Effective Training Strategies for Your Service Dog
Learn effective training techniques for your service dog, including commands like stay, leave it, heel, and house training. Proper training enhances your dog's ability to work calmly in public, ensuring safety and obedience. Select a well-bred, healthy dog and follow these methods to develop a reliable service companion tailored to your needs.
Effective Training Strategies for Your Service Dog
Selecting the right service dog involves finding one with specific qualities, such as:
- Proper breeding
- Comprehensive training
- Extensive socialization for public interactions
- Verified good health through medical testing
Ensure your chosen dog aligns with your goals and needs before beginning training. Once selected, proper training methods are essential. Here are key techniques to effectively train your service dog.
Stay and Relax
Service dogs often work in busy environments, so they need to stay calm and respond only to their handler. Training should focus on having the dog remain relaxed for at least two hours while staying close enough to react promptly.
Under
This involves training the dog to tuck under a chair or leg, reducing obstruction and making travel or public transit easier.
Ignore Distractions
'Leave it' teaches the dog to avoid inappropriate behaviors like sniffing or eating off the floor and to remain social but obedient in public settings.
Heel and Focus
Heel training ensures the dog walks beside the handler on a loose leash, ignoring distractions and maintaining focus.
House and Public Behavior
Your dog should be well-trained for both home and outdoor environments, with clear signals from the handler guiding proper conduct.
