Cementing Obedience Skills and progressing into Service Dog training & Search and Rescue Training

When you first find a candidate for service dog training the amount of work can sometimes feels overwhelming. Every SD's end result may differ but there are several basic skills that must be mastered. Bello has been with me for 13 (14 weeks on Saturday January 28th). In these short 13 weeks we spent the first 6 weeks in basic obedience class where we introduce Bello to the basic obedience skills he must possess. Sit, stay, lay down, heel, and come.  Bello quickly leaned these skills and made me proud. We have spent the 2nd 6 weeks working on heeling (as Bello likes to explore with his nose however there will be times when we are out and about in public places that I will need him to pay attention to me and heel).  

During the last 6 weeks many of Bello's bad habits and poor previous training have shown themselves and we have been working to continue retraining the basic obedience so that eventually one day these skills will be second nature to Bello and I won't even have to give him the commands any longer. This cementing of obedience skills also allows great opportunity for Bello to learn his ques off my body language. For example when walking he has learned to stop next to me when I stop  and wait for the motion of me to begin to walk before he begins walking. He has learned that there may be occasions where I might run into a person and stop and talk and that he needs to sit either next to me or behind me; patiently while I visit. 

The past 6 weeks have also allowed us opportunity to begin working on distraction training. Being able to resist distractions such as people walking by, other dogs approaching, loud cars going past, people appearing around corners suddenly, etc. will be a behavior that Bello must master in order to have public access.  During the past 6 weeks I have realized that when we are in businesses he seems to understand that he is supposed to be on his best behavior and performs so. However, when we are out on the streets seems to be when distractions are an issue for him.  I know though that with time and work Bello will master every skill I introduce him to.  

During the past 2 weeks we have also started Bello's introduction to Search and Rescue training.(SAR)   We have been meeting with retired police officer (31 years service) who handled police dogs and trained working dogs for the military; Don Carmack. Each Sunday we have met a group of dogs who are also new to SAR training.  We have started off by continuing with cementing their obedience skills, have had the dogs find their toys behind a tree and done some distraction work.  Last Sunday the instructor told me that he thought if we could cement Bello's basic obedience he would make a great SAR dog! It's always nice to hear positive feedback because there are days that I get so frustrated and feel like Bello is not getting it but then we receive a compliment or he has a break through and I am so proud of him! 

There's so much on a daily basis going on and everything is a training opportunity. Loading and unloading from the truck, not rushing out the door when we leave or arrive home, sitting quietly when people knock at the door, opening cabinets and refrigerator, turning off and on lights, bringing objects to me (instead of 3-5ft away from me), putting objects where they belong, finding objects, and the list goes on and on......but I know we will accomplish it together and in the mean time all the work allows for bonding  between Bello and I! 

Gear and Task Training for a Service Dog (SD)

 Gear

There is no law stating that a service dog (SD) has to wear specific gear when in public

however, it does help identify your SD as a working dog. If you are going to use gear as a working trigger do not allow your SD or SDIT (service dog in training) to interact with other people or dogs while wearing his gear. Sometimes this is difficult when in public because everyone wants to pet a pretty dog but it is your choice. While Bello is training I do not allow people to pet him.  If you're going to let your SD greet someone, such as when he is a puppy and doing some socialization, then remove any working gear first. When Bello is socializing or playing with other dogs on our outings I remove his vest. The goal is that later in life, wearing his gear will become a cue to Bello that he is working. However, not everyone can afford gear and there is no law stating a SD must wear gear. 

Behaviors That Are Never Acceptable

There are several bad habits that I have a zero tolerance policy for and also are not allowed by SD. I means I have to watch Bello closely and prevent Bello from doing or thinking about doing them before he actually does do them. This means I have to learn Bello's behaviors a body language read him, and keeping a close watch on him. These bad habits include: toileting indoors, jumping up on people, letting his mouth touch human skin, barking/whining or other vocalizations while working, sniffing people or merchandise, stealing merchandise, chewing non-chew toys, and eating food from the floor. I am glad to report that at this point in his SD training he has not exhibited any of the above mentioned behaviors while working. 

Task Training

Task training is the part of SD training that defines what a service dog is. Without training to do something that mitigate my need for a SD Bello would not be a SD. A task is an individual behavior that the handler can cue with a command (verbal or hand signal). AA signal is a trained behavior or skill that is cued by some event (such as the phone ringing or a smoke alarm going off) or by some unconscious behavior of the handler (such as skin picking or the very early stages of a panic attack). 

