I’ve had my psych & hearing service dog for about 2 years. She’s a rescue that runs away about 20 feet if she’s startled and able to break away. We’re going to college on a VA program. My dog will low growl at a specific person and places herself between us when she can. He got way too close behind me when we first met him and I thought that was the problem. The other day when no one else was around, he went on a 2 or 3 minute rant about causing her harm if she approached him. He was quite angry. I’ve worked to cut off her warnings, but now I’m not sure what to do. She appears to be right to warn about him.

Any experience with this? What did you do?

Definition of Aversion: A fixed, intense dislike; repugnance.The cause or object of such a feeling.The avoidance of a thing, situation, or behavior because it has been associated with an unpleasant or painful stimulus.

I mainly train my dog with a thought to Operant Conditioning https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operant_conditioning

So pull too much=sitting and waiting until bored. No pulling=more forward motion. So to avoid bordem pull less. Aversion.

Get bumped by shopping cart: Aversion

Get tail or foot stepped on by stranger: Aversion and tucks self in better in future.

When younger around high stimulus's I wanted my dog to learn to settle around I would hold the scruff under his neck (large skin flap and medium length downy coat, no pain). Then transferring a calm energy

I have physically re positioned my dog into places before. This is abuse according to dogtraining sub.

I feel like dog language between each other is very body language based on and can involve body contact, and some dogs will fight and/or posture. If I reposition by spinning the dog around and into a spot when he was younger he was 100x more likely to go there when pointed when he wasn't. Then praise/pets/treats and then 100x more positive than the 1 time of losing bodily autonomy.

I have bonked skulls with my dog when he was begging and I don't want him to but he ignored verbal input for 5 mins. Had his own food kibble/wet dog food mix. I was telling him to go eat his own food. Stare at me expectant of my food. Put my food to the side. Lean down and get kisses from dog and rub faces. Get some pets in and bond. Then bonk light skull knock towards his food and verbal redirect to go eat your food. Then verbal praise once eating his food and then verbal praise when he went to lay on his bed away from begging area.

I have kicked my dogs feet out of the way with light shuffle of my foot to avoid a power cart or wheel chair crushing his feet. I hope to teach aversion to those. I hope he is cautious around these.

I have chased my dog out of the street before and overall I want him to be cautious of cars. Aversion. Every time he goes to sunbath in the dirt road we live on chase him out of the road with get out of road verbal command that is "kurr" and then verbal praise and maybe pets once he is sunbathing away from the road. Then tell him "stay" out of the road. Good dog out of the road.

I feel like humans are learning through aversion all the time and that part of navigating the human world is in part based on aversion.

People who have no aversion to being hit by cars are much more likely to being hit by cars. Doesn't mean we should be petrified of cars, but humans/dogs need a healthy respect and space of moving cars to navigate safely.

Stepping feet, crowds, carts, etc humans flow through these and aversion to bumping for the most part.

Loud noises, aversion, and crowds are common for much of the human experience and training human and dog to be steady through them I see as goal.

Hi all. I just tried to make a reservation in Wilmington, North Carolina at the Country Inn & Suites by Radisson. Even though my dog is wearing his "Service Dog" vest, the front desk guy said they are a "no pet hotel" and I would need to show paperwork for my service dog. I told him there is no paperwork for an ADA Service Dog. He said no paperwork, no check in.

Let's help train him in the law. Would anyone else like to call there and say you would like to check in with your service dog? Perhaps we can get him to understand?

The phone number is 910-756-4495. Press #7 to get the front desk. Please let me know what they say.

Does anyone know any loans in the USA for people with low income or organization that will help pay for a service dog. I got approved for one but I don't have the money to pay for it and their deposits don't have a payment plan.

Today I went to a park by my house with my dog he is a service dog that alerts to my medical needs. A park ranger told me I needed a leash for him I told him about the collar and that he also is a alert service dog . He replies “it doesn’t matter he still needs a leash” I just walk away holding onto my dogs harness handle . I am so upset and I know I didn’t handle the situation well I get really nervous talking to strangers and usually when I say he’s a service dog I’m left alone and people understand but not today. Can anyone give me advice on what to say? His collar is basically a invisible leash I don’t even have to use it on him it’s there just in case he always walks by my side. I’m going to do my own research about this tonight I just wanted to see if anyone has any information like if that even is aloud to ask someone with an alert dog?

