# Service Dogs.



## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

What would be the best breeds for a service dog?

Is it better to get them as a puppy? Small breeds or large breeds?
Can a rescue that is older be trained to be a service dog? Or should it be young.


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## blenderpie (Sep 10, 2009)

Are you talking about a service dog (seeing eye dog, hearing dog, etc) or a therapy dog?

Seeing as you just adopted an adorable baby, I'm going to assume the latter. Therapy dogs can be any breed and any age to my knowledge. In fact, a lot of them are rescues. They do have to pass a series of temperament and obedience tests in order to get certification. Which contains basic obedience (sit, stay, down, leave it, etc) and tests that see how they react to crowds, loud noises, strange dogs, strangers approaching them, and hospital gear (IVs, Walkers, etc). 

Your best bet is to google "therapy dogs + your state" and a list of what you need as far as vaccinations and such as well as list places where the training and certification are available. Sometimes churches will have connections if they do community work in hospitals or nursing homes (our friend got her dog certified this way.)


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

I meant for a Real Personal service dog. 
I have Epilepsy.


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## Zhaneel (Sep 1, 2010)

Labradors/Golden Retrievers tend to be popular service dogs, though they are by no means the only breed used as service dogs. It really depends on the dog itself - some dogs are perfectly suited to it, where others are too nervous or not alert enough.


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

I have to do more research, but since it's been recommended that I get a service dog I will look into all options.

I have seen people with poodles, german shepherds, border collies and mastiffs so i am sure any well behaved dogs could be trained to be a service dog as long as it is a good candidate for training.

I WOULD make my Chihuahua a service dog with professional training, but he has a collapsed trachea and snorts and wheezes constantly (don't worry it has been thoroughly checked out by a vet) and I was told that a loud snorting dog is no good if i wanna do something where it's required I be quiet like church or a movie.


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## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

Any breed can be a service dog, but not all dogs have the right temperament/frame of mind to do so. They can start training at any age, but obviously conditioning them from a young age is always best. What exactly would the dog be expected to do.. if you don't mind me asking? St Johns Ambulance is prob one of the leading therapy dog training companies... you could contact them maybe for more info.

As for making loud snorts.. what was the vets conclusion? Reverse sneezes?


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

Vet said the loud snorting that makes it hard for him to breathe when we have to intervene is caused by a damaged trachea probably due to his last owners rough handling him on a collar. It's not really fixable. When he does it we place our fingers over his nostrils and he is forced to breathe through his mouth and it re-inflates his trachea.

The snorty wheezing that he does ALL the time, it's just how he sniffs is caused by an 'over extended pallet' the vet says. She says it's not an issue now. but if in the future his breathing becomes to compromised we can take him for a surgery to fix it.
Apparently it's common in poorly bred chihuahuas.

He also has a 'knee fluxation' at least that's what I think it was called. The tendons in his left hind leg are to short so when his leg is fully extended the knee is slightly pulled out of place. Homie has grown to deal with it painlessly and just does not use that leg when walking. That's another thing that if in the future he becomes arthritic or in pain from it we can have fixed surgically.


I am not fully sure myself what this dog has to do, but I am talking to my doctor more about it when I see him as we barely touched base on it.
What I will do if and when I decide to pick a dog is hire a trainer to help me pick a dog that will work for what I need and one that I will get along well in my home.


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## sonoma (May 26, 2007)

You’re in the US, right? You can owner-train here in the US (although some states don‘t give handlers with ‘in training‘ dogs access rights,) but not in Canada.


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

I am in the US yeah, I planned on training myself for the easy stuff like obedience and socialization. But for the complicated stuff I would hire a professional train.er


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## lml8787 (Apr 16, 2010)

doberman pinschers are also a popular therapy/service dog breed....i have a soft spot for dobermans as i grew up with them. they were also used as the prominent WW2 military dogs as well as german shepherds. i've grown up with both along with many other dog breeds, and as a professional dog groomer i encounter many many different breeds all the time and their breed related characteristics/dispositions. still dobermans and german shepherds are by far my favorites personality and temperment wise. very easily trained and smart dogs.


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## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

I'm in Canada and I had no issues getting a therapy jacket, passport, badge etc for the dogs I trained that allowed me in public places etc. And I am not a qualified trainer.

Are you thinking about training your Chihuahua to be the service dog? or getting another/new dog?


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## sonoma (May 26, 2007)

ema-leigh said:


> I'm in Canada and I had no issues getting a therapy jacket, passport, badge etc for the dogs I trained that allowed me in public places etc. And I am not a qualified trainer.



Um, not to go totally off topic- but I’m pretty sure that in British Columbia (where you say you are) unless you get a dog from a government approved school or trainer you don’t legally have access rights and your dog is not considered a service dog. I know of a Canadian service dog owner that I can email for clarification, but I’m 99% sure you can not owner train a service dog and expect public access rights in BC, and the other Canadian provinces have similar laws. 

Perhaps you meant a therapy dog? 

BTW there are lots of places that sell vests/patches/badges/papers that don’t carry any legal weight.


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

I think she lives in Kelowna. Idk if that is in BC I am not Canadian.


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

yes, it is.


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

OH xD
Well then. shows how much I know about Canada geography


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## SiNi5T3R (Nov 5, 2010)

It would be SO cool to have a service dog even if you did not need it. I seen someone selling this vest on craigslist that said "Working Dog, Do not Pet", it looked all police style. Was super cool looking. I seen this movie about this little girl that had cancer and she had to do stuff in a court and her lawyer would have seasures so he had a service dog and it could tell when he was about to have seasures and it would start flippin out and barking and stuff to let him know...was a sad movie. 

I see shepherds alot for service dogs.


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