"Work is more difficult to define clearly. It is a class of related behaviors. The classic example is guiding. Guiding is not a task because it is not one behavior. The dog is trained to do a group of related behaviors and the dog must execute those behaviors on an "as needed" bases rather than under direct supervision. For example, a guide dog is responsible for identifying obstacles, but on the ground and elevated, for being aware of the width of the team as opposed to his own width, for finding things (curbs, seats, restrooms, exits, doors, elevators), for choosing a path around an obstacle and for yielding the right-of-way to a person with a long cane. With the exception of finding things, all the rest comes from a single command to proceed forward." Paws4people.org 

Be careful not to task shop, this happens often when people look at a list of possible tasks and pick and chooses the ones they think would be useful. By doing this you run the risk of choosing tasks that don't actually mitigate your need. These tasks would be considered bonus tasks such as a person with a psychological disorder teaching their SD to turn off light switches. While this tasks does nothing to mitigate their needs it is a nice thing to be able to ask their SD to turn the lights off.  

       According to the ADA (Americans Disability Act) a task is:

 1. An intentionally trained behavior, not a natural behavior of dogs in general. Choosing a dog that is not naturally affectionate so that you can train it to act affectionate is a very obvious ploy to try to get around real task training and does not qualify a dog as a service dog.

2. Something that the handler cannot do for themselves because of their disability and that mitigates their disability. For example, if you are able to pick up items off the floor yourself, then retrieving dropped objects is not a legal task for you because your disability doesn't prevent you from doing it for yourself. However, if you’re SD is trained to pick up things for you when you are having a panic attack and bring them to you to help prevent or stop a panic attack then this would be a trained skill/behavior that qualifies for your SD to mitigate your disability. As you can see in the pictures Bello is learning to pick up and retrieve things on command and place them in particular locations. Bello is also learning to turn the lights off. This skill is a bonus skill for us, which Bello will have many services skills as well as bonus skills just because he likes to learn and I enjoy the teaching, bonding and interaction involved with him learning as many skills/behaviors as possible! 

Choose appropriate tasks for your specific needs by starting with a list of all of the things you cannot do because of your disability. An agoraphobic or person with an anxiety disorder may need their SD just to help them go into public and not have panic attacks, a blind person may need their assistance to maneuver in public, a diabetic may need their SD to alert when body chemistry changes, etc. etc. There are many reasons why people have SD and many disabilities are not visible. The public should remember this. 

By prioritizing the list of tasks that Bello needs to learn to help me we will be able to organize and accomplish his training.  Working out how to teach Bello to do those helpful behaviors is a unique process because what works for him may not work for others. Right now teaching Bello to alert to sugar drop or panic attacks is to give treats as the incident begins, so the dog will gradually learn to come for treats when he senses an incident beginning. The theory is that Bello will learn to be more attuned to any departure from my normal and will eventually react before I realize it beginning myself. For example if want Bello to react to increase in my breathing rate can mimic the symptoms well enough to train Bello using symptoms, then once the skill has been learned, I use treats to encourage Bello to react the same way to the real thing.  2006-2014 Service Dog Central 

So the training continues.....

Transition from lovable companion to service dog in training

Now that Bello has graduated his obedience training he will continue on with his Good Canine Citizen training to reinforce those basic obedience skills but while reinforcing those skills he will also begin his service dog work.  You might see us around town in local businesses, parks, and on the streets! Please keep in mind that when a dog is working the handler/owner often would rather the dog not be pet or distracted from his duties (especially if they are in the training stages).  Many owners/handlers equate people petting their dogs with  ...walking up to a strangers kid in public and hugging them.......it just wouldn't be well received. Let's face it too, it's just never smart to walk or run up to a dog you don't know and start touching it..........they are just like us......they don't enjoy strange people putting their hands on their heads and faces.....equate with your great aunts pinching your cheeks as a child......just not cool! 

Definitions and Terminology

An emotional support animal (ESA) is a companion animal that a medical professional has determined provides benefit for an individual with a disability. An emotional support animal is not provided with the same public access requirements as a service animal. An emotional support animal however, is allowed to live with you even in locations where pets are not allowed.  Emotional support animals do not have any special training and often times have not even completed a basic obedience class. 

