Effective Techniques for Training Your Assistance Dog
Learn essential training techniques for assistance dogs, including commands like 'stay,' 'under,' 'leave it,' and 'heel walking.' Proper training ensures your service dog behaves appropriately in public, remains focused, and supports your needs effectively.
Choosing the right assistance dog involves selecting a dog that is well-bred, thoroughly trained, highly socialized for public interactions, and in excellent health after comprehensive medical evaluations. When pairing a dog with specific needs, ensure their attributes align with your goals. Proper training is essential once you've selected a suitable dog. Below are key methods to effectively train your assistance dog.
Stay and Rest
Assistance dogs working in public spaces must learn to relax amidst people and respond only to their handler. They should be able to stay still and rest for at least two hours while remaining close enough to react when needed.
Under
The "under" command teaches a dog to position itself beneath objects like chairs or stretched-out legs, preventing obstruction, ensuring discretion, and facilitating easier movement in public transportation.
Leave It
This command teaches dogs to ignore distractions such as inappropriate sniffing, floor food, or overly social interactions. Properly introducing and reinforcing this command helps maintain focus in busy environments.
Heeling
Heeling ensures the dog walks on a loose leash beside the handler, ignoring distractions and impulsive behaviors, maintaining focus on their handler at all times.
House and Outdoor Manners
Dogs need to learn appropriate behavior both inside and outside the home. Clear signals from the handler help solidify good habits, ensuring proper conduct when in public or private.
