's one called Service Dog Life.

When obtaining a dog to train for Service work, it is important to consider it's health and temperament. Here is a link for Finding a Service Dog Candidate

A Few Words From Mara on Owner-Training

Owner training is very challenging and very rewarding. There are many things to take into consideration. First of all I would highly suggest that a team use a positive reinforcement method of training. This is very geared toward teamwork which is at the base of the whole model of service work. It requires a lot of daily commitment to train your own service dog. I am constantly seeking new tools and tricks to work with Freely. One of the wonderful benefits I find is that I am constantly also needing to assess my personal needs. This means that I am very tuned into what my abilities and disabilities actually are. Freely has been the catalyst for my improved healthcare for this exact reason.

It can take a lot of energy to follow through on the training needed to train your own service dog. I can tire quite quickly and sometimes need to ask for help from others. If you are seriously considering training your own dog and want to start by talking to others, please feel free to contact us! I am very open to sharing our experiences and connecting people with other groups, organizations and/or lists that can be of great help and support!

Tools for Assistance Dog Work

There are many things a dog needs to be trained for in order to be a successful and healthy Assistance Dog. Training for specific tasks is one of the final stages of training, even though basic behaviors will build on what will later become trained tasks. Public access skills are imparative.

Socialization and Public Access

It's important that a candidate is socialized with people, animals and many environments, behaving well in public places, both indoors and outdoors.
Attention: the dog must be able to pay attention to her partner, even when there are distractions.
Cues: Learning verbal and hand signal cues for safety, obedience and assistance work.
Equipment: An example is using a special harness for assisting with balance.
Teamwork: Learning to train and work as a team. Learning Team building strategies..
Training and More Training: Praise, positive reinforcement and clicker training are my training methods. Training is an ongoing process for Assistance Dogs.

ASSISTANCE DOG TRAINING INFO

If you are in the Portland, Oregon area, have a disability and are interested in training your own assistance dog, please contact Mara, CPDT

Discovery Dogs
Clicker Training Assistance Dog Group
Shirley Chong -"Keepers" Clicker Training
Clicker Solutions
Shaping Your Dog's Reliable Retrieve
Clickertales
Assistance Dog Task Ideas
Psychiatric Service Dog Task Ideas
Finding a Service Dog Candidate
Dog Training At Home