When you imagine a service dog, you probably think of a dog (likely a golden retriever or lab) that has been through a training program from a young age to prepare for its job of working with a disabled handler (maybe a vision-impaired individual). While getting a service dog through a program is one way to do it, there are other valid ways to acquire a service dog.
Program Training
As mentioned above, program training is one popular method of acquiring a service dog. Dogs in these programs train from a young age to be able to act calmly in public and perform certain tasks. There is typically a period where they bond with their potential handler and learn specifically how to help them. The benefit of such programs is that the handler has to expend minimal effort to train the dog (although regular training is still required to keep the dog's mind sharp). The dog is taken care of in its early years until it is not only housebroken but also able to mitigate the handler's disability. The drawback is the cost, as these dogs can amount to around $20,000.00.
Handler-Training
Mainly due to the cost of a program-trained dog, many handlers have been recently opting to train their own service dogs. This is a perfectly legal and valid option for those who do not have the money to spend on a program dog. Handler-training allows more time to bond with the dog during its earlier life stages. The drawback to this method is that it takes a lot of time and energy to train a dog by yourself, which can be difficult especially when you are already dealing with a disability. Some individuals opt for a middle-ground and hire a professional behaviorist to aid in dog training Miami FL to assist them.
Service dogs are a huge commitment no matter what route you choose. It is important to make sure that the method you pick is going to be beneficial for both you and your new best friend.
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