Ways of obtaining a service dog
From Service Dog Training
This is a brief overview of the ways of obtaining a service dog and a few of things you should consider about each when deciding which route to go for a service dog.
There are three general ways of getting a service dog. The most commonly known way is by going through a service dog training organization. The organization selects and trains a dog to meet the needs of the people they have accepted into their program. This can take anywhere from 6 months to 5 years depending on the size of the waiting list and the methods of the organization. The recipient of the dog then trains with the dog for 2-4 weeks either at the organization's training center or with a trainer in their own home. The training organization sometimes retains ownership of the dog until they believe the partnership is working well, or until the dog is retired from duty. The training organization usually provides ongoing support and training to the team for the duration of the dog's working life, and many times can find a home for the dog after its retirement if necessary. Some organizations also have funds available to assist with veterinary care or medical emergencies with the dog.
Generally these organizations are funded by donations and/or corporate sponsors and provide the dog to the handler at little or no cost to the handler. Often there will be a small fee charged for ownership of the dog, or an equipment fee that is a fraction of the cost of the dog and all the associated training. These fees can range from $50-$2,000 and are generally non-refundable if the dog does not work out. Some organizations require potential recipients to fund raise the cost of the dog and training. Since this money is usually considered a donation, the organization usually will not refund the money in the case of a bad match or a problematic dog.
Another option that is rapidly growing in popularity is owner training. In this type of training, the person that will be using the dog selects and trains their own dog. This option gives full control to the handler to find the dog they feel is best for them. Depending on the skill of the trainer and the aptitude and age of the dog, this can take anywhere from 6 months to three years. The success of this style of training depends largely on the training ability of the handler and the handler's ability to select an appropriate dog. The primary benefit of this way of getting a service dog is the large amount of control the handler has over the training process. If an exceptional dog is selected and trained by a competent owner/trainer the wait can also be shorter. The pitfalls of this type of training are many and covered in more depth in the next article, Before you decide. However, this type of training appeals to several groups of people; those who have the skill and the time to train their own dog, those who cannot find an organization that trains dogs to meet their particular needs and those who dislike the charity model of many service dog training organizations.
The third option available to someone wanting a service dog is to use a combination of the two and work in conjunction with a private trainer or a program for owner trainers. These programs provide the benefit of working with an experienced dog trainer or program while still allowing the handler greater involvement in the process. Working one-on-one with a private trainer generally begins with group obedience classes, then private training sessions to work on refining obedience, public access training and task training. The downside of this is how expensive this can become. A group obedience class can cost $40-$100 for a six week session, and several are usually required. One-on-one training can cost $50-$100 an hour, and the number of sessions required varies greatly from team to team.
There are also owner-training programs that are generally group classes that teach service dog handlers how to train their own dogs. Some programs may also provide assistance in selecting a dog. These programs usually have group classes once or twice a week to work on obedience, public access behaviors and task training. There is almost always some form of public access testing at the end of the course of study to graduate from the program. The main drawback to these programs is the necessity of living within reasonable traveling distance of the program's activities. Right now these programs are few and far between, however more are starting on a regular basis. Probably the best known program currently is Top Dog in Tucson, AZ. Some of these programs also offer testing services to owner trained dogs that are not part of their program.