"A service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Tasks performed can include, among other things, pulling a wheelchair, retrieving dropped items, alerting a person to a sound, reminding a person to take medication, or pressing an elevator button." ADA  

     Examples of animals that fit the ADA’s definition of “service animal”

• Guide Dog or Seeing Eye® Dog
• Hearing or Signal Dog
• Psychiatric Service Dog
• SSigDOG (sensory signal dogs or social signal dog)
• Seizure Response Dog

A handler with a service dog can enter any public facility or place of public access and cannot be asked about their disability. There are only 2 questions they can legally be asked:

     1. Is the animal required because of a disability?

2. What work or task has the animal been trained to perform?

 Dogs start out as "service dog candidates" while they are doing socialization and learning basic obedience skills. They become "service dogs in training" (SDiT) when they have completed basic obedience and are ready to begin learning the special behaviors and skills that will aid their owner/handler's disability. 

Somewhere between 6 and 12 months, most owner-trainers will start working more on the specific skills that will mitigate their disabilities but an adult dog can also be trained to learn skills and behaviors that will aid their owner/handler. The dog's maturity is a huge factor in deciding if it will be a good SDIT candidate. A puppy under one year of age is not mentally or emotionally ready or capable in most cases to accept the challenge of shouldering the responsibilities of a service dog and pushing them into that position to early can often burn them out and prevent them from being a SD.  Most owner/trainers/handlers will transition their candidate to the status of "service dog in training" somewhere between 6 and 12 months and start working on some light weight public access work to solidify core obedience skills and begin task training. Light public access might consist of trips to the local pet store, hardware store or other dog friendly businesses. The transition from candidate to service dog in training should not be made before 6 months or before the puppy has passed a basic obedience test and has learned at least one task that helps the owner/handler/trainer. The SDIT should be at least 18 months old and have been doing public access training (performing his already mastered skills and tasks) in public for at least six months reliably before being transitioned from "service dog in training" to full service dog. So, provided all goes well Bello will be a SDIT until June 2017 and then if successful he will be able to progress to a fully trained SD! 

Using the correct terminology encourages people who are both familiar and unfamiliar with service animals to take you seriously and signals to others in the service dog community that you are both knowledgeable about what you are doing and legitimate. Many people who simply want to take their dog with them to places do not have trained SD. I have often seen people with an emotional support animal in the grocery stores but because workers in those businesses are not aware of the law and that emotional support animals are not allowed public access as SD are they allow the untrained emotional support animals in.  This makes it difficult for people with legitimate SD when those untrained animals make messes, or act "unprofessional" or even aggressive.  

Where to Train

Bello's training will need to be solid in many places before I will take him to a most public places. For example, Walmart is not the place to teach a dog to sit. Walmart is not even a good place to take a SDIT until he/she is comfortable with many various distractions (crowds, loud speakers, squeaky carts, screaming children, lots of smells, etc. etc. etc.).  A SDIT training should have already learned to sit in his obedience class and had this skill reinforced at home first as well as in the backyard, around the neighborhood, at parks, etc. The basic obedience skills should be mastered in each location before moving on to public access locations. This is important for Bello to develop more and more difficult skills in more locations and with more distractions step by step and develop good habits for when we are in public locations. If Bello sheds his bad habits in moderate locations and at home then he will never have the chance to earn bad habits in public either and will always be on his best behavior! 

According to paws4people many retail stores, outdoor sporting supply stores, and department stores are pet friendly. Simply call and ask. These, along with pet shops, will prepare your future service dog for shopping outings, and will allow proofing to shopping carts, checkout counters, merchandise, different floor surfaces, and narrow aisles. Many of these venues will also have elevators/escalators to train on.

• -Dog schools are a great place to teach your dogs the basics, as well as socializing your dog to other dogs.
• -Training in parking lots and parking garages, and busy intersections will allow you to proof your dog to traffic, car horns, and the vibrations that vehicles produce in elevated parking areas. Some parking garages also have elevators to practice on.
• -Strip malls and outdoor shopping centers, as well as street fairs, parades, and outdoor festivals will allow you to proof your dog to foot traffic. These are also great places to socialize your dog, because many different types of people that span many different ages will also likely be in attendance. There will be plenty of opportunities to allow your pup to make new friends in this delicate part of their training.
• -Walking, biking, and hiking trails will allow your future service dog to get used to different interesting smells. They may also allow you to proof to bicycles, skateboards, Rollerblades, and even horses, as well as any wild animals that may cross your path.
• -Outdoor sporting events, performance showings, and concerts (if not too loud) will allow you to train your dog in high stress, high distraction environments. These places should only be added to your training routine when your dog is ready.
• -You can use outdoor eateries and ice cream shops to teach your dog how to properly tuck under tables, as well as other restaurant etiquette.
• -Playgrounds can be used to train in high distraction environments, as well as to proof to children. Playground equipment can also be used to introduce the concept of moving surfaces, such as elevators, and various modes of transportation.
• -Rodeos, pet expos, and stock shows will socialize your dog to other species of animals.
• -Training outside of hospitals will prepare your future service dog for what it could encounter during medical appointments or in case of an emergency. It will also help your dog get used to the idea of sirens and flashing lights, wheelchairs, crutches, oxygen users, and other medical equipment.
• -additional options: parks, outside bus stations, outside of petting zoos, Renaissance festivals (some permit dogs)....  paws4people 2016

