Program trained dogs are still dogs. The sd you met today has likely been working for a lot longer and is more mature than your dog in addition to their professional training. But they likely still have quirks that you didn’t see, because no dog is perfect.
I have an ADI trained program dog. She’s fantastic, but she’ll never have the tight attention heel of a gsd and her head sometimes turns towards a dropped treat. Every single dog in our team training cohort had their own strengths and quirks. IMO, the mark of a successful team is not perfection, but the ability to recover from mistakes.
Not only might her dog be more mature and experienced due to years of work, but different breeds calm down and settle into adulthood at different ages.
I've heard golden retrievers have an especially long "puppyhood," in terms of when they settle down. Your dog's excitement could be in his/her genes, too--you obviously can't train out temperament. Additionally, you have to consider whether your dog was bred in a puppy raising program, like hers surely was. Did you adopt your pup?
Try a small Münsterländer x English springer spaniel crossbreed their's "puppyhood" last up to the age off 3. I did read about them having a very long "puppyhood" but was still amazed that it took 2.5 years with my oldest. The youngest will be 3 next month, and the oldest one refused to play with him until a couple of months ago. It is so much fun to see them playing ar last. Both are not SD. I see very few SD here in the Netherlands. Most are used as guidedog for people with impared vision. I have seen 1 ASS SD, and that is it.
Just remember that program-trained dogs, by ADI orgs at least, were likely specifically bred through multiple generations for service work, specifically selected from each litter, specifically trained by experienced professionals and assessed by other experienced professionals, and specifically matched to their handler. They are, for the most part, like that because they had everything going for them, and only the "best" really made it through to the client (because of, IMO, a customer service thing and an image thing, on top of them wanting to have really well-trained dogs). It's like comparing apples to oranges.
My dog has had great days like that, and she's had not so great days where she tried to eat some crumbs off the floor at a food court. I would be willing to bet my left kidney that, at some point, that dog had off days where someone incorrectly assumed it was an illegitimate service dog.
If your dog is task-trained for your disability, it is a real service dog. If it can task well when you need it, in public or otherwise, then it doesn't need to be a perfect robot. If it is generally well-behaved, non-disruptive, and unobtrusive, you guys are miles ahead of the average dog and owner in the US.
Honestly, I'm of the opinion that not all service dogs need to be held to that standard. I actually prefer that my dog not watch me 24/7 and hold a tight heel all the time, because the few times that I've asked that of her for certain outings, she's been throughly exhausted by the end of the day, and I'm worried I'll burn her out. As long as your dog is under your control and you're aware of the times that you need to keep him under control, you're totally fine.
Edited to fix typos.
Another thing to add to your first paragraph is that most programs still have a very high wash rate and will only pass about 30 to 50% of the dogs at most to be service dogs. Some programs, particularly those that tend to start with rescues or dogs not bred for it, half as high as a 90% wash rate.
In an ideal world, all service dogs would at least be capable of that level of sustained obedience and focus. But most people don't have the time or the money to spend on that level of training and on selecting and breeding dogs only to have such a high risk of the dog washing and having to start again.
I totally agree! I do wonder though how they get that level of focus and how they teach certain things. It would really help if some of those organizations shared some of their training knowledge for owner trainers. It’s a shame access to that kind of information is so siloed
Oh man I would love to see how they train those dogs. Not even necessarily for training my own dog. Just because I find dog training itself so interesting. But I do understand why a private company would keep its training under wraps.
This type of training isn’t unique to service dog programs. Lots of obedience, and literally ring sport dogs are trained to do this. Ring sports in particular, are expected to have a tight, flashy heel through insane distractions for extended periods of time. There is a lot available “out there” for how to train it, but one of the biggest, and frequently overlooked, things is that the engagement is built FIRST. If you have a dog that’s making eye contact as the first thing it learns, shaping and cleaning up the heel is much much easier than trying to teach a tight heel and then teach the focus. Many, now even most, of these dogs are started as puppies with R+ techniques, but as they mature trainers do use aversives to proof. Breed and personality matter a lot too. As with other pieces, if you breed FOR engagement it comes much more naturally. Plus, service dogs tend to be bred with lower dives, because that makes their day-to-day easier but a high drive dog is easier to keep motivated with extended focus. It’s a trade off.
