Testing a Self Train Dog

Hello Everyone


A couple days ago, I received a request to test a self trained dog. Testing a dog is something I never take lightly, the standards for a service dog are very high and it takes more than being able to perform the tasks or to have good obedience. When testing the dog I am also looking for how they handle themselves in public, responding to the handlers needs (without being told), responding to the handlers commands, their temperament and watching all these things in a variety of settings.


After sending the person my test, they indicated that there was no way their dog could pass. Curious to understand where the dog was in terms of training, I asked what exactly she could not do, turns out there were some places they were not going. The idea with a service dog is that it opens doors and assists you in doing things you previously could not do, or things you struggled with so just avoided, the longer you and your dog train, the more opportunities there should be for exposure because you start breaking out of your routine and feeling comfortable. Sticking to the same routine over and over will only mean you have just desensitized your dog to those locations.


Another part of the test is how the dog handles strangers. This doesn't just mean they are ignoring them, but what happens when strangers actively engage with the dog, this includes being pet, hugged, rubbed down and picked up. Even meeting different age groups, ethnicities, and disabilities is looked at, many times these assessments are done subtly and locations are picked where a wide variety of people congregate. Human interaction is definitely something lacking in most self-train dogs, it takes a lot of effort and courage to ask a stranger to help test your dog, and most people become defensive and upset when someone randomly pets their dog, while it is inappropriate, your reaction to it may cause more harm than the actual petting.


Exposure to other dogs and animals is key. There is nothing that makes a service dog worse than reacting to another service animal that is not doing anything. A lot of times this means intentionally working around other dogs, in parks, pet stores and enrolling in puppy classes, just to teach your dog to focus and respond to you with other dogs present.