We are excited to present to you another Dogo training program – Little Helper Program. If you ever thought of training your dog to become your service dog, this program is a great base for it. The program consists of useful skills that service dogs learn at the beginning of their training process. Once your dog masters those tricks, you can build on top of them and have a little helper at home. Begin your service dog training with Dogo.
Service dog requirements
Service dogs are wonderful, reliable life companions for people with disabilities. They are not recognized by law as pets but as working animals. They are trained to perform certain tasks related to their owner’s physical or mental impairment in order to help them with daily life activities. Service dogs have to be able to solely focus on their owners and not react to any distractions – other people, pets, traffic, noises.
There are no restrictions regarding age or breed – any dog can become a canine superhero as long as they have the following character traits:
- Friendly and calm
- Socialized
- Eager to learn
- Willing to please
- Obedient
- Nonreactive
Apart from the above-mentioned character traits, service dogs need to have a certain level of physical fitness to perform their duties. They should be in good health, have enough stamina to perform their tasks, and should not have any physical disabilities. It is important to note that service dogs need to be trained to perform specific tasks based on the individual needs of their handlers. Therefore, it is crucial to assess the dog’s personality and suitability for the specific task before beginning the training process.
© Parade.com
Is it possible to train a service dog yourself?
Even though it sounds like a huge responsibility to take on individually, it is possible to train your service dog yourself. In fact, there are many people who took on this challenge and succeeded. Professional service dog training can be very expensive and even take years. Therefore service dog self-training is so popular nowadays. The greatest advantage of training your service dog yourself is that during the whole process, you are able to build mutual trust and a life-lasting bond with your four-legged companion. Service dog training with Dogo App will help you with that!
Depending on what you need assistance with, there are various tasks that service dogs are trained to perform – from basic to complex. These are the most common skills of service dogs:
- Open and close doors or drawers
- Turn the lights on and off
- Bring something or put something back
- Help the owner to get dressed or undressed
- Bark to signalize that the owner needs help
- Move feet and arms onto wheelchair footrests and armrests
- Prevent falls and provide stability
- Identify and alert to symptoms
- Find places, vehicles, or their owner when disoriented
- Assess the owner’s safety and guide away from stressful situations
- Detect allergens, low and high blood sugar levels
International standards of service dog training recommend at least 120 hours of training over a 6 month period. In those, a minimum of 30 hours must be focused on public access skills. These are, among others, standard basic obedience commands, such as: ‘’Name’’, ‘’Come’’, ‘’Sit’’, ‘’Heel’’. You can teach those with the Dogo Basic Obedience Program in Dogo App. Test your dog’s skills in different environments and surfaces. They should be able to listen and focus on you despite any distractions.
When your dog masters the commands, you are ready to start teaching your dog the service dog oriented tasks. With the Dogo Useful Tricks Program, you will cover the basics of service dog training in only 2 weeks. If you are not sure if your dog is capable of becoming a full-time service dog, enroll in this training program and see for yourself how your dog is doing.
Little Helper Training Program
During the 2 weeks long Little Helper Program, your dog will master 11 new skills.
In the first week, you will be improving your dog’s ability to focus. It is extremely important that your dog knows how to check in with you under any circumstances. They shouldn’t be easily distracted, especially when you need them to provide you with help. Therefore, your dog will master the ‘’Sit & Stay’’ command – its basic and advanced version. You will teach your dog tricks ‘’Touch’’ and ‘’Tug’’ to build up your mutual trust. Additionally, your dog will learn commands such as ‘’Give back’’ and ‘’Take it’’ to e.g. easily help you take off your socks.
The second week of the Dogo training program is designed to learn more useful and practical skills. After the course, your dog will be able to ‘’Fetch the leash’’, ‘’Open the door’’, ‘’Close the door’’ and ‘’Clean up’’. You will train your dog to fetch and bring you specific objects, such as your shoes or the TV remote. Your dog will also learn how to open and close doors, which can be particularly helpful for individuals with mobility issues. Additionally, your dog will be taught to clean up after themselves, such as putting their toys away or picking up dropped items. By the end of the program, your dog will be fully equipped with the necessary skills to become your little helper and companion for life. How amazing is that?
Once your dog is a pro in a trick, you will be asked to send a video exam to our professional Dogo trainers who will review it. The trainer will give you feedback if everything was done well or if there is something that can be improved. This way, you will feel guided and mentored throughout the whole process.
Service dog in training
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Training a service dog is undeniably a huge task that requires lots of patience, time, and motivation. If you are up for the challenge, Dogo Little Helper Program is a great starting point to achieve your goals. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you need advice or tips from our trainer. We will be happy to be a part of your journey.
