According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a service dog is “a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.”
Service dogs are more than pets and more than companions. The vital work they do enhances independence for children and adults with physical, cognitive, and developmental disabilities.
A service dog helps a person with a disability lead a more independent life.
While there are a wide variety of disabilities that service dogs can assist with, there are common training standards they all have to adhere to.
To be able to accompany its owner in all public settings, the dog needs to
- be under the control of the handler at all times
- be able to walk calmly on the leash and be focused on the handler
- not sniff merchandise or people or intrude into other people’s space
- not show aggressive behaviors towards people or other animals
- not solicit food or petting from other people
- not vocalize or bark in public places
- not urinate or defecate indoors
Not all dogs qualify as potential service dog candidates.
A good service dog candidate should be:
- Calm, especially in unfamiliar settings
- Alert, but not reactive
- Capable ofbeingsocialized to many different situations andenvironments
- Reliable in performing repetitive tasks
To determine if our service dog training program fits your needs and your dog is a good candidate for service dog training, please schedule a free consultation with one of our Canine Behavior Consultants.
