This page will serve as a mix of Frequently Asked Questions & Tips to help you as an Owner Trainer. If you are just starting out, be sure to check out my page on Service Dog Laws. It is important that you know the Federal, State, and Local laws that apply to Service Dogs. I am not a lawyer, I'm a dog trainer so information presented throughout my blog is not intended to be legal advice. If you need help with additional SD Law info, I will be happy to help you find laws on the subject you are struggling with.
General Abbreviations that are widely used
- SD - Service Dog A dog that is trained to do a task that mitigates a disability.
- SD Team - A disabled handler (or alternate person) and a Service Dog. There are multiple possible combinations for team.
- SDiT - Service Dog in Training this is a dog that is training to become a SD. They may or may not already fit the ADA definition of a SD, but are still working on basic manners or tasks.
- (For better definitions of SD, ESA, or TD refer to the SD Laws link above!)
- SD Prospect - This is not a legal term used in SD Laws but generally describes a puppy who's temperament and training ability has not yet matured enough to be considered as an SDiT.
- PSD - Psychiatric Service Dog Some people choose to use this label if the dog's main tasks are related to psychiatric needs. This is not required for people with disabilities in this area, and many do not use this label. There are also other voluntary labels including Medical Alert SD, Mobility SD, etc. No matter what the trained tasks assist with, they all are considered SD under federal law.
Additional abbreviations and definitions can be found in this Google Doc.
Service Dog Tasks
Azul does a wide variety of tasks including Medical Alert & Response to migraines and dizzy spells, Dropped Item Retrieval, Forward Momentum including Finding Person, Follow Person & Finding Car, Counterbalance for stairs and slippery or unsteady footing areas, and DPT for pain.
Here are a few posts that describe Azul's tasks in more detail:
Here is a blog post about teaching a hand delivered retrieve to a Azul as a puppy.
Service Dog Blog Posts
This list will grow as blogs on this subject are posted!
Service Dog Skills of Teaching Tuck Inside a Vehicle
If you'd like to see a blog on a topic you are struggling with, please email me suggestions at yooperpaws@gmail.com.
Crazy2Calm Canine Coach Resources
Service Dog Resources from other Trainers & Handlers
Atlas Assistance Dogs has a great Facebook Live recorded about balancing your SD's "On Duty" time with "Off Duty" time. They discuss visiting friends & family at their house with/without your SD, allowing other people and pets to interact with you SD, and other things you may find useful if you have a SD in Training or a very social SD. Here is the link: https://fb.watch/9XLSCeOBJ6/
The Service Dog Training Institute, with trainer Donna Hill, has some amazing free resources:
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