When I got my first pet dog 16 years ago, my dad taught me to teach them the "look at me" command first bc if you don't have the dogs eyes, you don't have their ears. Which definitely isn't completely true, but it's a good analogy to teaching engagement first. He didn't have any service dog experience, he bred and showed Rottweilers when he was younger and trained our family pit bull and helped me train my first dog. It really helped a lot though, teaching engagement right off the bat.
so i can’t reference a specific course but i highly recommend checking out dunbar academy. i remember one i watched about how to keep that rapt attention and it was so absolutely obvious but something we’re not necessarily taught in training.
here’s what i remember: if you want your dog to be at attention, you have to expose them to a bunch of scenarios where they might get distracted - but only after they’re good at attention already with no distractions.
details i remember: do it at home, for 1 sec, 3, 5, 8, 10, 15, 25, whatever they can get to for the day. next day up that, see if you can get to a minute. i use the command “watch” for this training but you can use whatever. then take the next step which might be just outside your house on your porch and do the exact same thing. maybe see if you can get to 1.5 min. and then take it to the sidewalk in front of your house. then down the street. then on the sidewalk in front of the park when it’s not busy. and on and on until it’s full chaos and that’s where you’re training him. it’s literally just tiny piece by piece.
he explains it so much better but that’s the gist of it. idk if that helps but just wanted to share what i knew of it!
i’m glad to read that you also think about burnout because i feel the same way. mine is owner trained and basically exactly what op described and he loves having a job to do because he’s a chow mix. but i can tell that he’s also trying to figure out the balance of attention to me vs taking care of himself too. he’s really good at it but at the end of the day it’s exhausting to him to do that all day long. his trainer even recommends paying attention to his social battery. i don’t want him to wear himself out every day and have rapt attention like that because i want him to actually continue enjoying his work. that’s a situation that benefits both of us, so why wouldn’t i want to maintain that?
I’m sorry your day was so rough, OP.
Try not to compare your SD to other SD’s. You and your trainer are exactly right. They’re *not* robots. Sometimes orgs end up with *excellent* pairings in their breeding programs, where 80%+ of the sire/dam’s puppies go on to be successful SD’s. That ADI org dog was having a great day, and they have been bred for generations to have that kind of temperament, and they were likely raised either by a puppy raised that had weekly group meeting with one of the org’s trainers, or by an inmate who has nothing *but* time to devote to the dog every minute of the day.
And they usually spend their last several months back at the facility working with a professional trainer that finishes up their task training *every single day*. Any dog that isn’t up to their standards is adopted out as a pet, or as an at-home SD. And it sounds like this handler is a very good client who keeps up the dog’s training.
It does no good to compare your dog to one that was literally bred for service, when the org only graduates the absolute cream of the crop.
Your dog is task trained, they refocus on you on command, and they have a good heel. Your dog *is* a SD. You *are* a handler. Your trainer is right in that you *are a good team*. Try not to worry about not being “literally absolutely perfect”, okay? None of us are.
That ADI org dog definitely has off days too, where *their* handler worries about what other handlers would think of their dog. But you’re doing great. You and your dog are a good team, and the fact that you’re so worried when you’re actually doing so well is a credit to your standards. But try not to worry so much. All SD’s are individuals, and that doesn’t mean that yours isn’t an excellent good boy. :)
I also met a friend of my mom who has a program dog the other day and there are definitely differences. But i try to remember that my dog does all of his stuff with only me as the trainer and once a week private class with a professional trainer for an hour and a half. I cant take my dog to school with me cause they only allow ADI dogs, but she can take him with her all day, so thats also a lot of "training time" i miss out on. The other dog is trained to perfection by multiple professionals for at least a year and a half before even meeting the handler.
Its like comparing the veg from your backyard garden to something you find in the supermarket. You can either feel bad about the fact that yours is wonky and a little but smaller than the supermarket one, or you can be proud of your accomplishment and see that that wonky lil carrot is perfect to feed one person, you.
Not OP, but I love the analogy you included here! I'm mentally putting it in my back pocket the next time I find myself comparing us to others, thank you!
Some things to consider coz I think you’re being way too hard on yourself and your dog.
- there is no requirement for a service dog to do a tight/competition style heel. Its entirely up to handler preference and training program. Neither is worse or better.
- different dogs do the same job in different ways. This is especially true when the dogs you’re comparing are different breeds.
- that dog has a big TEAM of professionals training it probably, of course its going to be ahead of the pack.
- your dog didnt fail and neither did you: you identified a weak spot in the training and sounds like you’ll work on that.
