Assistance Dog Training 1

Paws 4 People Mission

Educating and empowering people to utilize Assistance Dogs to transform lives. Founded in 1999. Works with children, veterans, active-duty military, and military dependents.

Whelping stage

Birth to 3 weeks.

Puppy development stage

3 to 20 week

Obedience and skills training

5 to 15 months

Paws 4 Prisons Program

12 months

Public access or facility-based training

16 to 24 months

Client or handler transfer training

Dog goes home with client or handler between 18–24 months; wears a black & red or green vest

Monty’s Home goal

Adoptive pets

Monty’s Home type of organization

Non-profit 501(c)(3) using the Pawsitive Partners Prison Program to rescue shelter dogs and train them through qualified inmate trainers

Where Monty’s Home gets dogs from

Shelters

Monty’s Home programs

Rainbow Bridge Journey, Pet Ed 101, Pawsitive Partners Prison Program, Second Chances Dog Training, Animal Lovers Thrift Shop

CFS service dog source

Service dogs in training primarily come through the ADI Co-op

CFS programs

Canines for Therapy

CFS end goal

Service Dogs for Veterans

Working dog definition

A dog trained to perform tasks that assist humans in some capacity; not merely a pet

Assistance Dogs definition

Dogs trained to perform tasks for persons with disabilities; umbrella term for working dogs

When military dogs first had large combat roles

World War I

Dorothy Eustis contribution

Saw blind German veterans using former military dogs for independence; founded The Seeing Eye guide dog organization in 1929

Morris Frank and Buddy

Morris Frank teamed with German Shepherd “Buddy,” trained by Dorothy Eustis, to become the first Seeing Eye team

Dr. Bonita Bergin contribution

Developed idea of mobility service dogs in the 1970s; founded Canine Companions for Independence in 1975, ADI Coalition in 1989, and Bergin University of Canine Studies

Minimum training requirements

Must perform at least three tasks to mitigate disability effects and complete six consecutive months of specialized training

PHP SDS certification

Must pass Public Access Test and re-certify every year

Service Dogs - PND

Dogs trained for physical and/or neurological disabilities

Mobility Service Dog (MAD)

Assists people in wheelchairs or those needing balance help; ADA Public Access: FULL

Sensory Development/Tactile Pressure (SD-PND (STP)

Assists clients with sensory or developmental disorders (often Autism Spectrum); ADA Public Access: FULL

Service Dogs - MED (PSY)

For individuals with psychological or mood disorders; ADA Access: FULL

Allergen Detection Dog (SD-MED (ALG)

Detects allergens; ADA Access: FULL

Incident Response Dog (SD-MED (IRD)

Assists during medical emergencies; not an alert dog; ADA Access: FULL

Diabetes Alert Dog (SD-MED (DAD)

For individuals with Type 1 diabetes; ADA Access: FULL

Hearing Alert Dog (SD-MED (HRG)

Assists individuals with hearing loss; ADA Access: FULL

Assistance Dog Type II

Assists within home; no ADA public access rights

Emotional Support Dog (ESD)

Provides companionship/emotional support; no tasks required; no ADA public access

Facility Dog (FD)

Used by professionals for therapeutic interventions; handler trained to use dog in professional settings

Service dog public access rights

Not subject to pet fees; can only be denied if barking excessively

HUD Fair Housing Act

Emotional Support Dogs can qualify for housing rights; landlords must allow them even with “no pet” policies

ACAA (Air Carrier Access Act)

Prohibits disability discrimination in air travel; DOT forms required (varies by airline)

Trainers’ rights in NC

Trainers can legally train service dogs in public

ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)

Prohibits disability-based discrimination; protects certified service dogs; defines service dog tasks as directly related to a handler’s disability

What doesn’t count as a Service Dog

 Emotional support or crime deterrent effects

Questions that can’t be asked about a service dog

What the disability is; why the dog is needed; to show paperwork

Questions that can be asked

Is this a service dog? What tasks does the dog perform?

“Pick of the Litter” dogs

Phil (graduate), Patriot (career changed), Potomac (career changed), Primrose (breeder), Poppet (graduate)

Wait time for guide dog candidates

Up to one year.

Total training time for guide dogs

Around 20 months

Puppy raiser duration

Puppies stay 12–14 months with volunteer raisers

Formal guide dog training duration

4-10 months

Guide dog success rate

800 puppies per year; only ~300 become full guide dogs

Evaluation schedule

Every 3 months starting at 9 months old

Notable ages in training

12 months: Meet again (“Potomac Cut”).
15 months: Patriot joins new raisers.
16 months: Vet visits; Primrose becomes breeder.

Guide dog tests

Test 1: Preliminary guide work; Test 2: Preliminary obedience. Phil retested and passed both

Traffic training

Ensures dogs stop and back away from cars for safety