Dog Owner Chat V. 5

[Lokisaurus]

Hey! I've been officially deemed eligible to obtain a service dog, so I was wondering if anybody had any good tips for training. I've casually trained a few dogs before (sit, wait, gentle, basic things) but I really want to get this right for both myself and the dog.

[Imzadi83]

Hey! I've been officially deemed eligible to obtain a service dog, so I was wondering if anybody had any good tips for training. I've casually trained a few dogs before (sit, wait, gentle, basic things) but I really want to get this right for both myself and the dog.

For something like this I would work with a professional (positive reinforcement) trainer that has experience in training SDs. Training a service dog is far beyond the basics.

[Naeco]

Hey! I've been officially deemed eligible to obtain a service dog, so I was wondering if anybody had any good tips for training. I've casually trained a few dogs before (sit, wait, gentle, basic things) but I really want to get this right for both myself and the dog.

I would look into a balanced dog trainer that has experience with service dogs and various training tools.

[.Middy.]

So I’m currently owner training my SDiT. I absolutely agree, find a good balanced trainer. I would also highly suggest having a good trainer with SD experience evaluate any dogs you are interested in for SD potential, it takes a very special dog to be able to handle SD work.

What breed are you looking at? Some are better suited for this work than others are.

My girl will be going to a board and train with the trainer that evaluated her even though I am confident I could fully train her myself, I want to ensure she’s started by someone who has experience training SDs. Even though my other dogs are titled and trained in a variety of sports and my BC was my SDiT until my needs changed. So if you’ve only casually trained I’d work with a trainer atleast once a week.

[Lokisaurus]

So I’m currently owner training my SDiT. I absolutely agree, find a good balanced trainer. I would also highly suggest having a good trainer with SD experience evaluate any dogs you are interested in for SD potential, it takes a very special dog to be able to handle SD work.

What breed are you looking at? Some are better suited for this work than others are.

My girl will be going to a board and train with the trainer that evaluated her even though I am confident I could fully train her myself, I want to ensure she’s started by someone who has experience training SDs. Even though my other dogs are titled and trained in a variety of sports and my BC was my SDiT until my needs changed. So if you’ve only casually trained I’d work with a trainer atleast once a week.

Unfortunately, I do not have the proper funds to pay any of the trainers in my area. I checked. So I'm relegated to good old owner training. It will be a lot of work and a lot of effort, but I know what I need and it's not like I can't practice some tasks with the dogs I already work with at the shelter. I'm going to get a shelter pup because I work with those guys day in and day out - when you take care of them and are around them for a good portion of your day, you really get to see what they're like, quirks and all.

Side note: the dogs I work with love challenges and puzzles to keep their minds active. I think I actually might try out some more controlled commands on them today, seeing as my usuals all know the basics. If they're trained, I'm hoping that they'll be more appealing to adopters!

[.Middy.]

I wish you luck then, and highly suggest atleast getting a trainer to eval whichever dog you are interested in. Service work is a lot, and a good chunk of shelter dogs do not have the temperament for the work. Especially if you are needing Psych tasks. I would also suggest getting hip and elbow x rays to ensure the dog has healthy hips and elbows. A unsound body will not hold up to the work. Especially if you need any mobility tasks.

[mierose]

I'm a little late, but thank you all for the pack suggestions! I was originally looking at kurgo and they seem great, but I also have a few other products from outward hound which I really love. Also the onetigris looks fantastic. Thanks for helping me bring my selection down to just a few, I really appreciate it! Also loki, I'm glad you're finally able to start your search for a service dog. It's super cool to see someone who appreciates rescue dogs and their incredible abilities just as much as I do ;)

[Velveteen Hound.]

While the embark DNA test are on sale, I bit the bullet and bought one For Gizmo.

He’s still my best boy no matter what he is, but I am very curious. Let’s see how good my intuition/guessing skills are.

Before the results come back, I am going to guess primarily kelpie with either dobie/rottie and possibly some border collie influence

[Osleya]

I hope you are all having a good morning that was not as anxiety-inducing as mine.

We got her back, but this morning my dog, Junebug, went missing for over an hour.
To give some background family and I live in a semi-rural area with a 5 acre property that is completely fenced off. In the morning we usually let her out to roam the property for a few hours. Most of the time we remember to make sure her collar is on her before letting her out but we forgot this morning. At around 12 PM I went to call her back in but she wasn't coming so I did a quick walk around the property but I couldn't find her. We were very afraid that she had wandered into the road and gotten hit since she is not street smart. After about an hour of driving around and calling local shelters, we got a call from the local vet clinic that they had found her. She apparently had been found on a nearby street, standing in the middle of the road, refusing to move, and causing a traffic holdup. Animal control had picked her up and brought her to the vets where they scanned her microchip.
She is now safe at home, fast asleep on her bed and with her collar back on.

This is a photo I took of her


Remember to always microchip your dog if you can afford it.

[Blue_Aussie]

I hope you are all having a good morning that was not as anxiety-inducing as mine.

We got her back, but this morning my dog, Junebug, went missing for over an hour.
To give some background family and I live in a semi-rural area with a 5 acre property that is completely fenced off. In the morning we usually let her out to roam the property for a few hours. Most of the time we remember to make sure her collar is on her before letting her out but we forgot this morning. At around 12 PM I went to call her back in but she wasn't coming so I did a quick walk around the property but I couldn't find her. We were very afraid that she had wandered into the road and gotten hit since she is not street smart. After about an hour of driving around and calling local shelters, we got a call from the local vet clinic that they had found her. She apparently had been found on a nearby street, standing in the middle of the road, refusing to move, and causing a traffic holdup. Animal control had picked her up and brought her to the vets where they scanned her microchip.
She is now safe at home, fast asleep on her bed and with her collar back on.

This is a photo I took of her


Remember to always microchip your dog if you can afford it.

What a cute pup! Im glad you found her unhurt! I do recommend leaving her collar on 24/7 though!! c: