When raising a puppy with the goal of becoming a service dog, the key is to go slow and steady—patience truly pays off.
Begin by providing controlled exposure to different environments and people, while encouraging your puppy to stay calm and focused. It’s important that they remain comfortable around strangers but learn to ignore them, especially when working. Your goal is to have a dog that is confident, yet views you as their primary guide.
Use food rewards to teach basic commands and build a strong foundation. Over time, work towards refining their responses from selective listening to being as close to "bomb-proof" as possible.
Building a solid relationship with your puppy is crucial, but also ensure they can follow commands from another trusted handler. This helps “proof” their training and ensures they can generalize their skills with different people.
Start slowly, advancing to busier, more distracting environments only when your puppy has shown stability at each stage. Both you and your dog will be working on your skills—your puppy learning self-control and behavior, while you focus on handling and clear communication. Teamwork and consistency are essential.
As your puppy progresses, you can decide if you want to pursue more advanced training, depending on your ultimate goals. However, the foundation should be focused on reliability, adaptability, and human awareness.
We highly recommend working with professional trainers who specialize in service dog work. They can guide you on appropriate exposure, task-specific training, and offer support for any challenges along the way.
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