It sounds like you’ve reached the end of your trainers professional capacity, and need to seek someone else to tighten things up.
You don’t want your dog approaching other dogs but all the other stuff doesn’t matter unless it specifically matters to you for your disability. Do you need your dog to stare you in the face while he walks?
IGDF service dog handler here:
After seeing first hand how my program cherry picks the dogs they train in the programs, I can re-assure you:
Your dog is doing great!
With the litter of my dog I saw a dog that was dropped out of the program because he had frequent “off-days”. I’d prefer my dog being comfortable with having a slightly off day than being a robot. But the compulsion training those dogs receive is impressive. They’re not allowed to take anything food from the ground (my dog is that way too) which is for their safety. Your dog wanting to greet is absolutely okay, my dog’s ears perk up when she sees another dog she wants to meet. However I do not encourage or sanction this like I was instructed to do.
A lot of the program dogs are balance trained and that’s why they’re like robots.
Fwiw, I appreciate whe a sd isn't the most completely tightly controlled. I know this may be controversial -- to be clear, I do think the dog needs to meet cgc and adi public access standards... But also, when the dog is in SUCH a tight heel CONSTANTLY, or they NEVER break eye contact even for a second, it feels a little too rigid for my comfort. My dog meets standards, but if she's not in the world's tightest heel constantly, or if she looks at the source of a sound for a second, I feel that let's her keep in touch with herself while she's working for me. Just my own feelings ❤️🩹
There's a reason why a "complete" service dog comes with such a high price tag or long wait.
Carefully, purposefully-bred fab breed, pre-screened for potential to wash with years of 24/7 training.
Owner training to the standards of a program dog simply isn't feasible. It's sad that people who don't live with either of you and haven't seen your training or task are so ready to judge you. Do not help them with that.
You also only spent one day with this person. You didn't get to see their earlier years, off days or moments of weakness. I guarantee you they've had them.
Does your dog do tasks to support your disability? Then your dog is a service dog. Is your dog capable of remaining under your control in public without causing disruption? Then you have the right to public access with him. You're not an imposter and your dog isn't fake.
I don't know that I would take your trainer's word that he's "as good as he can get", it's not *ideal* for him to try to initiate greeting other dogs while working and such, and is a thing that can you can continue train around, but as long as you can always redirect him without issue he's not suddenly considered out of control over it. For me, the concern with him wanting to greet another SD but being redirected immediately without distracting the other SD is less of an issue - I would be concerned for *you and your dog* if, say, someone was actually out with a fake SD who is dog reactive and reacted badly to your dog wanting to initiate a hello or staring at them.
Working dogs of every type are going to vary in how 'perfect' they are, because of a combination of genetics, breeding, training, socialization, individual personality, etc. I used to farmsit for someone who had two border collies. One was the sharpest dog I've ever met and could go fetch the horses every night himself with no direction, bring them into their night paddock, and would literally double-check the group to make sure he had them all. He was able to realize without looking back into the field if a horse was missing and he would go back himself and herd them in. The other one... she was still young and learning but she thought she needed to herd ducks for me (where? she didn't know either) when I was feeding them, lmao. They were both herding dogs, and they were both bred and trained/in-training for it, but they were two very different dogs and in different stages of training and from different family lines.
My owner assisted service dog can resemble anything from a stellar program dog to an off-duty TSA detection nutcase depending on the day, so I relate to a lot of this.
Something to keep in mind, sustained eye contact can be a task for some teams. You might have not been seeing "perfect obedience" so much as an ongoing task. While that's still fancy and impressive, it's not necessarily fair to you to compare your SD's OB to another SD's task behavior. Something else that really helped me with what you're struggling with is when I processed that, even if I got a "perfect" program dog, I would probably technically gradually "downgrade" how the dog "looks" to others while working in public, based on how I personally want my dog to work with and assist me.
On top of there being a million different training standards, the behavior we see in different dogs also comes down to handling standards. I love my dog defaulting to swinging out to face me in heel unless I ask for a tight heel. I love playing with my dog while we walk around, complete with little hops of happiness. I love that my dog switches between eye contact and environmental awareness. These things help my disabilities... On top of your service dog not being invalid based on what you've described, you could be like me, where having this high level of obedience would come at the cost of sacrificing other behaviors you need. For example, sustained eye contact (whether OB or task based) could be counterproductive for some handlers who need assistance paying attention to their environments.
