Can I pet a service dog?
This is a question I get all the time and the honest answer is sometimes. There are times when I am working with a dog or a puppy in training that needs to learn some social skills. Allowing a few people to pet him or her really helps with that. Occasionally, when my daughter is out with her older already well trained service dog she will allow a few people to pet her. Her service dog already knows her job so well that an occasional pet will not cause training issues.
However most of the time people don’t want you to pet their service dog because it interferes with their dogs ability to concentrate on its job. It is also extremely important for service dogs to learn not to solicit attention. Not only can this become a very bad habit it can ruin many, many hours of training.
Additionally, sometimes people don’t want you to pet their assistance dog simply because they are trying to get something accomplished. My daughter often feels this way when we are out shopping at the grocery store. She is definitely correct when she says that, “we would never get our shopping done if we let everyone in the store pet my dog.”
My best advice is always, always ask the service dog’s handler before you try to pet a service dog. They may say yes but don’t get offended if they say no there is always a good reason behind both answers to this question.
Do service dogs ever get to play?
The dogs that are trained by Guild Assistance Dog Partners definitely get to play. We believe that play time is very important for stress relief and that relieving stress promotes a longer healthier life. When the vest is on they are working and the job they are doing is very serious but when the vest comes off they have a right to just be regular dogs.
How do you give them up?
I personally believe that when a puppy raiser turns in a dog they have raised it is one of the most difficult things they will ever do. I also believe that puppy raisers understand that this is a dog that never belonged to them in the first place. From the day they brought that puppy home they understood that he or she was destined to serve a higher purpose. I have also had the privilege to see first hand how service dogs change lives, give independence and promote freedom. Puppy raisers are definitely very special people who put their own feelings aside in order to give a very special gift to a stranger in need.
What kind of work will this puppy do when he or she grows up?
GAP Dogs does not put all their puppies in the same basket. In other words, they allow them to grow and their personalities to develop before making a decision about what kind of work they will be best suited for.
How long does it take to train an assistance dog?
The short answer is that it usually takes between 18 and 24 months. However I know quite a few service dog handlers that believe training will continue throughout their dog’s entire life.
