Training a service dog can be a lengthy task, as service dogs have plenty of skills to learn before they can be sent home to help their owners. If you are thinking about adopting a service dog or training your own, it is important to understand the expected training time of your service dog. Our article tells you how long it takes to train a service dog and other important service dog training information.
Requirements for Training a Service Dog
Under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), there are no specific training requirements or regulations for service dogs. The only requirement is that your dog is trained to perform tasks that directly relate to your disability, such as detecting allergies, alerting you to seizures, providing guidance, or calming panic attacks.
You do not need to enroll in a specific program for service dogs, nor do you need to adopt a trained service dog from a specific organization in order for them to be a valid and qualified service animal.
How Long Does It Take to Train a Service Dog?
Training a service dog doesn’t happen overnight, and it takes many months of dedicated effort to ensure a service dog is prepared to help their owner. This process can be longer when a service dog needs to learn very specific or complex tasks to assist their future owner.
On average, it can take between six months and two years to fully train a service dog. Some dogs learn quickly and are able to be placed in homes fairly fast, while other dogs need to undergo a lengthier training process to be fully prepared to help their owners.
The exact training length for your service dog depends on the type of service dog you need (either psychiatric, medical alert, guidance, or mobility support) and the specific tasks they need to learn to help you. You can speak to a training organization or review an online training course for the expected training length of your service dog.
Do You Have to Train a Service Dog as a Puppy?
You don’t necessarily have to train your service dog as a puppy, though doing this can be helpful in ensuring your dog is well-trained by the time they are a year old. Puppies tend to learn faster and may build the foundations for more complex tasks such as being able to detect blood sugar drops or allergies at a young age, but older dogs can still learn these skills.
In most cases, willingness to learn, intelligence, and temperament are the biggest factors in your ability to train a dog of any age to be a service dog.
Can I Train My Own Service Dog?
It is possible to train your own service dog. If you wish to perform service dog training yourself, make sure that you work with them consistently and that you have a good idea of the tasks you need your dog to learn. You can also consult with a professional trainer if you need assistance getting started or teaching your dog more complex tasks.
What Breed of Service Dog Should I Get?
The breed of service dog you should adopt depends greatly on the type of service dog you need and the tasks you require assistance with. In general, larger dog breeds with gentle temperaments and eager-to-learn attitudes make the best service dogs, as they are strong enough to guide their owners or complete other tasks in addition to being happy to work with their owners. Breeds like golden retrievers, standard poodles, labrador retrievers, and German shepherds all make great service dogs as they meet these criteria.
However, smaller dogs can also make good service dogs, as they can be helpful as medical alert or psychiatric service dogs in some situations. The best way to choose a breed for your service dog is to consider the tasks you need help with and think about the size and personality of the dog that might be best suited to help.
Training a Service Dog to Help
Service dogs are remarkable companions, and these dogs can be trained to perform a variety of different tasks that directly help someone gain relief from the symptoms of their disability or mental health condition. While training a service dog is no easy feat, it is possible to train a service dog to help you at home, which is a popular option if the cost of adopting a fully trained service dog is too much.
Work with your medical provider and local or national training organizations to learn more about what it takes to add a service dog to your treatment plan.