Don't underestimate the value of training in your neighborhood. As a SD, Bello will be in public access situations, and there is the temptation to rush out and train for that before he has mastered the basic skills. Key behaviors such as heeling should be mastered in a low distraction environment before throwing the dog in the deep end in a busy strip mall or Walmart. Residential streets also offer loads of training opportunities, such as barking dogs, curbs, light traffic, distracting smells, lawn mowers, some other pedestrians and the other day to day occurrences of people's homes. Just because Bello has completed basic obedience doesn't mean he can abandon our previous training and move on to public access training. Even with my previous 2 service animals (NaNook and NaKoda) obedience training was a daily and lifelong experience. These skills must be kept fresh in order to have the most well behaved SD.  My goal is not only to have my SD but to allow them to be ambassadors for their breeds too! (NaNook and NaKoda were Rottweilers).  As a working service dog, Bello will probably need to work almost as much in residential areas as public access, especially since he and I walk and public transport such as planes and buses on travel occasions to get around.

 Bello and I will be engaging in a lot of his SD training at home on most of the behaviors I will expect of him in public. One example can be learning to sit quietly next to my chair or bench. This is a very important thing for Bello to know how to do, but the training will not start at your favorite coffee shop. Bello will first have to sit politely beside my chair at home. We will start when am doing nothing but focusing on him and his responses. Next, Bello will move onto sitting beside me I eat my meals, then I will move to taking some meals outside in the yard or at local parks (many may have already stumbled across us at lunch time at Riverside park having breakfast or lunch while watching the ducks where there's more distractions), and once I feel he has accomplished these skills successfully you might find us at a local outdoor cafe/restaurant. It is never fair on our dogs to expect them to learn a new behavior in a distracting environment when they have not yet learned it in a quiet one. Don't forget that it is important for a working dog learn the difference between work time (any time Bello has his vest on is a signal he is working) and time to be a dog (any time he is allowed off leash without his vest usually with his canine friends Kaiyia - local animal control officers dog who is also a search and rescue dog and Benny - local Merry Trails dog trainers dog who also has search and rescue dogs, there are some behaviors you should never allow, such as begging for food, if you want your SD to be 100% successful in public. 

When Is He Ready to Begin Public Access Training?

Before taking Bello into any business, either public accommodation or pet friendly, I made sure he was 100% toilet trained and 100% vaccinated. It is important for your dog to learn the exact places where toileting is and is not approved. If you never allow him to toilet in a business as a puppy, he will never do so as an adult. Working dog or not if at any time your dog does toilet in any business, pet friendly or not, always clean up after your dog. The employees are not there to clean up after your untrained canine! 

Dogs that are not fully vaccinated are at risk for catching diseases from other dogs. That's why young puppies should not interact with unknown or un-vaccinated dogs until they complete their puppy series and the vet says it's okay. Another vaccination issue that many overlook is rabies. Many vets will recommend holding off on rabies vaccinations until the puppy is 4 months old. Rabies is not generally given before 3 months of age because the immune system is undergoing too many changes between 8 and 12 weeks for the rabies vaccination to be effective. If your puppy accidentally nips someone or even just bumps into them with their mouth open, his razor sharp baby teeth may scratch or make a tiny puncture. That alone is enough to get him quarantined right in the middle of his basic socialization period. This in turn can cause setbacks in any training you might be engaging in. Be especially careful who you let near his mouth until he is vaccinated for rabies. Either restrict contact to friends and family. 

