How to Walk Service Dogs

Video Transcript

"Hi, I'm Jim Leske, Animal Trainer and Behaviorist with Expert Village. We're here talking with my good friend, Bear, and today we're working on what's called out for a walk. It sounds simple enough but you'd be amazed at how many animals, especially dogs, are so easily distracted out for that walk. When you're out in public, whether it's at the mall, out on the street or in a hospital, or especially a service dog, it's very important that they're listening to the owner and that they're focused on the job at hand. Out for a walk is a great way to do this and what we're trying to do is get the dog around as many distractions as possible and make sure he's still listening to us. So in the beginning we started working with Bear, training him just like this. We've got our food reward as a motivator, let's walk, let's walk, very good boy, and again I'm just giving him a follow me everywhere I go, every where I go, this way, here's a distraction, leave it, good boy, okay, drop, good boy, very good, Bear, leave it, good boy, getting the attention back on me, very good. Here's a distraction, another dog, this could be huge for a dog. Bear, let's go, good boy, very very very good boy. As you notice, he's responding to my voice, this is the key to all of it, sit, getting them to respond to the voice. Very good boy, very good. So Bear did a very good job. That's out for a walk with Bear. I'm Jim and thanks for watching."