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Originally Posted by hockeymom Just how easy is it to train a dog as a service dog? Can just any Joe Blow do it, or do the need a license and real training experience? Do you have to take special classes? |
The answer to this question of course depends on the type of disability the owner has. Some dogs are naturally "service dogs" for people with slight, moderate or severe emotional problems and very little training other than the standard safety, obedience, and good behavior in public is required. They give un conditional love and support and that is all that is required of them!
There are also dogs who simply detect certain signs in their owners' physical makeup and not much training is required of the dog in that case, but rather the owner must be trained to "read" the signals the dog is putting out when those "physical signs" are present. Examples of this are impending seizures, migraine headaches, low blood subgar, high blood pressure, etc.
On the other hand, a dog who is assisting a physically disabled person and needs to learn to push buttons and retrieve items for his master needs a little more training obviously.
I wouldn't say any "Joe Blow" coud train a service dog needing extensive training due a severe disability, but anyone with moderate intelligence who can read, take direction and has the time to spend daily with the animals could learn it.
The American's with Disabilities Act does not require "proof" of any special training for the animal to fall within it's guidelines, but it does require that the animal be "trained" to assist the owner with his/her disability. You is perfectly proper for the trainer to be the owner, a professional trainer or, more commonly, some combination of both.