As a service dog trainer, one of the biggest questions I get when people bring home their new puppy is: What is the step-by-step training plan?

They want to know what their puppy should be able to do by 3 months, 4 months, 5 months, and beyond. The expectation is high from day one there’s this underlying belief that a service dog puppy must sit, stay, walk politely on a leash, wear a vest, and behave perfectly right away.

Service Dogs are specifically trained to match their handlers needs, whether it be for a medical, physical, and/or emotional. It is a two-year training program guided by a Certified Service Dog Trainer, who will work with the dog and the handler. 

It is important to understand that before you start training a dog to be a service dog, you need to have your doctor or nurse practitioner on board and willing to support you with a letter of recommendation and be willing to fill all documents necessary to get your dog certified to be a service dog.