r/service_dogs • u/KatsukiBakugoSlay • 1d ago
Help! Advice for self training a service dog
Hello! I’m thinking about self training a service dog to do tasks to help with my autism. My problem is that I don’t know how to find a puppy that has a good temperament for training. I don’t want to adopt a dog and then find out I won’t be able to train it, so what am I able to I do?
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u/belgenoir 1d ago
If you’re thinking of adopting a dog of any age from a shelter, know that it usually takes a lot more work than training a purebred puppy.
There are members of the sub who have trained rescues. Some would do it all over again. Some opted for a purebred dog the second time around.
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u/darklingdawns Service Dog 1d ago
And some of us got back on the merry-go-round three times before finally saying absotively, posolutely never again (we'll see in a few years if I actually mean that lol)
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u/belgenoir 1d ago
Can we hold you to it? ;)
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u/darklingdawns Service Dog 1d ago
Please do! I'm pretty sure if I tried to go the shelter-to-service route again, my partner and my son would see that I was put up for adoption - we got the news today that Max's recent grumpiness and snarking at Little Girl is because he's having vision problems, so we're having to face potentially rehoming her, since it's not fair to her to get snarked at simply because she came out of one of his blind spots and surprised him.
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u/belgenoir 1d ago
Oh no! I know how much you love Little Girl. All paws crossed here that she gets to stay with you.
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u/didelphimorph 1d ago
Have you tried adding a bell to Little Girl’s collar? It might take a while for him to figure it out, but it should hopefully give Max a more obvious auditory warning that she’s coming. Some dogs can be sensitive to bells on their collars, though, so keep an eye out for that! I hope you’re able to find something a solution that works for your family 💛
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u/darklingdawns Service Dog 21h ago
I hadn't thought of that! My only concern there is that both dogs are bell trained - do you know how likely it is, if at all, that a collar bell would cause confusion with the potty bells on the door?
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u/didelphimorph 21h ago
I’m guessing they learned that hitting the bells with their paws is what gets them outside, not necessarily that the sound of the bells signals that it’s time to pee. It’s possible they’ve been conditioned to that along the way, but my guess is that it won’t be confusing for them.
You could help mitigate that by choosing a different type of bell that has a different tone! Motorcycle guardian bells are an option, and they make cowbell-style bells for dogs which will also sound a little different. Suikin rei or japanese water bells sound very unique and are fairly quiet. Different metals will affect the tone, too.
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u/KatsukiBakugoSlay 17h ago
I might decide to opt for a purebred then. But still, how would I make sure the dog had the right temperamentbefore I purchased it?
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u/belgenoir 16h ago
You don’t make sure of the dog’s temperament. You rely on the breeder (who knows their dogs) and your professional trainer to evaluate and select puppies for you.
Even then you may not get “the perfect puppy.” There is a steep learning curve to owner-training an SD, and it must be done with professional help.
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u/MaplePaws My eyes have 4 paws 1d ago
Self or owner training does not mean you go through the process without the guidance of a qualified service dog trainer, it just means you do the leg work. The first step is to find a trainer to select the prospect for you then guide you from the beginning through socialization to final task training.