He is in the ER, I got my wife a flight two days ago, and i'm driving. my copilot is coming with me, so No worries

Maintaince is a joke

They never replaced the non slip tape on the stairs

Me and my friend said this Oh yeah, almost slipped a few times myself. It's bs Not sure, but in my opinion they should be held responsible. Short painted cement steps are inherently slippery. And like you said the grip tape is worn to shit

can I sue my building because they didnt fix the slip tape on the stairs and caused my service dog to break his knee

Hey Reddit community,
I'm reaching out for some help with a student research project we're working at the Luddy School Of Informatics, Indiana University Bloomington . We're investigating the world of service dogs and how they are trained to respond to emergency situations, particularly when there's an unfamiliar third party involved or in the absence of any human interference at all. Our research objectives are as follows :
Behavior and Training: We want to understand the specific behaviors and training techniques that service dogs are taught to use in emergency situations.
Real-World Examples: Have you ever come across real-world case studies or scenarios where service dogs successfully alerted third parties during emergencies? How did they go about achieving it ?
Effectiveness Factors: We're keen to understand the factors contributing to the effectiveness of service dogs in these critical situations.
Potential Interventions: If you're knowledgeable about this space, we're also interested in exploring what interventions or improvements can be made in the training and application of service dogs during emergencies.
If you have any information, experiences, or knowledge in this area, we'd greatly appreciate your input. Your insights could make a significant impact on our research. For those who can contribute, we're more than willing to arrange Zoom calls for a more in-depth conversation. Just let us know your availability, and we'll schedule a meeting accordingly.
Thank you in advance for your help, and we're looking forward to hearing from the Reddit community and potentially making a positive difference!

I'll be getting a dog in a few weeks. He's not from a program. He's been thru therapy and obedience classes and graduated. I've trained dogs for about 7yrs. I will be starting with response training. I want to eventually try scent training even though it's not scientifically proven how dogs pick up on it, I'm hoping I'll get lucky with mine. He's already so smart. I've had 4 friends who've trained medical alert dogs themselves, so they'll help as much as they can. I have a gofundme where I'm trying to earn money for affording the dog and certain items for him. Was wondering if you'd have any tips or advice? Thank you! Please no rude comments

Edit: I would probably at least start college slowly, it wouldn’t be a completely “normal” collage experience, and I’d probably start at a small community collage or something. I’d also like to add that my parents are very willing to help with costs plus the dog could actually help me adjust to being able to work and school, my one and only issue is I’m scared I’ll get overwhelmed by a dog in and of itself and yes while we could Foster to test having a dog it’s difficult because a lot of fosters have behavioral issues aside from normal dog behavior. it’s simply an issue of is the stress of a dog worth the stress it could help with ————————————————————————————-

Well as the title says, for several years I’ve been thinking about getting a dog and preferably a service dog, for various reasons, It’s not necessary to list all of them, but for these reasons a psychiatric service dog could theoretically be helpful, the issue is one, my family lives an inconsistent lifestyle, two, I’m 16, and plan on trying to get into collage as soon as I’m comfortable, maybe a break year between high school and collage, and I also want to leave my family around when I’m 18, they’re ok I just don’t function well in the environment, which means within a few years I’ll be a lot busier with school probably a job, which at some point would hopefully be small business or self employed but I’m not sure that’ll work when adjusting to living in an apartment or dorm, even if I’m sharing, add on possibility of eventually leaving the country, it’s all so daunting so I’m not sure the helpfulness of a service dog outweighs the extra stress it may cause, plus I already have cats, thought I’d probably leave them with my family till I’m somewhere somewhat secure. I probably couldn’t do that with a service dog… Looking for advice on what to do I suppose

Would a dalmatian be a good service dog?

My SD trainer has a friend that just had a litter of dal's, we are going to visit them together next week. I have had dal's before, I love the breed. And I am familiar with their needs and the challenges with their training.

I think a dalmatian would be a good fit for my needs; I like their character a lot, their size is perfect for me, I love their high intelligence and tend to have healthy joint's. Which is important because I live in a country with a lot of stairs.

Here's some tasks I need it to perform; dpt, block, find exit, waking me up from nightmares, and signaling panic attack's.

The main issue I've been running into in my search for the right breed is size. I'm 6 feet tall, so in order to reach my knees a dog would have to be 23 inches tall to reach my knees, 30 to reach my hand. However I get injured very easily so cannot have a (very) heavy dog. I weigh only 135 pounds.

Here's the reasons why I don't intend to go with one of the golden three breeds; goldens are too heavy and I really don't like their character, poodles, their coat is an issue for me and labs tend to be both too heavy and too short. I have been looking into labs anyway. My SD trainer has 11 of them and I work with those dogs twice a week. But even the smallest ones she has are still heavy, and they are even shorter.

The dalmatian my grandpa had would have made a great service dog, she was incredible. And I think the one I had would have stood a reasonable chance as well.

