Landheim "Service dog training"
At Landheim we train dogs for just about any job that there is in the world. We do service dog training as well. Let’s define a service dog before we go any further. Service dogs are trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. This definition does not include a therapy dog or an emotional support animal (ESA). We can provide training for therapy and emotional support animals but that training would simply be for obedience. The service dog would be trained to be obedient in all circumstances and environments, which is quite a task in itself. Our obedience training for the service dog would require a minimum of 120 hours in accordance with IAADP standards. These 120 hours would be conducted over the course of 6 months or more. Beyond the obedience requirement for public access then would be the individual training for whatever task the dog would be needed to perform in relation to the individual’s disability. We will evaluate dogs currently owned by an individual for this work. We have trained several pet dogs already owned by individuals for service dog work. The dog would be evaluated for temperament issues and environmental issues before any training could occur. If your dog could not pass this evaluation we will endeavor to assist the customer in locating a dog for the training.
The training a service dog receives is intense, and for good reason! A service animal is an animal trained to perform a direct task related to a person’s disability. This task can range from guiding people who are blind, alerting persons who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, or calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during a panic attack, or performing numerous other tasks. They not only must be able to perform specific tasks related to the owner’s disability, but they also have to be able to do it on demand and command every time.
Specific Rules Related to Service Animals
When it is not obvious what service an animal provides, only limited inquiries are allowed. Staff may ask two questions: (1) is the dog a service animal required because of a disability, and (2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform. Staff cannot ask about the person’s disability, require medical documentation, require a special identification card or training documentation for the dog, or ask that the dog demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task, per the American Disablities Act (ADA).
Required Training
Basic Obedience, Intermediate Obedience, Advanced Obedience and an evaluator pass on the AKC Canine Good Citizen test. Additional hours of training toward the specific task related to the individual’s disability.
Therapy dogs are dogs who go with their owners to volunteer in settings such as schools, hospitals, and nursing homes. Dogs best suited for this kind of work are obedient, calm, gentle, outgoing, and not easily overwhelmed. Additionally, therapy dogs must me comfortable being touched, sometimes with many hands on them at one time.
Training required for a Therapy Dog starts with an evaluation of a dogs’ manners and obedience. A solid foundation of obedience is key for any dog to complete therapy dog training and to work in the real world. Therapy Dog lessons will include focus on obedience and desensitization exercises.
Therapy dogs are not service dogs. The AKC Therapy Dog program awards official titles to dogs who have worked to improve the lives of the people they have visited and are required to perform a number of visits.
Therapy Dog Titles
- AKC Therapy Dog Novice (THDN)
Must have completed 10 visits. - AKC Therapy Dog (THD)
Must have completed 50 visits. - AKC Therapy Dog Advanced (THDA)
Must have completed 100 visits. - AKC Therapy Dog Excellent (THDX)
Must have completed 200 visits. - AKC Therapy Dog Distinguished (THDD)
Must have completed 400 visits
- AKC Therapy Dog Novice (THDN)
Required Training
Basic Obedience, Intermediate Obedience, Advanced Obedience and an evaluator pass on the AKC Canine Good Citizen test.
To legally be considered an emotional support dog, also called an emotional support animal (ESA), the pet needs to be prescribed by a licensed mental health professional to a person with a disabling mental illness. A therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist must determine that the presence of the animal is needed for the mental health of the patient. For example, owning a pet might ease a person’s anxiety or give them a focus in life. The dogs can be of any age and any breed. Someone with an emotional support animal can be asked to provide a copy of an ESA letter to confirm they have a condition that benefits from their animal.
Required Training
Basic Obedience, Intermediate Obedience, Advanced Obedience and an evaluator pass on the AKC Canine Good Citizen test.
