# People training their own service dogs? thoughts?

Category: Animal House

## Post 1 by Skyla (move over school!) on Saturday, 07-Feb-2009 23:53:20

I didn't know this until recently, but apparently in the US, people can train their own service dogs, and then eventually purchase a service dog harness so that the dog has the same public access rights as all other working dogs. I know of a girl who suffers from fibromialgia and she has a pet dog that she believes is suitable to do service work for her. She purchased some instructional DVD's on training one's own pet dog to become a service dog.
What I find most disturbing about this is that apparently there exists no standardized testing in order for a service dog to qualify as one. When the owner thinks the dog is ready, the dog just "becomes" a service dog. Apparently the lack of standardization was aimed at providing the person with the disability maximum rights, but that doesn't rest well with me. When I see service dogs in public, I'd really like to be assured that they've been certified through a school or organization, or at the very least a professional trainer and not just some random person who wanted to bring their dog everywhere they went. Of course, many people who train their dogs are legitimately in need, but this bit of legislation begs to be abused, if you ask me. Thoughts?
Hmmm, I should look up similar laws in canada; something tells me that that wouldn't fly here, though I could be wrong.

## Post 2 by SunshineAndRain (I'm happily married, a mom of two and a fulltime college student.) on Sunday, 08-Feb-2009 0:26:51

Never heard of it. But I could see some ex-druggie coming out with their Rot-Weiler/Pitbull mix "trained" to help himwith his "panic attacks" but really they're his "drug trips." The thing would bite and attack anyone who it didn't like. Great! Just great!

## Post 3 by Shadow_Cat (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Sunday, 08-Feb-2009 4:48:28

I only know one person who has trained her own guide dog, and thank God she was qualified to do so, and the dog is well-behaved. It's not something I would recommend for most people. that's why we have the guide dog schools, and people who specialize in this kind of thing.

## Post 4 by Big Pawed Bear (letting his paws be his guide.) on Sunday, 08-Feb-2009 5:03:37

this legislation frightens me. it takes disabled rights to a frightening level. so, do we allow people to learn to drive from dvd's? no. there's a good reason for this. i think this is a dreadful law.

## Post 5 by Daenerys Targaryen (Enjoying Life) on Sunday, 08-Feb-2009 5:16:33

I know of a girl who is both deaf and blind and has trained her service dogs and they're great dogs who really do help her. I thought about doing that myself.

## Post 6 by Skyla (move over school!) on Sunday, 08-Feb-2009 14:34:53

Post 2, that's exactly the type of situation that I thought of. There's a reason why this kind of stuff should be standardized.
Post 4, I have also heard of people who have trained their own guide dogs, but from what I know, they work with a professional trainer and don't just wake up one day and grab fido and a stick and begin the training process of their own accord.

## Post 7 by Skyla (move over school!) on Sunday, 08-Feb-2009 14:37:31

sorry, that wasn't aimed at you, codiac bear. I meant to type post 5, not post 4.

## Post 8 by Harmony (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Sunday, 08-Feb-2009 15:37:35

I've never heard of that law here in the UK, but if people are going to be allowed to do this, surely there needs to be a standard set of rules to follow?

## Post 9 by Reyami (I've broken five thousand! any more awards going?) on Monday, 09-Feb-2009 1:16:08

It takes a lot of time, commitment, and patience on the handler's part to train his or her own service dog. Post one, I agree that I'd feel comfortable knowing that someone's dog was trained by a reputable organization or school.

## Post 10 by Nicky (And I aprove this message.) on Monday, 09-Feb-2009 1:22:08

If i ever got a dog I would rather have it traned by the people payed to do so. I know i wouldn't do it right.

## Post 11 by Big Pawed Bear (letting his paws be his guide.) on Monday, 09-Feb-2009 6:20:13

i don't think the UK would allow disabled people to train their own dogs. we can't even get true equality in jobs yet.

## Post 12 by Skyla (move over school!) on Monday, 09-Feb-2009 18:23:55

Well, thankfully, this law (or lack there of) is only aplicable in the US, and not in canada and the UK. But even still, I wish it wasn't the case in the US either.

## Post 13 by Shadow_Cat (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Tuesday, 10-Feb-2009 6:46:05

Codiac, we can't get true equality in jobs over here, either, no matter that we have the ADA.

## Post 14 by SunshineAndRain (I'm happily married, a mom of two and a fulltime college student.) on Tuesday, 10-Feb-2009 21:29:01

It's kinda scary you can't get true equality in jobs here, but you can sure get your Pit Bull out and train them to bite and attack your enemies if they steal your cane or tease you. I could just see some scrawny immature little high-school blind guy doing this. Yeah, maybe I'm being a bit extreme, but come on, don't they realise how stupid disabled people can be? Like somebody earlier was saying, thay don't and shouldn't let sighted drivers drive around with no license, do they? What is America coming to?