Set Goals for Every Outing

Bello's experiences during SD training will be controlled by me so that he only has good experiences.  I want to set him up for success! My goal for Bello is for him to grow into a SD who is confident and happy in his work.  I will protect him from anything that might be unpleasant.  That means avoiding venues that are loud or have too much activity, avoiding confrontations at all costs, and avoiding negative encounters with other animals.  One of the most common experiences large dogs seem to experience is small dogs who act aggressively towards them.  I often will keep Bello away from small dogs and their owners who show no effort to correct their dog’s behaviors. Many small dog owners do not seem to understand that just because their dog is small doesn't mean they are not aggressive. This is often a nuisance, especially with a working dog in training. I want to assure Bello of a positive experience. I choose specific times and places that we visit public places for his training experiences. 

A trainer/owner/handler cannot drag their SDIT everywhere and expect him to learn by osmosis. I take Bello with me only when I can devote my full attention to him and his training currently so he doesn't develop bad habits or have a bad experience. Public access training is not about teaching him to be inside a superstore or restaurant, it is about teaching him to perform and respond to commands reliably even when surrounded by distractions. If he's sitting there being distracted because his mind isn't occupied with doing something constructive, then I am teaching him how to be distracted in public accommodations instead of how to work in them. ADA.org

Keep following us as I journal Bello's progress to becoming my next SD! I didn't realize until last week when a friend made a comment to me how noticeably my behavior had changed since NaKoda passed away in July 2016 and beginning my training with Bello. I knew it had and felt it had but I didn't realize it had become noticeable to others. It will be good to have a SD again who will be able to help me. 

https://adata.org/publication/service-animals-booklet

Bello's is ready to begin his next educational step!

Hiking with Bello is one of my favorite activities to do with Bello! I could watch him explore and run all day long! He is just a beautiful animal! Sometimes, I have to admit I am a little jealous of the life he leads! All the love and affection he can handle. Always learning new things! Numerous adventures! 

No matter where we have gone though Bello always comes when re called and never gets too far ahead of me without turning to look back and make sure I am still there! The unconditional love an animal shares with us is something we as humans could all learn to do a little better! 

Bello and I have now been together for 7 weeks and 5 days and I can't imagine not having him in my life! He has finished his obedience class! He did very well. Of course his obedience training is a life long activity and our goal is to make all his obedience commands 2nd nature to him! In order to make him a good canine citizen and an excellent ambassador for his breed his obedience work will never stop! 

As we move on with our adventures and training Bello will begin learning service/modern convenience skills and even search and rescue (SAR) work! The more his mind is stimulated and his body is exercised the better German Shepherd ambassador he will be for his breed! With NaNook and NaKoda (my rotties) and Panda (pit bull) people often were amazed at their obedience and gentle personalities as well as their protectiveness towards me. No matter where we traveled someone always commented on them and of course usually followed up with "they are usually such aggressive dogs" - even though this is a false statement that I often had to correct.  The compliments on behavior and personality is exactly what I want for Bello! With a lot of hard work and training he will achieve this!  By working hard at helping him learn manners, obedience and skills this will help him to have a very happy and rewarding life! Not to mention provide me with an excellent companion! 

Many people who do not know or understand German Shepherds have a lot of false beliefs about the breed.  This is  not new to me as I previously owned Rottweilers, Pit Bulls and Boxers. They all have bad reputations with uneducated and inexperienced people because all they know are the horror stories that have occurred do being owned by bad humans.  

There are so many myths when it comes to the German Shepherd. 

PUPPIES ARE BETTER THAN ADULT DOGS - Puppies are not always better than getting an adult dog! Puppies have sharp teeth and tend to nip and bite often causing  injuries to small children and adults. Puppies are not yet house broken, often do not have manners, do not have any experience with the world around them. While adult dogs who have not been properly trained can have many of the same issues the statement that puppies are better simply is not true. 

FEMALES HAVE FEWER DOMINANCE ISSUES THAN MALES - WRONG! Female dogs in heat can be a powerful, destructive force to be reckoned with. Not to mention that their life experience has a large factor in determining their personality and behavior. Females should not be viewed as docile or submissive. Males and females can be just as laid back and easy going as their counterparts all depending on their environment, humans and training. 

SPAYING MY DOG IS INHUMANE – I WANT HIM/HER TO HAVE PUPPIES - Another myth. What is inhumane is adding to the already horrible number of dogs in the world in need of good homes and humans. Unless you are breeding towards the betterment of the breed then you are engaging in behaviors that could add to overpopulation, traits and characteristics and genes that should not have been bred, leading to lifelong medical issues or bad behavior that could land your dogs offspring in kill shelters or with humans who do not know how to handle such issues.  Also, if you do not properly screen potential owners there are all kinds of situations your puppies could end up in that would not be great such as dog fighting rings as fighters or even bait dogs......to mention one.