How to Turn Dinnertime into Service Dog Training Time
Training a service dog can be a challenging experience. But, with the right techniques, training your furry companion to become a service dog can be a fun and rewarding experience. Dinnertime is a great opportunity to teach your service dog a variety of skills that they need to learn. By turning dinnertime into training time, you can help your dog learn important skills such as feeding behaviors, scent work, and impulse control. In this blog post, we will discuss tips and techniques for making dinnertime the perfect training time for your service dog.
1. Start with basic obedience.
Before you can teach your service dog more advanced skills/commands, you need to make sure that they have mastered basic obedience skills. This includes commands like sit, stay, come, and heel. During dinnertime, be sure to practice these basics with your dog by giving them commands like "sit" or "stay" before you set down their food bowl. This will not only reinforce their obedience skills but also give them a sense of calm before mealtime.
2. Teach them feeding behaviors.
Service dogs need to be able to eat calmly and politely in a variety of different situations. This includes being able to eat in public places without causing a disturbance. Reinforcing feeding behaviors during dinnertime can help your dog become more comfortable in these types of situations. One technique is, to begin with, having your dog sit and stay before you put the food down. Once the food is down, block access to the food bowl until your dog is calm and have your dog wait for permission to eat.
3. Scent work.
Service dogs often utilize their sense of smell in their work. For example, dogs that are trained to detect seizures or alert to low glucose levels in those with diabetes use their sense of smell to do so. Dinnertime is the perfect opportunity to hone these scent skills. Try hiding treats around the room, and have your dog use their nose to find them before being rewarded with a meal.
4. Impulse control.
Service dogs must have excellent impulse control. Restaurant, movie theatres and other public places can often be very distracting. Help your dog learn how to stay focused by practicing impulse control at meal times. For instance, hold back on giving your dog permission to eat until he stares at you or his food bowl for a few seconds.
5. Keep it short and sweet.
It is crucial to remember that your dog has a small attention span. Don't try to do too much training or obedience work with your dog all at once- keep it between one to five minutes of training exercises. This will help your dog stay engaged and avoid getting bored.
Conclusion
Dinnertime can be an excellent opportunity to train your service dog. Your dog must be taught basic obedience skills, feeding behavior, scent work, and impulse control so that they will be better able to excel in their role. It is essential to start early and keep the training sessions short and sweet so that your dog does not get overwhelmed. With a consistent training routine and a little patience, you'll be amazed at what you and your service dog can accomplish together. If you need more information on service dogs or service dog training in Orlando, FL, contact Canine Linguistics today.