How to Raise Service Dogs

Dogs are intelligent creatures capable of learning commands, sensing mood changes or even detecting seizures before they happen. These are some of the reasons dogs are chosen to work as service or companion dogs to the blind, handicapped, deaf or mentally ill. Organizations such as Domesti-PUPS ask volunteer families to raise their puppies until they are 12 to 14 months old, at which time they can begin training to become service dogs.

Things You'll Need

  • Crate
  • Leash
  • Treats
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Instructions

    • 1

      Begin house training as soon as you get the service puppy home. The puppy must learn house training if it is to become a service dog. Crate train your puppy so it is comfortable being kenneled or transported, and confine the puppy to the crate when you cannot watch it to avoid housetraining accidents. Take the puppy out routinely and regularly, especially after meals, naps or play sessions, and praise it when it eliminates outside. Repeat this until the puppy learns to always urinate and defecate outdoors.

    • 2

      Socialize your potential service dog. This is an important step for all puppies, but an absolute necessity for a future service dog. Take your puppy everywhere with you and introduce it to as many different kinds of people, locations, animals, situations and objects as possible. Acquaint your dog with loud noises and praise them for calm behavior. Your puppy must be comfortable walking on different surfaces, hearing different sounds, traveling in different modes of transportation and meeting different kinds of people. If you do not socialize the puppy, it might not be able to become a service dog.

    • 3

      Teach your puppy basic obedience commands, such as "sit," "down" and "come." Avoid teaching your dog tricks or bad habits like begging. Reward your puppy for obeying commands.

    • 4

      Teach your puppy how to walk on a leash without pulling. Start by walking around the house holding the puppy's leash, and stop walking if it pulls. Encourage your puppy to walk next to you with a loose leash by holding treats in your hand and letting your puppy sniff them. Treat the puppy for walking next to you calmly. When you're ready, go outside and gradually add distractions such as other dogs, children or people walking past. Practice loose-leash walking daily and constantly reinforce the behavior with a mixture of praise and treats.

    • 5

      Teach your puppy good manners and behavior. Ask for incompatible behaviors to eliminate bad behavior. For example, ask your puppy to sit if it jumps on you and reward the sit. This eliminates the jumping while reinforcing the sitting.

    • 6

      Provide veterinary care for the puppy. Make sure the puppy gets all of their shots along with regular health checkups.

    • 7

      Update the service dog organization regularly about the puppy's weight, eating habits, socialization and training progress.