What Training Do Service Dogs Need?

News is happening fast concerning the novel coronavirus (officially called COVID-19). Service Dogs present a special challenge for two reasons: 1) Service Dogs accompany their disabled handlers in public and 2) disabled handlers who use Service Dogs may have specific

What happens if you die? Who will take care of your pet or Service Dog? Nobody wants to think about their own death. Creating a plan for your animals can make the transition easier on your animals and those around

Has begging for food become an issue with your dog? Perhaps your dog used to be good but things have gotten worse over time. Maybe the problem wasn't even created by you — but rather by someone else in your

Service Dogs working in public come into contact with a wide variety of surfaces. Some examples include floors, the sides of counters and checkout stands, and the underside of chairs or benches. As such, your Service Dog's equipment can pick

Welcoming a new dog into your home is a big event. It's not just exciting for you and your family, but your new puppy too. But as fun and exciting as it may sound, you need to be prepared to

Using dog training games helps build Service Dog foundation skills without overwhelming young puppies or new Service Dog candidates. These bite-sized, upbeat training sessions allow lots of high-energy repetitions and practice. Even better, they fit into anyone's schedule! Dog Training Games:

Service Dogs work for people who have physical, psychiatric, or developmental disabilities. These highly trained and specialized dogs undergo thousands of hours of schooling so they can perform their work safely and reliably. They learn tasks to help reduce the

We all know about putting up "lost dog" flyers in our neighborhood — but did you know there's more you can do? How you report your dog as lost or missing will depend on the area where you live. Many

Stationing, in a nutshell, involves sending an animal to a designated location where they'll stay until released. When properly used, it serves as one of the most versatile tools in a trainer's toolbox. In the dog training world, people commonly

Sphynx downs allow Service Dogs to fold into a down instead of sliding into one. Folding backward means the dog takes up less space than the sprawl that often happens when the dog first sits, then flops into a down

After house training puppies, crate use tends to fade as dogs mature. They stop destroying things. They can be trusted to be out and about with supervision. However, just because your dog doesn't need to be crated doesn't mean you

The Pick of the Litter documentary follows a litter of puppies from Guide Dogs for the Blind, emphasizing the highs and lows involved with training guide dogs.

People love showing off their dog's tricks. Flashy skills like rolling over, playing dead, or sitting pretty provide lots of opportunities for fun. While many dog owners assume training tricks serves little purpose for their dog beyond entertainment, they're quite

Trainers and handlers use verbal commands in dog training to communicate with their dogs. The dog learns to associate each command or cue with a specific behavior or skill. When the dog hears that command, they perform the behavior. Some

Basic obedience positions, consisting of sit, down, and stand, provide a foundation for much of the movement your Service Dog does throughout the day. Public access uses long downs, mobility work relies on rock solid stands, and sit is the

When it comes to hospital access rights for Service Dogs, United States federal law permits Service Dogs to accompany their disabled handler into in non-sterile, public areas. Cut through the chaos with this plain English explanation of the rules, exceptions,

With another year nearly behind us, it's time to start looking forward to the new year. The question is simple: how can we better ourselves as Service Dog handlers, owners, trainers, puppy raisers? Setting Service Dog training goals offers an

Holiday travel with a Service Dog doesn’t have to be stressful. By following a few simple tips, you can reduce any difficulties associated with bringing your partner along for Christmas celebrations. Prepare Ahead of Time Preparing ahead for holiday travel solves many

At first glance, "sit" seems like a pretty easy position to teach a dog. In fact, sit is often the very first thing puppies learn. Did you know, though, that there are several different kinds of sit positions? The type

Astro the robot dog looks like and learns like its canine namesake. This 100-pound quadruped robot features a 3D printed Doberman Pinscher head, a tail, and a deep neural network computerized brain that learns from experience and can be trained.

Like humans, dogs go through different moods depending on the moment and the situation they witness. Sadness, joy, fear, or restlessness, are some of the feelings we share with our pets, and they tend to correspond accordingly. Learn the science

Service Dogs raised from puppyhood learn Service Dog foundation skills early. Without daily practice, though, young Service Dogs in Training often struggle to master the complex behaviors required for public access and advanced training. To help your SDiT master responsiveness,

This year, select Anthem Medicare Advantage plans will offer members the option to receive support for their service dog (food, leash, vest) as part of their health insurance plan. Anthem, Inc.’s affiliated health plans in more than a dozen states will

In the United States, every Service Dog handler enjoys the right to travel with their Service Dog. However, finding straightforward information about airline policies and requirements, international laws, TSA regulations, security checkpoints, and other commonly encountered situations isn't easy! To help

In October 2019, a trained Military Working Dog (MWD) named Conan helped take down the leader of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, during a special operations raid. K9 Conan and members of Delta Force chased Baghdadi into a dead-end tunnel. Baghdadi