SERVICE DOG

There is NO quick, cheap and easy way to make a service dog. It takes a very special dog, one that is very social and trainable, and hours of training and exposure. Between the public access manners and the specialized skills required for a particular disability, based on the International Association of Assistance Dog Partners (IAADP) guidelines, training a service dog requires a minimum of 120 hours of training for at least 6 months (depending on the dog and the required skills). During that time, dogs also need to work a minimum of 30 hours in public settings to help them generalize their skills and teach them to be responsive and unobtrusive in a variety of public places. These lessons are designed for those who have already completed the basic obedience requirement and are more geared towards task, and public access training.