What qualifies One?
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Picking the Right Animal - Breed... Chapter 1E..... Not all animals have a good working ethic or stable temperament to become a service animal. It isn't easy, but these animals have to have the right working qualities that is required.....It is not realistic in saying that if we had all the time in the world to teach a animal, they could eventually be taught to be a service animal....Some animals just cannot be guides, or the type of service animal you need; just doesn't want to work, to stress out by sounds, people, animals, growls and barks at everything, etc.....<snip>
<snip>Our partners need to have the right temperament, compatibility, and good health,<snip> besides willing to work in various situations. Without these three elements one wouldn't have a properly taught service animal. In other words a Poor Team.
One qualification that is a must is the fact that their partner is indeed a person with a disability. If one plans to be teaching service animals for others then they must have qualifications as one. Because there is a lot that goes into the teachings. Not only about service dogs but about the disabilities and the various degrees as well as the continuous teachings that is involved with the human partner.
What test they do?
<snip> Through out this process and teachings you need what is called a Testing period for the different types of aggression, exposing the dog to various situations, (viewing your dog/pups reactions). Of course with a puppy you want your pup reliable in housebreaking when testing indoors.(People; Dogs; Territorial; Stress Related.)<snip>
Temperament testing. This is not only in the beginning stages before picking the right breed but during the teachings and continue on even way afterwords. For at any time dogs temperament may change. This is usually due to Health related issues as well as stress. However just because a dog shuts down per say (example stops and sits and not move when given a cue) doesn't necessarily mean that they are too stressed out and need to be retired. Many times it could be from the handler themselves given two different types of cues at one time.
How to train one?
Because of the various degrees of disabilities and the different types of service dog that's needed,(
See General Information ), it's really hard to give any type of specifics in the formal teachings of a service animal.
The Formal task teachings are quite different and yet somewhat the same. Meaning that some steps used within a task are used but the whole task in itself is quite different. Nevertheless all Service dogs whether be guide, hearing, mobility, medical respond, Autism, etc, must have structure.
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The Foundation - The Beginnings!... Chapter 2A.... There are many things that goes into having a good foundation for raising / teaching a service dog! Even though many think that the starting point is the teaching of sit. The foundation in which many tasks comes from this is not the starting point, but it is one of the beginnings of teaching though not the first. I know shocking isn't it! Nevertheless we are teaching guide/service animals not pets! <snip>
<snip> The first thing that will start the foundation is doing ones homework per say (the groundwork).....This groundwork (part A. which you should have done in Chapter 1) is part of ones game plan which could indeed be changed as you go....After you decided all of this now you cannot wait to go and implement such. (Part B. The Foundation)! You and your student is quite excited about this new adventure! Nevertheless you want to study your student to see and watch his characteristics not to mention his/her personality! Reason for this is first to have a better understanding of your students abilities and what will enhance the teachings and what will not! ...many people like to skip this. However skipping this stage or any stage for that matter could result with issues that you haven't addressed in your foundation as well as liabilities.<snip>
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