Mobility service dogs provide incredible benefits to their handlers. For individuals who struggle with movement, a mobility service dog can be trained to provide balance and support, enabling their handler to live a much-improved quality of life. They can be trained to perform a variety of tasks, from retrieving dropped items or objects from a different room, to turning on light switches and pressing buttons for automatic doors.

We have trained numerous service dogs over the years, and while the fundamentals of socialization and obedience are always important, there are some nuances when it comes to task training a mobility service dog.

Selecting a mobility service dog candidate

When it comes to selecting a candidate for mobility assistance, size really does matter. There is a reason why you don’t see many Yorkshire Terriers, King Charles Cavalier Spaniels or other toy breeds providing help as a mobility service dog. They are simply not big enough to reach anything more than a couple of feet off the ground, and not strong enough to absorb some of the pressure that is inevitable in their role. Mobility service dog breeds are typically medium-to-large sized breeds.

Aside from their size, an assessment should also be carried out on the dog’s temperament and suitability. Service dogs must be well-mannered and calm when out in public, and be able to respond swiftly to their handler’s commands. Having direct contact with the breeder of the puppy can be advantageous as the behavior of the parents can give you an indication as to how the service dog candidate may behave.

Training a mobility service dog

There are three major areas a mobility service dog needs to be trained in to assist their handler – both at home and out in public. Even from a young age, it is incredibly important to keep in mind the end goal for the dog. Mobility service dog candidates can begin training from as early as eight weeks to ensure the puppy reaches its full potential.

Socialization

Socialization is an area that is incredibly important for puppies, and is often the biggest defining factor for whether a dog is cut out for service work or not.

From a young age, dogs need to be exposed to lots of different environments, sounds and people to be comfortable anywhere. All service dogs need to be environmentally sound – meaning they will not be spooked while working. This is very important, because a nervous dog may not be able to focus on doing their job. Also, a dog trying to flee from a situation could knock their handler down, especially if their handler already has a hard time with mobility.

Enough environmental exposure will also allow the dog to perform their complex tasks in some very distracting environments, because they will be used to chaotic surroundings. Dogs that are not exposed to different environments may either be fearful or over-stimulated when in public, and not be able to perform the obedience or tasks needed.

mobility service dog in training

Obedience

Another aspect of training a mobility service dog is obedience. Really solid obedience – both on and off-leash – is crucial for their success.

This is important for both public access situations to ensure the dog is under control, as well as making sure they are easy for a handler without full mobility to manage. Not only will the dog need to learn obedience commands like come, heel, down, sit and stay, but they may also need specific commands to line up so their handler can put their vest on them. Service dog trainers start off by using baiting and luring methods. When baiting, a trainer will hold a treat in front of the puppy and allow the puppy to try and take the treat while moving the food, so the puppy will follow their hand and move into the position. Once the puppy understands the positions that will get them their reward, the trainer will start to add commands. Once the puppy fully understands the command and criteria with them to get food, corrective collars can be implemented to help guide the puppy when confused or distracted.

With consistency and generalization, the puppy will learn to have very reliable obedience in any environment.

Tasks

Mobility service dogs are dogs trained to perform specific tasks to assist a handler with mobility, typically in a wheelchair. When training a dog for mobility, it is incredibly important to think of the long-term tasks of the service dog so a proper training plan can be made. There are different puppy behaviors that will need to be allowed at first, to enable the dog to perform tasks later. For example, behaviors like picking up random items should not be corrected, so that teaching item retrieval later will not be conflicting.

The puppy will also need to jump up to turn on light switches, so it is important to not over-correct jumping so that they will be comfortable testing the behavior later. It is vital to always keep in mind the behaviors a puppy will need in the long run for their job.

Most of the time, puppies will start learning the clicker as a marker, before using it to shape complicated behaviors or tasks. The clicker will be used to let the puppy know when food is on the way, and when used properly, will allow the puppy to test behaviors to see what leads to food. By clicking when the puppy performs the behavior close to the trainer’s expectation, the puppy can be guided to do very complicated tasks by slowly increasing the criteria for what needs to be accomplished before getting food.

In conclusion

Aside from the practical considerations for training a mobility service dog, it also requires the trainer to demonstrate specific qualities. Training a mobility service dog takes consistency and time. It is essential to exercise patience throughout the process.

With a proper training plan, puppies can be raised to be fantastic mobility service dogs with plenty of socialization, obedience training, and learning the required tasks to assist their handler.


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