# Mobility Service Dog Training



## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

I'm training a 12 week old Newfoundland pup for mobility service. I'm super-excited so I'm starting a thread to "document" the foundation training for this type of service dog. Hopefully others in the future might find the information useful. and hopefully, you guys will help me with the little training snafus I always manage to run into.

At this point the dog is social with children and other dogs. It has had no training of any sort. 

The dog will be trained to:

brace and support weight
pull a wheelchair
pull a the handler out of sitting on a chair
prevent the handler from falling down stairs
open doors
retrieve dropped items

Also, the handler has a panic disorder, so I will attempt to train pyschiatric service dogs tasks also. Some of these are very difficult to train. Generally, a dog does these naturally with no training, or is not able to do them at all.


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## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

How do you go about training a dog to brace and support weight? I've always wondered about that.


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

I take adantage of the opposition reflex and use classical conditioning. 

Give cue, apply gentle pressure over the shoulders (or wherever the harness will distribute weight), the dog will brace, treat.

Gradually increase the amount of pressure.

After the response to the cue and pressure is conditioned, then start using a mobility harness/vest


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## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

Ahh, see, I've never had a dog do that before, so I thought bracing was something you had to teach. All the dogs I've been around will try to get the hell out from underneath you if you push on them. :lol:


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

As simple as teaching an AKC type stand for exam. Then add pressure a bit at a time with reward. 
Careful about to much pressure on the back with a pup. In particular the larger breeds like a Newf.


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

Pressure needs to be gentle, just barely enough that the dogs braces, nothing more.


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

Today was first day of assessing the pup and getting it out and about.

It is very unobtrusive. It sits and downs while waiting. Slept under a chair through a doctor appointment. Has figured out to stand between me and a counter/checkout. Waits for loading offlead. Totally fine on slick, shiny floors. Completely fine in a busy store. 

I was really surprised. My first impression was the puppy is dopey. But so far, it seems to be well-enough suited to what the owner expects it to learn. If nothing else, the "dopey-ness" will make the public access standard test a snap. 

Dog is very very soft mouthed. Low food drive, medium or better prey drive. Enough to work with and we don't want to build up extra prey drive. I caught it gazing longingly at clothing on racks. The sleeves hanging down were very tempting.  
___________________
Some of the things I'm starting right away are:

Tail-tuck. Tail tuck is teaching the dog to tuck it's tail to prevent it from being injured or in the way of other people. The cue is to put pressure on the dog's tail very gently with a foot. The dog cannot break a down-stay and must tuck its tail up next to its body.

Food refusal. Self-explanatory. Testing for certification is done in a restaurant. During the meal the handler or evaluator drops a piece of food on the floor. The dog must not break the stay or show interest in the food. Also in a grocery store, dog must show no interest in food -especially in the meat and cheese sections. Dog must do an extended down stay in the meat and cheese section.

Target. A foundation for dog to retrieve items pointed out with a laser pointer. 

Object carry. For retrieval and alerts. 

Tugging - for an out-of harness strap lift.

Harness conditioning - for future backpacking, carting, harness lifts and possible wheelchair pulling.

Brace - foundation training

Front cross - the dog steps from heel position to standing sideways in front of the handler. Used to prevent the handler from falling on stairs.

Nudge - for various tasks and alerts


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

Snafu #1: This puppy hasn't picked up clicker imprinting after 2 months of it. The dog is lacking in drive (unless we're talking about clothing on racks in a store  ). It's a lights-on-nobody-home puppy. I am sending her back to her owner for drive building. I don't have time to bust my butt over a poorly picked pup.

Yes, putting her through a public access standard test would be a breeze. But if she can't perform her tasks, there won't be a public access standard test.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

This is a huge problem with service dogs, SAR dogs, PPD, etc. 
People have a dog THEN decide they want to do something "wonderful" with it. 
From the get go, the dog should be chosen for the work, not visa versa.


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

I really shouldn't be surprised but :banghead: I should know better.


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## Jennifer Coulter (Sep 18, 2007)

Bob Scott said:


> This is a huge problem with service dogs, SAR dogs, PPD, etc.
> People have a dog THEN decide they want to do something "wonderful" with it.
> From the get go, the dog should be chosen for the work, not visa versa.


SOOOO true.


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

Puppy is out of my hair until she magically becomes suitable for what is expected of her.

In the meantime, I trained my dog (Abby) to find a pill bottle with air scent, get it off the counter, bring it to me, go get a water bottle off the counter, and jump into my lap. 

I had to make sure the puppy was "broken" - not my training skills!  And this "complex task which requires 4 to 6 months to train" took darling Abby about 20 minutes. I'm so proud of her.


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## Jennifer Coulter (Sep 18, 2007)

Anne Vaini said:


> Snafu #1: This puppy hasn't picked up clicker imprinting after 2 months of it. The dog is lacking in drive (unless we're talking about clothing on racks in a store  ). It's a lights-on-nobody-home puppy. I am sending her back to her owner for drive building. I don't have time to bust my butt over a poorly picked pup.
> 
> Yes, putting her through a public access standard test would be a breeze. But if she can't perform her tasks, there won't be a public access standard test.


Too bad becasue the training sounded interesting, but I am totally with you on not wasting your time on a dog that would be better suited as a pet.


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## Jennifer Coulter (Sep 18, 2007)

Anne Vaini said:


> Puppy is out of my hair until she magically becomes suitable for what is expected of her.
> 
> In the meantime, I trained my dog (Abby) to find a pill bottle with air scent, get it off the counter, bring it to me, go get a water bottle off the counter, and jump into my lap.
> 
> I had to make sure the puppy was "broken" - not my training skills!  And this "complex task which requires 4 to 6 months to train" took darling Abby about 20 minutes. I'm so proud of her.


=D> =D> 
I am quite sure your training skills are fine! Those "lights on nobody home dogs" are tough ones. My friend has one...an Akita female and I swear she was dropped on her head as a pup! Not goofy at all, just S-L-O-W!


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

O. M. G.

This just in: Puppy is not lacking. Puppy has been PUNISHED for picking up items in it's mouth! When it is hanging out alone, it carries stuff around in it's mouth.

She might have ruined a potentially good dog. 

How to undo the damage?


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