Service Dog Training
What does a Dog Boot Camp For A Service Dog look like?
The ONLY two reasons a business can refuse a Service Dog is:
1. Your dog is not housebroken.
2. Your dog is out of control, and you cannot get your dog under control.
At Tip Top K9 we do not do specific task training but we would start with a consultation where we assess your dog.
Service animals are:
Trained Dogs of any Breed
Trained to perform at the minimum one task that is helping a person with a disability
Service animals are not:
Required to be certified (There are no governing certifying dog training groups, everyone online is just selling fake certificates)
Required to wear a vest saying Service Dog (Though we at Tip Top K9 recommend you do so to make sure people give your dog space and don't confuse it for a pet.
Emotional support or strictly pet dogs (The difference is the lack of one task related to a person’s disability, this is what gives the dog protection under the ADA)
Examples of Service Animal Tasks:
A person who has a physical disability may have a dog that is trained to retrieve objects for them.
A person with balance issues may have a dog trained to lean on them to support their weight.
A person with mental illness may have a dog that is trained to perform a task to remind them to take their medication.
A person with panic attacks may have a dog that is trained to lick their hand or stand up on them / go between their legs etc to alert them to an oncoming panic attack.
A person who has seizures may have a dog that is trained to detect the onset of a seizure and then help the person remain safe during the seizure by alerting them to bodily changes the dog can smell but the person doesn’t know are happening yet.
Where Service dogs CAN GO
Service dogs CAN GO into:
- Restaurants
- Shops
- Hospitals
- Schools
- Hotels
What are business NOT allowed to require or request of a service dog:
- They are NOT allowed to require any documentation or certification that your dog is a service dog.
- They are NOT allowed to require that your dog demonstrates its task, or inquire about the nature of your disability
FAQ’S on Service Dog Training:
What certification do I need to take my dog in public?
There is no real Service Dog Training certification.
What is a Service Dog?
Under the ADA, a service animal is defined as a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. The task(s) performed by the dog must be directly related to the person’s disability.
What does do work or perform tasks mean?
The dog must be trained to take a specific action when needed to assist the person with a disability. For example, a person with diabetes may have a dog that is trained to alert him when his blood sugar reaches high or low levels. A person with depression may have a dog that is trained to remind her to take her medication. Or, a person who has epilepsy may have a dog that is trained to detect the onset of a seizure and then help the person remain safe during the seizure.
Are emotional support, therapy, comfort, or companion dogs considered service dogs under the ADA?
No. Only Service dogs are covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Are service dogs in training considered service dogs under the ADA?
No. Under the ADA, a true service dog must already be trained or it is not classified as a service dog.
Do Service dogs have to be certified as service dogs?
No. Groups selling certification online are charlatans and the documents they sell give no rights whatsoever.
Can service dogs be any breed of dog or are only certain breeds allowed?
The ADA places no restrictions on breed whatsoever.