For the Owner Trainers

[ILGHAUS]

For those of you who have trained either by yourself or under the guidance of a professional, did you do any type of training beside obedience, public access, and task work?

Was beginning agility part of your SDIT training?

Did you do something besides a CGC like doing BH work?

While a SDIT or since working as a SD have you had a temperament test done on your dog? If so which one?

Did you have someone do a PAT evaluation on your SDIT?

Did you add any of this via pictures or video to your training manual?

[Lin]

Short answer, no nothing like that officially. Though unofficially yes. I think agility type things are very helpful for a SDIT or SD, it helps with familiarizing them with bizarre things as well as the trust to follow you everywhere and do whatever is asked even in strange situations. I think its also an important test to get an idea if the dog has stable enough nerves for the work.

With Tessa and now with Emma, if I see the opportunity to try something bizarre I go for it. Lots of bizarre things on playground equipment etc, anything I can dream up. And when they take it all in stride it gives me confidence in their ability to perform service work.

I've done a few agility classes with Emma just for fun, they were free after graduation from novice obedience. I used to take Tessa to a dog park years ago that has agility equipment.

I haven't done any temperament testing, I looked into it but when Tessa was a SDIT I couldn't find testing in the area. Now I'm in a much bigger city and plan on doing the CGC at least. I've never thought about adding pictures to the training log! Thats a good idea though. I do have pictures of training sessions with Tessa just to have the pictures, didn't have a specific purpose.

[suzzyq01]

I originally started by trained my Siberian through trainers and also continued learning from books and videos. He took his CGC and passed at 16 months. Now we are retaking his CGC (I never sent in the paperwork) and working on his TDI. My Sibe is 6 and I will never stop his training, not because he needs it but because he enjoys it so much! You can ALWAYS teach an old dog new tricks!

With Sonar (14 month old GSD) I began training almost instantly on my own. Then at 6 months we began training with a trainer. I have been training with a trainer since because I want to get his BH and would also like to have him TDI and TD. He is taking his CGC test this Saturday. Once we pass this I will continue onto an advanced class to work on him BH/TDI and I will also be taking an additional tracking clinic for his TD. I am interested to see if his drive continues to pick up, if so I want to try PSA at some point. It's picked up quite a bit in the past couple of months so I think as he gets older it will get better. So that part is on the back burner for now.

I always take him out with me as much as I can. We walk around Home Depot and Lowes at least 2 times a week for over an hour. There are tons of noises, people, and smells in there that get him used to being around strange things. On walks I take him to parks and have him climb on the playground equiptment, benches, anything I can find that is weird. If he shows a negative reaction I normally park myself there until he calms downs and becomes desensitized to the situation or if it's an object I throw treats all over it so he associates the "scary" object with yummy treats and overcomes his fear on his own. For the most part he is fantastic but every once and a while something won't jive with him and we go through this process.

Every interaction with him I make training, even to get attention from me. A polite sit and I will love all over you and you can snuggle with me all you want. But he must work for it. I builds our bond and relationship. I can tell over the past couple months of training class the leaps and bounds we have made. I can't wait to continue.

[Hillary_Plog]

I am an obedience instructor, and a service dog trainer for a non-profit service dog organization, but the nice thing is that I also use a wheelchair, so I certify my own personal dogs as service dogs so that I may use them not only for demonstrations/lectures/public speaking engagements (sort of like a walking portfolio of tasks/abilities), but also as breed ambassadors (since most SD organizations don't primarily use the GSD).

For service dog work, my dog takes the CGC in addition to the public access, obedience, and advanced task training (as well as hip/health screening before starting bracing/pulling tasks).

For my own personal interests, I compete in AKC obedience, as well as all phases/levels of Schutzhund (including BH).

I temperament test all of the dogs before they become SDIT and enter our program, whether it's for myself or a client. I haven't found a need to temperament test a SD that has already passed through the program.

Great thread and interesting questions, ILGHAUS!!!

[Xeph]

For those of you who have trained either by yourself or under the guidance of a professional, did you do any type of training beside obedience, public access, and task work?

Yes

Was beginning agility part of your SDIT training?

Yes

Did you do something besides a CGC like doing BH work?

No BH, but formal obedience. Trained through CDX level.

While a SDIT or since working as a SD have you had a temperament test done on your dog? If so which one?

No, as it never occurred to me, though I'd be interested in it in the future.

Did you have someone do a PAT evaluation on your SDIT?

Yes

Did you add any of this via pictures or video to your training manual

No, but will be doing so with the next dog.

[Lin]

Whats a PAT evaluation? I'm only familiar with CGC and ATTS

[Xeph]

Public Access Test, Lin

[Lin]

Oh, durrr. lol.

I had Tessa evaluated by the Indiana Canine Assistant Network, which is based out of Indianapolis.

[ILGHAUS]

Great responses guys. I am so glad to see so many not just be satisfied with the bare basics but really working their dogs at advanced levels. There is no reason that an OT Service Dog can not be as polished and well-balanced as one from a reputable agency. The OT may not be able to do it all on their own but they can find someone with the knowledge and experience to guide them.

And these additions to the training log can't hurt if the dog's training is ever in question in the court system. And don't forget - the training log should never be completly closed. Training of new tasks should be added. A second or third CGC over the working life of the dog should be added. Do a special event or workshop using your dog as a demo - add that info. Always add and update the log just as during your own working career you should always keep your resume current.

[Xeph]

Strauss got his CD and RN with me. I wanted to get his MACH, but we never got a single agility leg. Between my legs going out on me (the new tics started around 2009) and him knocking bars, it just went poorly.

When we move I'd still like to do some agility, and I'd like to compete again, but I'm not sure I'm still able to compete with all the sudden turns agility requires.