The Bottomline:
PSDS Owner-Training Standard

1. "Choosing the Right Dog": Article by Veronica Morris, PhDc.

2. Highest Probability of Success: Start with an 8 week-old purebred puppy from a show breeder.

   Lowest Probability of Success: If you plan on using a rescue dog, please seek professional guidance when selecting the dog. Otherwise, there is a high probability that the dog will not be able to complete the very demanding service dog training.

3. Document all of the training that you are doing with your dog. You will need this documentation in case of a serious legal challenge. Keep these documents in your personal legal files at home.

4. Complete a minimum of four months of documented,‘professionally-supervised’ basic obedience instruction to include:

   extensive socialization w/people & dogs, sit, stay, down, come, heel, up, off, leave-it, back, human steps-over the dog, tail tuck (low distraction, high distraction, verbal commands, hand signals, on / off leash).

5. Complete the requirements for The American Kennel Club (AKC) Canine Good Citizen (see www.akc.org)

6. Complete at least six months of public access training that incorporates the principles described in the PSDS Public Access Standard located here: http://psychdog.org/publicaccess.html

7. Pass the PSDS Public Access Test, administered by a professional dog trainer. On the same page as our Public Access Standard (see above) there is a PDF score sheet that converts our public access standard to a public access test. Any professional dog trainer can administer this test.

8. Complete disability-related assistance training. This may take the form of:

   overt physical tasks performed by the dog on command (i.e., picking up dropped items);

   work that engages the handler’s cognitive behavioral skills (i.e., dog alerts to the onset of hypomania when handler has Bipolar Disorder)

   work that leverages the dog’s natural response to its immediate environment for the purpose of reality-testing (i.e., hallucination discernment when handler has Schizophrenia)

   work that prompts the handler to engage mind/body regulatory approaches (i.e., controlled deep breathing exercises with the dog when handler has Panic Disorder)

9. The process of training your service dog typically takes at least one year.



Back to Training



---

© 2008 Psychiatric Service Dog Society
Disclaimer: Material on this website is provided for educational purposes only.
Consult your own physician regarding the applicability of any opinions or recommendations with
respect to your symptoms or medical condition.