K9 Helpers Service Dogs: Guelph-Wellington, Ontario, Canada
Training
Donate once or donate monthly through Canada Helps. Tax receipts provided.
Service Dog Manners
The training of a Service Dog must result in a dog that is motivated and capable of carrying out essential tasks. Some of the success is based on the skill of the trainer, some in the skill of the client (handler), and some in the character of the dog itself.
A fully-trained Service Dog goes everywhere with the human partner:
Selection of the Puppy
To achieve all of this, it is critical that the puppy is selected properly. Simply choosing a suitable breed is not enough: there is so much variation in character even within a litter of puppies that simply picking a breed is not good enough. Temperament is critical, and this is influenced by the history (early experiences) of the dog. Dogs from a rescue organization have unknown history and are often unable to learn to adapt to being a service dog. Dogs from a breeder that doesn't know about the special requirements of the job are also usually unsuitable.
A fully-trained Service Dog goes everywhere with the human partner:
- To the Grocery Store
- To the Doctor
- Out for Dinner at fancy (and non-fancy) restaurants
- To the movies
- etc
Selection of the Puppy
To achieve all of this, it is critical that the puppy is selected properly. Simply choosing a suitable breed is not enough: there is so much variation in character even within a litter of puppies that simply picking a breed is not good enough. Temperament is critical, and this is influenced by the history (early experiences) of the dog. Dogs from a rescue organization have unknown history and are often unable to learn to adapt to being a service dog. Dogs from a breeder that doesn't know about the special requirements of the job are also usually unsuitable.
