Getting our First Service Dog Puppy. Help!

[Friend of a Mouse]

Over Christmas break my husband and I were approved to be puppy raisers for Leaderdogs for the Blind. In addition to garden variety guide dogs, they also provide guide dogs for the deaf blind and their dogs know ASL and English commands. We were told it would be 6-12 months before we got a call for a puppy.

Well... I got an email on Friday and they will have a puppy ready for us in Mach. We are excited but very nervous. Aaron has never had a puppy. I have two, but their training is very different from what I will have to do with the guide dog. For instance, they are allowed on the furniture and I love having them in the bed. I did crate them as puppies, but now they get the full range of the kitchen when we are gone.

Since we are not from Michigan, I am responsible for the cost of all veterinary care and obedience classes. (Those who live near the campus can get it free from the vets there) Around here, obedience classes are not too bad a price. I just need to make sure they are willing to work with a service dog in training as some commands will be different from what is considered normal.

For those that have raised service puppies, what is some advice you would give to a brand new puppy raiser? I really don't want to screw this up! Some specific questions:

1.) If you have an existing dog, how did it affect that dog, particularly where the training was different? (I admit that my dogs are not the best trained, but we are taking them to obedience classes in advance of getting this puppy)

2.) How easy was it to get the dog into businesses? Service dog laws do not apply to dogs in training, but I'm assuming most would let them in anyway. I do plan to talk to every business in advance. Should I get something writing so that there are no surprises?

I'm sure I will think of more later!

 

[dclfun]

Depending on the state in which you live, SDIT's and their handlers are allowed access to businesses the same as a SD- I know they are in Florida. It's a good idea to fully socialize your puppy. They need to see and interact with people of different skin coloring, with uniforms, etc. They need to be on elevators, walking on different surfaces, experiencing different scents and noises, etc. I have a SD that was trained by Paws with a Cause. The puppy raisers were responsible for basic obedience and socialization but did not teach any commands that the dogs would later use as they want to teach that themselves for reasons of consistency. Your SD organization should fully explain your responsibilities, but I'd expect to take the dog with you often when you're out and about. The more variety the dog experiences, the better. Good luck, and thank you SO much for taking on this most important job!

 

[Piper]

My Lucy is a Diabetes Alert Dog. Her job is to let me know when my sugar fluctuates. She doesn't bark at people or other animals. She keeps her focus on me. Even when she is "off-duty" in the dog park at my apartments, she lets me know when I am "off kilter." I also don't have to call her to leave. She watches me and when I go to the gate, she is right there.

Lucy usually rides in the basket of my scooter when I am out and about. One of my neighbors has a rather aggressive dog that she doesn't even try to control. The other dog is twice as big as Lucy (not hard to do as her "sister" who is a cat, is bigger than Lucy!) One day, the other dog ran up to me and grabbed Lucy and yanked her out of the basket. Lucy wasn't hurt as she had on her vest and the dog grabbed the vest. She just quickly jumped in my lap and turned to face the other dog to protect me....no barking, but she did show her teeth.

BTW--the other dog attacked two other dogs and broke the skin on them and also bit a person who picked up her Yorkie to protect her from the other dog. The owner has been told that either she or the dog has to go!

 

[Friend of a Mouse]

I do plan to fully socialize. My sister in law is moving to Chicago and I'm anticipating at least one train ride to visit. I will take the puppy everywhere I can including the theme park where I work though I don't know if I can have it with me while I'm on duty or even how good an idea that would be during the summer, as well as to DC. I just want to make sure I have all of my ducks in a row.

 

[gilesmt]

Please fully house break the dog, no getting on furniture, or into beds, or in your lap. I have a new guide dog, she is great but was allowed to do a few things I don't like and once learned are hard to get out of her, and I am told she never would have made it through training and would have been rejected if they new she did this stuff. One is she climbs on my couches, when I leave without her, which is not a lot. Two she climbs up on chairs at the dinner table. Three she climbs into my lap when I'm in the recliner, actually jumps into my lap. Four she sleeps in my bed. That one I actually taught her. The thing is the dog was raised to belong to someone who can not see and may not hear. I like my dog on my bed so I invite her up and trained her it was okay. But the couches and chairs, it is not okay for me to have her up there, her raiders say she used to climb into there lap as a puppy, and it is cute, but it is not cute at 2, weighing 65 pounds to jump up after a long day of work, when I can not see her.

She is a great guide dog, but these habits do frustrate me. I feel terrible when I think if the school knew they would not have graduated her, and if I tell them they may take her back and take her out of service. Please let the person the dog will do service for the choice if they want the dog on there bed or on the furniture.

 

[dclfun]

Please fully house break the dog, no getting on furniture, or into beds, or in your lap. I have a new guide dog, she is great but was allowed to do a few things I don't like and once learned are hard to get out of her, and I am told she never would have made it through training and would have been rejected if they new she did this stuff. One is she climbs on my couches, when I leave without her, which is not a lot. Two she climbs up on chairs at the dinner table. Three she climbs into my lap when I'm in the recliner, actually jumps into my lap. Four she sleeps in my bed. That one I actually taught her. The thing is the dog was raised to belong to someone who can not see and may not hear. I like my dog on my bed so I invite her up and trained her it was okay. But the couches and chairs, it is not okay for me to have her up there, her raiders say she used to climb into there lap as a puppy, and it is cute, but it is not cute at 2, weighing 65 pounds to jump up after a long day of work, when I can not see her.

She is a great guide dog, but these habits do frustrate me. I feel terrible when I think if the school knew they would not have graduated her, and if I tell them they may take her back and take her out of service. Please let the person the dog will do service for the choice if they want the dog on there bed or on the furniture.

This is a great suggestion. I also allow my SD into my bed as she helps me at night if I need it, plus I personally love the snuggles. She will not, however jump in my lap or on chairs. I've allowed her to get up on the sofa with me as if I'm on one side of the sofa I can pet her more easily than if she's on the ground where it's virtually impossible for me to reach her, but she waits for the invitation. We both enjoy the physical contact and it helps to maintain a strong bond. If I had a very expensive sofa I might make another choice, but as was said above, it should be the handler's choice.

I can't help myself, but I'm laughing thinking of a 65 pound dog sitting at the dinner table in a chair. I know it's not a good thing but I have to wonder if it's puppy raiser put up a plate for the dog and as such, you can't blame the dog for what he learned! It IS hard to help a dog un-learn bad behaviors though. IMO this includes getting food off the ground, jumping on people, barking, getting in the trash can, sniffing people (my dog did this when I got her- I'm sure those who experienced her cold nose on the back of their leg unexpectedly were not happy), and being distracted by their prey drive. There are others. The more you can do to make sure the dog is calm and respectful, the better. Hopefully your organization will have outings with other puppy raisers. I've been to some of those and they are lots of fun, and educational too.