What's The Difference Between Training Dogs And Service Dogs?

A service dog is defined by the American Disabilities Act as any dog assisting a person with a disability and must be trained to do a task for the person.

Service dogs are highly trained by professional organizations and are, therefore, capable of assisting with different types of disabilities. Service dogs are allowed access to public areas such as bathrooms, buses, and restaurants.

Training a service dog is a specialized process that comes in two phases:

1. Phase One

Training at phase one begins in puppyhood. This involves house and potty training and developing socializing skills. Puppies learn obedience basics and adapt, in stages, to working in public places. Clickers or treats are used as positive reinforcement.

Phase one training lasts until the dog is two years old, or older. Puppies are then sent to professional organizations to complete phase two of service dog training.

Labradors and Labradoodles are the most successful dog breeds to emerge out of these training programs.

2. Phase Two

Training at phase two involves evaluating dogs for obedience and performance to determine the specific disabilities they are most suited to assist with. An essential skill that service dogs are trained for is called, “intelligent disobedience”, where disobeying the owner can prevent injury or fatality.

Some dogs that do not pass phase two training are repurposed as therapy dogs.

Feature Image Source: Pixabay