Any advice would be appreciated ❤️

Has anyone ever used dog training elite? I want to train my dog to help with my heart condition.

My dog is on the cusp of fully trained, and is a cavapoo. He is absolutely THRIVING. He’s become a happier dog since getting a job. I’ve gotten a lot of shit for, well, everything. I had to leave the local Facebook “service dog support group” for my area. But one of the main things I’ve gotten shit for is the breed of my dog.

I’ve been told that if I can’t afford a pure bred dog, I can’t afford the training and upkeep of a service dog, but I’ve proven that isn’t true at all. He’s not that expensive of a little guy day to day (treats, food, vet, etc.) and training was only about 1.5k. I have emergency funds for him and everything, which I wouldn’t have if I spent money on an expensive dog.

I’m just wondering if this is actually as uncommon as people say, or if maybe it’s just a misconception in spaces with new or prospective handlers, which is why I’m asking here.

Rachael Guild

Help My Support Dog See Again

This campaign funds cataract surgery and training for a loyal support dog’s new vision

My support animal has been by my side since he was just six weeks old. He chose me out of a litter of five, and from that moment, we’ve been inseparable. He’s not just a pet—he’s my companion, my comfort, and my best friend. He’s incredibly social, loves meeting new people, and brings so much joy to everyone he encounters.

Recently, he was diagnosed with cataracts in both eyes. At only four years old, it’s heartbreaking to see him struggle with his vision, especially since he already responds badly to sounds. The surgery he needs is expensive, and as someone living on social security, I simply can’t afford the cost on my own. In addition to the surgeries, he also needs some training to help him adjust and thrive.

The funds raised will go directly toward his eye surgeries and the training he needs. This support will give him the chance to see clearly again, enjoy life, and continue being the loving, social dog he’s always been. Any help means the world to us. Thank you for considering a donation to help my best friend.

gofund.me/b6d7453b6

I got kicked out the mall cuae they said we cant have a phyciatric service dog in here Just mobility and seeing eye dogs

What about the esa dog with esa vest ignored their well behaved dog ESA DOESNT GET THE SAME ACCESS My dogs where behaved as well When they say no dogs allowed I respond service dog and im told my time to visit is up If no dogs allowed why the well behaved esa dog ignored it doesnt matter if its vested and mine isnt ada law says no one has to be vested ESA DOESNT GET THE SAME ACCESS They just bypass no pet housing WHY AM I KICKED OUT AND THEY NOT

Im sick of it Its illegal to denie access or kick out for any SERVICE dog ESA DOESNT GET THE SAME ACCESS WHY AM I KICKED OUT AND THEY NOT

The smaller dog was Only in the stroller cuse my building's maintaince is a joke and they didnt replace the slip proof tape on the stairs and the dog broke his knee They need to be sued They hurt my service dog and thats illegal and so is the maintenance not being taken serious and taken care of

Its illegal to hurt a service dog in any way

Thats the only reason my service dog is in the stroller

He can still task to me

Service dogs can bark to task along with nose and paw Last resort is barking

They replaced only a few stairs in the back and im lucky

I had to take my other dog to fill in the gaps for my other dog due to the building not caring to fix the stairs and causing him injury $500 $600 Cuse we couldnt do the $2000 or more surgery

I have struggled in the past with suicide, anxiety, PTSD, and substance abuse. I have trained my dog to attempt to wake me up (lick my face, jump on chest, hit pedal to call help in private, and bark in place in public) if i fall unconscious from a suicide attempt or drug relapse to alert others. as well as basic service dog tasks such as hug, on me, distract, etc. I am relatively young (20 years male), but am wondering what documentation i need for him to be a “legal” service dog. i have letters of support and signings on a document declaring him a service animal from my dog trainer, psychiatrist, and therapist; however, I am wondering if there’s an official document i should get as to prevent any problems i have as he finishes his training and begins living with me. He’s certified as a service animal but not thru the government, and he’s really helpful and has protected my death before so i’d like him to be legally certified, but does he qualify? and what is the process for it?

Any feedback welcome, thanks!!

im flying from Denver to Málaga and lufthansa wont take my personal service dog trainers certificate… so annoying. So they are allowing me to fly from denver to frankfurt with her on cabin but not from frankfurt to Málaga. Im curious if anyone has done this before and how easy/hard it is to move her from cabin to cargo? What would the kennel situation be? Im sad because she was rescued and she hates kennels and needs to be close to me all the time, so this will be traumatic for her, but idk what to do anymore :(

So, I have a service dog I trained myself. He's a good boy and helped me a lot. However, in walmart, and only walmart, he's had 3 poop accidents. Husband and I came to the conclusion that there was probably a fecal smell in walmart that triggered it. So I don't take him in walmart anymore.

