Finding the right match is important to the success of the team. From breeds that will work with your needs, living conditions, travel, and more factors go into deciding on your future partner. Let us help!
Step 1:
Itentify your needs for a Service Dog. Getting a Service Dog involves having a prescription written by your doctor or psychiatrist. We as a trainer will need to be aware of what your needs are and understanding parts of your diagnosis. Things that trigger episodes or areas that you find calming will all go hand-in-hand with finding you a perfect fit. Performing helpful "tasks" to assist in your life is what a working dog is all about. Gather a list of areas in your life where you could use help, interruption, or guidance in your day-to-day life and routine. Money plays a HUGE role in Service Dog teams. Being aware of the cost of not only the puppy but also the training and equipment that goes into each team needs to be addressed and have a game plan from the start of this journey.
Step 2:
Familiarize yourself with the rules and laws of owning a Service Dog in Training and a fully finished Service Dog. It is important that you know how to represent your service dog from day 1 of becoming a team. Knowing what you can and cannot do is a great starting point. Discussion and quizzes with Brittany at Twisted Clovers is important for this step.
Step 3:
The fun part! Researching breeds that will best fit your needs. Just because you saw a dog and thought it was pretty, does not mean it is going to make a wonderful service dog or fit your needs. Sometimes the need for a certain size is useful, such as a larger breed to help with mobility or pressure. Or maybe you need a smaller breed because of your current living situation. All of these points need to be honestly discussed and reviewed. Bring forth breeds that you like and WHY you like them, not just looks. Note which gender of dog you would prefer, but realize that we cannot always abide by this wish.
Step 4:
Finding a breeder. Once we find the ideal dog, we then need to find a REPUTABLE breeder that will put the health, safety, care, and nurturing into the litter that is needed to build confidence in young pups. We are looking for someone with experience, dog sense, and knowledge of the breed and their ability to task. Health of the parents and genetic makeup should sit at the top of your lists when looking into breeders as the health of your future partner will determine how many years you have working together before they have to retire. Working or proven parents also showcase the trainability of the breed and the mind of the parents that created your dream pup.
Step 5:
The Match. Once we hunt down the correct breeder with the ideal pairing of dogs, it is important to test the puppies in the whole litter to gain a sense of their normal or average. Then we gather the best of the bunch and continue testing and tasks that showcase areas where they would excel. Natural retrieve drive and confidence around a crying person are telling for a potential service dog.
Step 6:
Let training begin. The outline, goal, and guidelines but in place then training starts will shape the outcome of the team. Without firm goals, the training can develop gray areas when we need to be strong in all areas. Being sure of what tasks you want the dog to help you with. Identify a "tell" or "tick" that can be turned into an alert for your dog to respond to. Pick about 2-4 tasks that will be solid. Too many tasks can confuse the dog and lead to missing an important marker.