How to choose a service dog trainer that is right for you and your dog
The other day, I had someone approach and ask me, how do you know you have the right service dog trainer? I had to think about this one, as I personally go with my gut feeling when I meet people, but not everyone is comfortable doing this. So, I thought I would explore this subject for our readers.
Before we get to how to find the right service dog trainer/company for you. I am going to sound like a bit of a broken record, repeating myself, but 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. If you have tried all other avenues with therapies & medications for your condition, and your doctor/nurse practitioner feels you would be a viable candidate for a service dog then proceed.
So where to begin? Due to the recently higher demand for service dogs, I have noticed more privately owned Service Dog training companies popping up. But how do you know which ones are good, legit and have your best interest in training your service dog to the highest level of excellence. These are all good questions, and I will do my best to help you navigate and prepare yourself to make a good decision.
Before you make the final decision on which company to use, you should search the internet, ask friends for recommendations, and look at customer reviews. But if I can add, when looking for a service dog trainer, I would seriously use the same theory as you would when looking for a doctor, dentist or a therapist, do not be afraid to ask questions. You will not hurt their feelings. This is so important, because you will be working closely with the trainer for a long duration of time, and you want this training experience for you and your dog to be positive & rewarding, with a successful outcome. Also, with service dog training, you must understand there are no guarantees your dog will pass. However, with good training structure, positive reinforcement, and consistency with training, your dog is likely to have success.
When looking for a confident Service Dog Trainer, here are some thoughts, ideas & questions that might help you navigate a successful meeting with the Service dog company/trainer.
1. What type of Service dog are you needing?
This is something you should discuss with your doctor/nurse practitioner. There are different medical conditions, PTSD, mobility, and food allergens that you may need a Service dog for. My recommendations are to write your concerns & needs down and discuss them with your doctor/nurse practitioner before searching for a service dog trainer. Your doctor or nurse practitioner then can advise you what would be best for you.
When you have determined that you need a Service Dog, and what type of Service Dog you need, then I would start the search for a qualified Service dog trainer. So here are some questions and answers I have used when searching for our dog trainer.
Here are some basic questions to ask first,
1. How many years have you been a Certified Service Dog Trainer in B.C. (or your province)? How many years’ experiences have you had working with dogs as a dog trainer and as a certified service dog trainer?
A: Speaking from my own experience, our trainer has had 5 years as a dog trainer, and 3-4 years as a Certified Service Dog trainer. Also, each province in Canada may have different guidelines, requirements, and laws to become a Certified Service Dog Trainer.
2. What the laws are here in Canada and your province for your certification I.D. for your service dog, and you as the handler?
A: This is information all Service Dog Trainers should be very familiar with. Here in B.C. We have the B.C. Guide dog and Service dog act that has guidelines for trainers, handlers, and Service Dogs. If they are not trained with an accredited recognized guide or service dog training school in B.C., they must be tested through J.I.B.C (Justice Institute of British Columbia) for government issued Identification for the service dog and handler.
3. How is your Service Dog Training program set? How many years does it take to train a service dog, and what age do you start with the dogs? Do you do assessment testing before and through-out your program before the JIBC testing?
A: Every company/business will have their program set up differently. Some programs usually will start training the dogs at the early age of 4 months. Most training programs take approximately 24 months and may be longer if there is more specific training for things like medical, or allergens. So, my own understanding (from how our own 8-month-old dog is being trained and assessed) is a trainer should usually assess the dog before starting the service dog training program, as there are some dog traits that may stand out that may not make them an eligible Service dog. They should also do assessments throughout the training program, as dogs change when they get older. So, evaluating them at 6 months old, 12 months old, 18 months old and before they test with JIBC is a good thing. These evaluations help the trainer see if there are any warning signs or if there are any training adjustments needed for the dog, (and yes, speaking from experience, our puppy needed a little fine tuning with her training; and our trainer caught it through their 6-month assessment). Therefore, it is important to get familiar with how the company does their training program.
4. What type of training techniques do they use for training your service dog?
A: Is it positive reinforcement, repetition training, treat reward training? Do they include fun training with your dog? You want your dog to have a good experience with the training. A combination of all the above is what I personally would be looking for myself in searching for a good service dog trainer. You may ask why fun training? Well, have you ever tried to teach a young child basic math with just straight this is how it is? You will get the rolling of the eyes, sighs, and statements of “I am bored, can we do something else!” Well puppies can be the same way, they will either protest with barking, walking away or falling asleep (yes, ours has done that too). But if you make training fun, you will have more success with the training.
5. Does your company and the trainers do public access training with your dog and you?
A: Yes, should be the response, for you are wanting your Service dog in training, and you the handler to be comfortable and confident in all public areas, malls, medical offices, retail and grocery stores, and public transportation too. A good trainer will train your dog to be desensitized to all noises, and objects while working in different atmospheres. Your dog should also not respond to other people or animals while their vest is on. Their focus should be on you.
6. Ask the trainer, how many years can a Service Dog be working as a Service dog for you?
A: Now depending on what the service dog is trained to do, on average your service dog can be working anywhere from 6-8 years. However, if your service dog is needed for 24/7 care, it may be less. You do not want to burn your service dog out to soon. Again, asking questions like these, will give you good judgement about their knowledge, and also if their heart is in the right place.
7. Also, another question to ask the trainer/company, is what type of facilities do they have to do the training in? Is it a fenced in yard, space in their home, a dog run with covered area, or a business warehouse space, or do they just do training in public places?
A: In my own opinion, I like the idea of the trainers having their own indoor safe private space (weather may predict indoor or outdoor training) to work with the dogs one on one. With a fenced in yard or run big enough for the dogs to run and work off energy if needed before, during or after the training. Another reason for this, some clients may live in condos or small homes with no yard. Also with the start of service training most dogs are not ready to be in public places yet. Again, this is my opinion, but something to think about when you are looking for a trainer.
8. And last by not least, the dreaded question many of us are uncomfortable asking, but need to ask. How much does your Service Dog training program cost? What does it include, & are there any other expenses we may expect down the road with the training?
A: So many companies will charge differently, however, on average, training a service dog entails many hours of one-on-one service dog training, handler with dog-training, public access training, assessments, office administration fees (written reports, evaluations, videos certification fees, etc.), and there may be other fees I am forgetting. When you look at all that is involved, on average, a 2-year Certified Service Dog training program for your dog can cost anywhere from $15000.00-$30000.00, and it may be more if there is more specific training involved to meet your medical needs. But please do not look at it as an expense but instead as an investment to having a peace of mind, confidence, and independence.
I do hope these questions will help you prepare to navigate finding a good trainer that is a good match for you and your service dog trainee. It is always important to ask questions, and find a service dog trainer with experience, good credentials, client reviews, and a written outline of their training program. Please invest the time to do your research in finding a good service dog trainer that is right for you and your dog. This is an investment not an expense, and your goals are to have a supportive, well behaved trained service dog who can perform and do all the tasks asked by you in a public or private places, safely.
All the above is things that I have learned whilst undertaking my journey into the service dog world. These are mentioned as guides/hints and tips as you embark on your journey.
Kelly Mae Glover