Sure, it's potentially possible that your dog could work up to that level of obedience, but it also sounds like it's genuinely not relevant to your situation and would be a misuse of resources. IMO it is just as possible that the dog you saw was originally going to be sent home with the same exact obedience levels as your dog, until that particular handler was assigned and specifically requested higher obedience/task expectations for their own personal disability accommodation purposes.
My first service dog was an owner trained dog, and my second service dog was a program trained dog.
They BOTH have their strengths and their weaknesses.
My first had the tightest heel I've ever seen. My second tended to hang back and try to walk kinda behind me, which meant that he got distracted more. But my second caught the alerts faster and gave me more lead time to prepare. My second will step forward to try to block me from things he considers dangerous (no other arousal, just trying to block) while my first would fall back and get behind me. Both of them would ocassionally lose their minds and try to randomly pick up something they found on the ground; they could have been laying a foot from a french fry for an hour at lunchtime without ever even sniffing in it's direction, but, by god, right now we HAVE to pick up that specific acorn over there, or the world will end!
They're dogs. They are all going to have different strengths and weaknesses. If you look at your dog, and what you're doing is WORKING for you, then that's a good thing. Stay that course! If you see areas to improve on, then work on those! Just because he's 'graduated,' and is doing his job as a service dog doesn't mean that you cannot continue training, continue improving, continue growing as a team! Constant, consistent asks are key. When I wanted my second to work on his heel, it meant I HAD to get on him for every little thing, even when I didn't feel like it! It has to be a concious, 24/7 action.
But the more you ask, the more they'll tend to deliver, especially when you show them how happy it makes you! Really shower them with that love and praise and treats!
My first would get happy and squirmy over just a simple good boy. My second needed to be petted, kissed, and told how good he was. My first loved to have his ears rubbed and the top of his head touched, my second needs his muzzle cupped and caressed and to have a kiss on the forehead.
All dogs are different. Learn how to read YOUR dog best, and connect with him the best. All other training flows from there!
I wouldn’t worry about it because your service dog is for you and nobody else. It doesn’t matter if he was trained by you or by an organization. Any dog that is trained by an organization, doesn’t make it better than your dog because your dog is for you. I would stop comparing myself and other teams because at the end of the day your dog is doing what he or she was trying to do. Don’t be so hard on yourself.
I have encountered many retrievers who might be labelled “obsequious.” That was not a trait I wanted in a dog. I wanted vigilance, a bit of wariness, and a hard-ass demeanor. I got what I wanted and needed in my Belgian shepherd.
It is absolutely natural to feel imposter syndrome. A close friend just retired at the top of his field. He is in his early 60s and still feels an imposter!
Remember that the dog you see in the moment is not necessarily how the dog functions in day-to-day life. All dogs make mistakes. My dog isn’t a perfect SD by any means. She has impeccable recall off leash, is an incredible deterrent, and always has my back. At the end of the day, what is paramount is your relationship with your dog.
Belgian Malinois handler and owner-trainer here! 👋 lol
We rarely see other Belgian Shepherds as service dogs. Our boy is only 8-months-old and we haven't really done any public access training yet. (we DO take him to pet-friendly stores/venues, though.) We've just been working on basic obedience training, and a few basic tasks at this point, and going slow with our training so that we don't burn him out by pushing too much, too soon. 😊
They're an incredible breed if you can handle them, for sure. Just wanted to say hello!
Here's a video of my husband doing some down/stay offleash training recently with our boy.
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMr2kDQqT/
(Our 3½-year-old daughter has a critical congenital heart defect and so eventually we're hoping to train him for cardiac alert, and really got him for her, in the first place. My husband is battling colorectal cancer, is diabetic, has OCD and has an ileostomy...and I'm a chronic pain patient with multiple spinal issues, mobility issues, myofascial pain syndrome, fibromyalgia, and ME/CFS in addition to ADHD. So a lot of his tasking is just retrieving items, hitting handicapped door buttons to open doors, and he does non-contact/non-violent personal protection as well. Like I said, we haven't done too much task training yet, as he's still so young. 🫶 )
Mals are a rarity in service work for good reason. A dog from a reputable breeder will often have too much drive; a dog from a backyard breeder will have an uncertain temperament.
