Service dog in training, Winston, just completed a weekend training trip to Boston with our Lead Trainer Renee Moore and Assistant Lead Trainer Rhonda Stuhrenberg. It was a classic planes, trains and automobile trip to test whether he had the patience and skills to work in an unfamiliar, chaotic public place.
He passed with flying colors.
Why do we do this? When we revamped our training program three years ago, we needed a final test – one that proved what we thought we knew was true – a service dog in training was prepared to serve a veteran without contributing to the fears, anxieties and PTSD symptoms he or she might have. A successful Puppy Jake service dog has to remain focused on the veteran, and not on the smells and pace of a big city. This means the dog stays connected with their veteran and does not seek the attention of a stranger’s outstretched hand that wants to pet the cute dog. The dog must settle at the feet of the veteran in the close confines of an airplane seat. There cannot be any startling when something unfamiliar happens. Discarded food in the street cannot be a distraction.
The pictures show a fun trip because it was, but each activity serves a purpose. During this trip, Winston and the trainers experienced:
- A Hotel near the airport with opportunities to take a trip on public transportation to points across the city including the Kennedy Library.
- Restaurants and food establishments that had lots of people and activities.
- The Duck Boat tour which combined close quarters and a boat trip.
- The Freedom trail tour, which was conducted by tour guides in period costumes. We’ve had more than one service dog in training do a double take in the past.
The only Puppy Jake service dogs in training eligible for this trip are Phase 4 dogs. They have passed the Canine Good Citizen (CGC), which is the acknowledged industry standard for a dog that has appropriate social skills and strong obedience skills. In addition, Phase 4 dogs have also passed at least one public access test administered by an independent evaluator. In all, the dogs have completed more than a year’s worth of training in obedience and skills – skills they can produce on cue. For all intents and purposes, they are a service dog that hasn’t been matched with their veteran.
The timing of this trip is intentional. For the most part, the dog has moved out of adolescence, which means they now have the maturity to work for considerable lengths of time. It also means most of the quirks have been discovered and addressed. The trip is a pressure test, but one we aren’t willing to apply if we aren’t all but certain the dog will pass. However, if we’re wrong, we still have time to make corrections. Thankfully, we haven’t been wrong.
Winston will soon be matched with his veteran, who has been chosen from our pool of approved applications. There will be more than one introduction made to ensure the right match occurs, but trust us when it happens it’s magic. We’ll talk about that more later.
A final note: the plane trip. In the past, we’ve had questions raised about how we can fly with a service dog in training when the Air Carriers Act guarantees only service dogs (not service dogs in training) may be transported. The answer is simply communication with each airline when booking a trip. Our CEO communicates directly with the airlines and explains the purpose of the trip. We complete the appropriate paperwork well in advance and confirm we can travel with a service dog in training. When asked, we provide the results of the public access test. As it is detailed in the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Air Carriers Act allows airlines to remove disruptive service dogs. Ultimately, we do not ask our handlers to tell anything less than truth: this is a service dog in training on a final evaluation before being matched.
Training trips are critical to the finishing touches necessary for completing a Puppy Jake service dog’s training. It is our way of guaranteeing the service dog in training will have his veteran’s six.