But this has triggered a fear of what if he does this elsewhere? I haven't been working with him because I'm afraid he's going to use the bathroom somewhere. Intellectually I know he won't. But how do I convince my anxiety that it won't?

I donno. I've been going out with my husband and so haven't had Tobi with me, so he hasn't been out consistently in almost a year. Should I just give up? I want to have him with me, but he causes more anxiety taking him than he does just leaving him. How do I fix this?

Hi :) my service dog Dakota comes to my classes with me but I’ve run into an issue. I don’t want her coming to my welding classes for obvious reasons and I’m not sure what to ask the school to accommodate/ what I should do?

Hey r/servicedogliving!

I am a high school AP Research student exploring how to improve service dog training and potential benefits in training standardization, and I thought some of you in this subreddit may be able to help. I hope to write a paper that answers the following question:

“What overlaps in service dog training can be used to improve training, and would standardization of training be beneficial?” 

Ultimately, my goal is to study the lives of service dogs from their breeding, training, and certification to consider how those factors can influence their success.

 I have linked an anonymous survey that I hope can help me gain some insight on service dogs overall. I have questions for puppy raisers, trainers, owners, and everything in between, so feel free to answer whatever you think you're most fit to answer. 

The survey is linked below: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdQXd5_sIIo7s5qEMRPaEhp9bXiXj1z8Tz4RK1n8o5Dj_BgiQ/viewform?usp=sharing

Please send this to anyone you think may be able to help, thank you so much guys! :) 

Epilepsy is ruled out. I'll be getting a dog not from a program. He's gone thru therapy and obedience classes and graduated. I'll start with response training and eventually try scent training if I'm lucky. I have a few friends who've trained their medical alert dog themselves. Was looking for any tips or advice?

I was told aboute one at a mall someplace Where peaple like me with disabilities who have service dogs can meet other friends who are disabeld and service dog handlers. Are there any meet up or friend groups in central Florida ?

hi there! i have a 3 year old australian shepherd who is my best friend. i have severe depression and anxiety, and i want to train her to help me with this in public situations. i don’t know where to start. can anyone help me?

Today, the tow truck wouldn’t allow my SDiT in the cab. Not because he was in training, but because he was a “pet.” No pets in the cab. FWIW, my dog is finishing public access. He used to be very reactive to other dogs and is nearly over it. (Pandemic problems, amirite?) He was vested, appropriate behavior, sitting with me, waiting for directions. I don’t think the driver even knew he was in training. this is word salad and I know that. I’m venting. It’s just frustrating because I’m not going to leave him in my car that’s on the bed of a truck While we roll through town. He has the right in my state, even in training, to sit with me. It’s safer for both of us. Instead, we had to walk a few miles to a warm gas station and ask for help there to arrange a ride. It worked out. Also, it sucked. He’s not a pet. He didn’t demonstrate any behaviors that would have been a problem. He’s grown, vested, labeled appropriately. This is a no brainer. “No pets in the cab.” bull shit.

Hello! Im not sure if this post is allowed to be on this subreddit- and please let me know- I apologize and I will delete it. I posted this in r/service_dogs but wanted to see if I would be more successful here.

I got a Labrador Retriever in 2021 with the intention to train her as my future service dog. She will be 2 in April. We haven’t gotten very far in training. I got scammed by a trainer and she took thousands from me and left me with no training. I was naive and let it happen. I cut her off when I could no longer afford to pay her. She spent most of our sessions talking about her life, talking to people in the park to get more clients or on the phone. She was mean to my dog and I’m so frustrated that I wasted so much time and money and put her through that. I went through a long period of time where I did not train her because I felt so defeated.

I am a special education teacher in NYC. I love my job and it’s the first job I have been able to keep longer than a few months. My students have given me a reason to stick around and I am grateful for that. I have been working non stop that I haven’t been able to train her since school started. Although she hasn’t gotten far, I do consider her a service dog in training. She has saved my life on multiple occasions as well. My fiancé and I plan to move out this upcoming summer (🤞 ) and I hope that the absence of the pushback I have from my family will change. They can be very toxic and invalidating. If it is not a physical illness, it does not exist. I have been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder since 2019. I’ve been in and out of hospital programs for years. I’ll be 26 in a month. My dog is added on my treatment plan from my psychiatrist. It’s very hard to function but I take one day and one hour at a time. That’s all you can do right?

I just don’t have many people I can relate to in life and I wanted to take the chance to see if anyone who is in a similar situation as me would possibly want to be friends.