Best unsolicited advice I can offer as an experienced Belgian handler: give him an outlet for his drives (tug work, ball), make sure he has an off switch, and do a lot of impulse control work. Squash any signs of reactivity as he moves into adolescence.
while these dogs should be a shining example to follow and you should strive to achieve the best for you and your SD, there is no strict criteria for how well your SD must act, how tightly they heel, etc. as long as your SD maintains discipline, performs tasks properly, and can always be recalled in an event of a bad day slip up, i believe that you have nothing to worry about. this is something i also stress about regularly so i definitely know how you feel!
1ST and foremost. Comparing yourself to another person when you are two different people with 2 completely different circumstances, is never going to be good for you or your teams relationship.
That being said, if it is a habit, the good thing about compulsion training, with your dog breaking a down stay, is that is something that can be worked on. If you are worried about it take it back to the basics. I’ve no doubt your dog is a fully trained service dog however much like people, when you stop doing the basics you get rusty and cut corners. There’s no reason you can’t have a dog that sharp. Find the time to do the training if it bothers you that much.
Certain dogs need to do certain things. Some require they watch their environment others pay special attention to the handler that’s going to require a different subset of skills. When my dog is interested in something or someone is trying to district him I have him switch positions or practice a head down command. It’s different for every team.
My SD was privately trained, but was bred to be a program dog and would have been raised as a program dog if I didn’t have a connection to get him when I did.
Program dogs are usually bred for a few generations to be working dogs specifically for this reason… they are usually the highest quality working dogs.
That doesn’t make either one of the dogs in your post not a service dog… they’re just on different levels and the program dog probably has so much more training hours under her collar, that’s what she was born to be and has trained to be since the day she was born.
____
If you feel your SD needs more training, that’s always an option you have.
I saw a dog like that at the dog park the other day. Their mom took them around the loop a couple of times. The behavior was so controlled that I think mom was only there to test dog. No idea if it was an SDiT prospect or not.
The heel was so tight that if they'd been my dog, I definitly would have kicked or stepped on them by accident a lot. They were maybe only 10-13 inches tall on all fours but their eyes never left moms head. Honestly, I was more thinking about how they trained to that level and if the dog had neck pain than how much better they were at maintaining the heel than me and my boy.
My SDiT is trained for me. He could never maintain the same level of attention as that dog in the park, but the attention he can do is what I need/want.
I'm owner training as well and I feel a lot of the same feelings, and we are going through a teenager phase. We have lots of embarrassing moments right now, we just roll with it. However, you are doing everything you possibly can to be a good dog parent, trainer, on top of being disabled. It's expensive and sometimes we just don't have the means to purchase all these trainings. But it doesn't make what we've done less worthy or mean that your dog isn't a real service dog. Perfection isn't necessary to get the job done, If they are doing what they were trained to do and you guys are happy I say you did a fantastic job. Honestly from what it sounds like, you did a great job. Don't let anyone make you feel less than for what you and your dog accomplished together.
Why would you want a robot dog? Legally, SDs may be functionally tools; but in interaction, they are dogs - sentient beings with their own unique experience of the world, unless made to be otherwise. Turning them in robots just because you can is something I very much dislike about a lot of SD training organizations. I find it tantamount to animal cruelty, treating the dog so rigidly as a tool.
The ADA doesn't require this level of training. The degree to which you've trained your dog suffices perfectly well. If one needs help with a disability, an SD is a great tool; if one is incapable of recognizing this animal is also their own individual being, not \*just\* a tool, one should probably look into assistance through inanimate objects and not get a dog. If you can't accept them as a dog, then find another option.
If your dog is able to "behave" in public and perform a task while also being allowed to interact with the world in her own unique way, then she's exactly what an SD should be... not an automated assistant to control and dictate to, but a partner to help each other out in this journey of life.
If you saw a kid who was perfectly behaved, unwavering focus on whatever they're told to focus on, fearful of doing anything other than what their parent tells them, etc... you'd probably assume that kid is abused, and you'd probably be right - it's a hallmark of narcissistic psychological abuse, years of being made to feel they're not allowed to do anything other than what the person determining their fate tells them. When we see soldiers behave as such, it's linked to conversation of dictatorships and nationalistic propaganda (narrative control, coerced or threatened or shamed or disregarded into conformity). It's funny to me we don't recognize the same in dogs.
