Having a Service Dog is a big responsibility. You must plan your schedule with your Service Dog in mind. You will draw a lot of attention and get asked a lot of questions.

You must be legally disabled, and your Service Dog must be individually trained to help you cope with your disability.

Start your dog by socializing him to everyone (kids, strollers, bicycles, skate boards, joggers, wheelchairs, walkers, etc). A great place to do is the city park. Sit on a bench with your dog and see how he reacts to the passers-by. You may be able to take your dog to local farmer's markets and fairs. Moving on to pet stores, feed stores, and home improvement stores, as allowed. If dogs are permitted in outdoor restaurants, this is another great experience. If your dog is uncomfortable in any of these situations, contact Dream Dogz immediately.

You must also habituate your dog to his environment; in other words, your dog should be accustomed to non-threatening environmental stimuli and learn to ignore them. This stimuli includes the television, vacuum cleaner, doorbell, lawnmower, etc.

Obedience train your dog, including focus work. Every Service Dog should have a solid foundation of obedience training (including sit, down, come, stay, leave it, walk on a loose leash). Aim for your dog to become an AKC Canine Good Citizen. The advanced training your dog will require depends on what you need your Service Dog to do for you. The more you can accomplish as a pup, the easier training will be as you start task-training when your dog is around 18 months to 2 years old. Definitely enroll in a group class, as this will give your dog experience working with other dogs around.

There are no official registries for Service Dogs in the United States. There are a few online registries that will take your money and issue you a certificate that your dog is a Service Dog. These are meaningless.

Not every dog intended for Service Dog work actually becomes a Service Dog. It is important to document all training and work with a professional trainer during this process.

E-mail Dream Dogz for more information on training your Service Dog.

E-mail Theresa, Service Dog Advocate and Director of Karl's Kids Program, for information on Handler rights and Service Dog requirements.