How to Train Older Dogs for Service Work
According to Joan Froling of the International Association of Assistance Dog Partners, "One of the most important decisions to make is whether to start out with a young puppy or to seek an adult dog, age 18 months to 3 years old, which can commence training immediately." Provided your older dog--age 3 to 5--is physically fit, you really can teach an old dog new tricks. However, training for service dog work is a year long commitment and not to be taken lightly. Many dogs fail the training. Be prepared to spend several hours a day training your dog.
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Instructions
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Honestly assess your dog's temperament. A service dog has to be safe enough around children that a 2-year-old can poke him in the eye and not evoke a growl. A service dog who growls, barks, or shows any sign of aggression cannot work in public.
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Train your dog for basic obedience. Basic obedience provides the foundation for all service dog work. Come, sit, down, heal, and stay must be taught until solid. Stay is particularly important for any dog that will work in public.
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Train your dog to leave people, things, food, and even toys alone. A service dog must not take an animal cracker from a toddler, even if the toddler offers it to the dog. To train leave it, have pieces of cheese in your hand, and scatter dog kibble on the floor. With your dog on a leash, walk the dog through the kibble on the floor, offering treats from your hand.
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Up the ante by putting cheese on the floor and walk the dog through a maze of cheese. A service dog should not only ignore the cheese on the floor, but retrieve a cell phone dropped on a pile of cheese. A service dog who refuses to pick up a dropped cell phone could cost her partner her life. It takes incredible focus for both the dog and the trainer to teach this lifesaving task.
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Depending on what kind of disability assistance dog you need, task training will vary. This comes after intensive obedience training. A hearing dog will need to learn to respond to sounds in the home. A mobility dog will have to learn to help someone balance. Specific task training is the last part of service dog training.
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Tips & Warnings
Come up with a list of tasks you would like your dog to help you do. For example, retrieve small items from the floor. Then work on training fetch. Slowly expand fetch to include different types of objects.
Training a service dog should be fun for both of you. Games, treats and praise will help make work enjoyable for your dog.
Arthritis and other aches and pains related to aging can have an impact on temperament. Please watch your dog closely for signs of aggression.
Training a service dog takes between 12 and 18 months. Most dogs are ready to retire from service dog work around age 8 or 9.
Service dog work is stressful for the dog. Make sure he is still physically able to do the job.
Sadly, most dogs will fail the training. Be prepared--the heartache of washing out a potential dog partner is part of training service dogs.
