Starting with the wrong dog
Fearful, reactive or high-prey-drive dogs rarely succeed, no matter how loved.
Stage by stage
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1. Decide whether a service dog fits
Talk with your health care providers about whether a service dog could help and what tasks would matter. Consider the realities: cost, care, public scrutiny and a 10+ year commitment.
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2. Choose a candidate
Look for stable temperament, social confidence, trainability and sound health. Many candidates don't complete training, so plan for that possibility. See owner-trained vs. program-trained dogs.
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3. Build the foundation
Name response, sit/down/stay, loose-leash walking, settle on a mat, recall, handling tolerance and impulse control.
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4. Socialize carefully
Gradual, positive exposure to people, surfaces, noises and environments, never flooding the dog.
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5. Teach disability-related tasks
Break each task into small steps, mark and reward, then proof across places and distractions. See task examples.
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6. Public access
Short, successful outings, building up to restaurants, stores and transit. See the public access checklist.
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7. Evaluate and maintain
Periodically test the team, ideally with an independent evaluator, and keep proofing. Training never fully ends.
When to hire help
- Before you start: a temperament evaluation of your candidate
- When you're stuck on a behavior or task
- For public access practice with a coach watching
- Before your first long outings or travel
Ready to look? Read the trainer hiring guide, or request a free referral below.
Common pitfalls
Rushing public access
A dog who fails in public can lose confidence. Go slowly.
Skipping task proofing
Tasks must work when you're tired, stressed or distracted.
Going it alone
Isolation makes it harder to notice problems early.
Need a hand?
Request a free service dog trainer referral.
Tell us about you and your dog. If you'd like, we'll pass your request to independent trainers and programs serving the Lehigh Valley who may be able to help. It's free, and there's no obligation to hire anyone.
- Free to request, no obligation
- Independent trainers, not affiliated with this site
- Covers owner-training coaching, public access and task training
- We never charge you for a referral