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Consistency is Key Service dogs work with multiple trainers and handlers before they are placed with their eventual partner. Program standards ensure that all individuals involved in the dog’s training use the same techniques, tools, and approaches. This consistency prevents confusion for the dog, making their learning process smoother and more effective. For example, using the same verbal cues and training methods helps the dog understand expectations, which in turn builds confidence and reliability. Safety Comes First The physical and emotional health of service dogs is a top priority. Program standards are designed to protect dogs and the people working with them. …

Outside Guidelines General rule of thumb: If it’s too cold for you, it’s too cold for them. Dogs can get frostbite too. Please keep them indoors during inclimate weather conditions. Keep walks short, but try to provide them more frequently so they still get proper exercise. See if there are indoor tracks or facilities near you where you could walk the dog for exercise. Musher’s Secret is a good option to use on the dog’s pads for cold-weather walking. If you’ve walked the dog on surfaces that have been salted for ice, wipe their paws and in between toes upon …

Our main consideration when teaching the dog how to move through narrow spaces is how a client might face this situation. We always want the dog to remain at the handler’s side and in view of the handler. We do not want the dog to practice switching sides behind the handler. This can cause the leash to become tangled (think: client using a wheelchair or walking device) or hard to hold on to, and can also create a tripping hazard. If the dog needs to be moved to a different side, it should move in front of the handler (always …

What is a Slow-Feed Bowl, and How Do They Work? Slow-feed bowls are specially designed feeding dishes that feature obstacles-such as raised ridges, grooves, or mazes-that require dogs to navigate around them to access their food. These clever designs slow down a dog’s eating pace, promoting healthier digestion. Unlike traditional bowls that allow for quick consumption, slow feeders encourage dogs to take their time at mealtime. Why We Might Need to Use Them Many dogs eat too quickly, leading to digestive issues like bloating, choking, or vomiting. Rapid eating can prevent proper digestion and absorption of nutrients, creating long-term health …

Written by Vanessa Williams, Wild Goose Chase, November 2022 Let’s talk about puppy focus and how much this specific stage of life (pre-adolescence) is the absolute worst. Puppies are toddlers and then they go right into teenagers. Anyone raising human kids knows that both toddlers and teenagers lack focus in their lives. Hormones, teething, brain development, etc. all impact our puppy’s ability to focus on tasks, training, behaving, listening. And just like human toddlers and teenagers, many times this makes them extremely ego-centric. This isn’t to say that they are selfish, per say, but more so that they are biologically …

Example 1 You outstretch your hand and ask the dog to “shake.”  It licks your outstretched hand and then offers it’s paw. You then mark with a “yes” and give a kibble reward. YOU think that you are marking the dog placing it’s paw in your hand, but with any repetition THE DOG thinks the cue “shake” has two parts – lick hand and then place paw in hand.  Incorrect understanding of cue Correct understanding of cue Example 2 You ask the dog to “sit” before they fully understand how to move their body into position correctly. Sometimes the dog …

Just like human babies, puppies can get overtired very easily and don’t self-regulate.  Overtiredness in puppies can manifest in excessive mouthing, barking, and activity (the infamous zoomies!). This behavior will only get worse in an overtired puppy and turn into habits that will then take time to unlearn. This is why it is ideal to get them into a nap schedule that prevents these behaviors from occurring in the first place. Have a consistent routine. Arrange for scheduled naptimes (ranging from 30 minutes to 2 hours) several times during the day. Routines will help the puppy learn when to expect their …

Let them make mistakes Yup, we said it! Making mistakes gives an opportunity to teach the dog how to make better decisions. Allowing the dog to put some tension on the leash or be distracted allows you to reward them for deciding to do the opposite. The things that will get rewarded are slack in the leash and eye contact. This sets an expectation for the dog that these two things are the standard to work towards. They will start to learn what gets them rewarded and what doesn’t, ultimately leading to some nice walking…eventually. When you are working on …

Cue: Back The dog moves backwards in a straight line. He can move backwards next to the handler (in the same direction) and also away from handler independently in any direction. Impact on the dog’s future work: Clients use back in various ways. If the client uses a powerchair, they may use the back cue to have the dog back through doorways before them. Back is also a foundation skill for some of the skills the dogs might learn while in Final Training, such as tugging off clothes and shoes.  Cue: Get Busy This is the dog’s cue to eliminate. Impact on the dog’s future …

Cue: Kennel The dog should enter their crate willingly, and wait with the door open until they are released. Once the door is shut, the dog should remain quiet despite activity around the kennel. Impact on the dog’s future work: For the safety of our clients, it is important that the dogs have impulse control when entering and exiting the kennel. Some clients may need additional time to regain their balance after opening the crate door. This is why it is important that the dog doesn’t enter or exit the crate until cued.   Cue: Chin The dog rests their chin in …