This is of course a matter of different training (neither of which is worse/better than the other), but it's also important to consider breed. I don't know what your dude is, but labradors are known to be almost 100% owner focussed, especially if they've been bred for service work. They're so devoted to the owner, that's why they're such a popular breed. Again, it's not a matter of the lab being better than your lil guy, it's just a matter of being different. :)
I have felt the exact same way! The dog we were around was a seeing eye dog and fucking perfect down to her food reactions. She was amazing and I felt so fake next to her with my owner trained dog. I didn't trai. My girl to always be looking at me or to avoid regular temptations, I only trained her to leave them alone or not react, but she was allowed to sniff and look. But in the end, my SD lasted 10 years of service and the guide dog was ruined by being fed bananas by someone in our office. The guide dog completely wouldn't guide anymore or listen once someone had a banana in the room and my SD knew she could sniff but didn't care. Sometimes program dogs are taught so strictly that tiny changes can take them out of service.
Take the things that bother you back to the trainer. It's good information to work with. I owner trained my first SD with trainers and went to a program for my current one. My first one did what I needed and behaved well in public. He was an all around great dog! But, he wasn't nearly as refined as my program dog.
My program dog was bred for his job and prison trained. That means 24/7 training for most of his pre-working life. That's a lot different than the weekly two class that a lot of SDs get. There's no real right or wrong here. It's all about the results.
I would encourage you to go back to your trainer for follow up as often as you need. I did that and others do too. It's helpful and provides you with support.
There's already been a ton of wonderful feedback and advice given, so I'm not going to beat a dead horse on that one. OP....you can ALWAYS teach your dog something new and you should always be "proofing" your training and working to keep your skills sharp or to sharpen them, if you're not 100% happy with where you're at. You never HAVE TO stop training....and a trainer that tells you "whelp, that's it. That's as good as your dog will ever be." wouldn't be a trainer that I would PERSONALLY trust or respect. Just my two cents. You can always improve, and training never stops.
I think you're doing great and it's absolutely NOT REQUIRED, just to preface this....but if you WANT that neat "competition style heel"....I personally found this series on Tiktok to be extremely helpful. She breaks the steps down, one-by-one and makes things relatively easy to understand and follow. 😊 Move at YOUR dog's pace. This is a marathon, not a sprint! But if you WANT that heel....heck yes, you can do it! You've ALREADY accomplished so much with your dog, and you should be extremely proud. 🫶🥰💕
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMr2kEDsb/
I think you just created your own homework list! If you want that level you can achieve it. But carefully consider whether you do or other tasks are more important. Any time I see a dog do something I like or I wish my dog did X better, I mull it over a few days and then add it to my homework list. Same with any errors that happened when we were working together. Jmho
From my understanding, all that makes a "real" SD is one that provides the necessary task/s to mediate your disability reliably, has good manners in public so as not to cause disruptions, and is tolerant of the many many mishaps that occur when out and about. Other reactive dogs, getting tail stepped on, etc. It definitely sounds like your pup could use a little more work on not reacting to distractions but that doesn't make them a "fake." You should always be training, so your trainer saying "welp that's as good as it's gonna get, off you go" when your dog still has clear room for improvement is a bit concerning. Maybe try a session with another reputable trainer to work on distractions. Personally I don't care about a super tight heel outside of an obedience ring. I like my dog to look where she's going, plus I've always felt it couldn't be great for their necks full time.
this is how i feel with my service dog in training. she’s the same way you described and has regressed w leave it during teenage phase rn so soemtimes when i drop a treat she will lunge for it (she usually ignores it but like 30% of times will lunge for it) i always feel scared ppl will think we are a fake bc she doesn’t act as 100% perfect as the dog you described. she has a loose heel and isn’t constantly “focusing” on me, she does look around a bit and then check in w me every 25-45sec or maybe minute if we are just walking. she is in training for my ptsd so i kinda prefer her being more aware of our surroundings and not always focusing especially since i am clumsy and sometimes i will almost trip on her if she’s in too tight of a heel. honestly all dogs are DOGS and like other commenters said her dog has prob been working longer and is older so more relaxed. all dogs are different and yours still tasks for you and is obedient. it’s hard to not compare but your dog isn’t a robot and although that persons dog “seems” perfect it is prob just older and since from an org it’s prob had generations of its ancestors specifically bred for service work.
Go read the ADA law. It's so simple. That's all it takes to have a real service dog. Not disruptive, does a task for you.
It sounds like your dog would even pass the ADI test I used to self-validate my self-trained. It didn't include a performance heel.
Program training is super thorough. Owner trainers are doing it while living disabled, too. That we manage to do any training is pretty awesome.
I couldn't care less about performance heel and constant eye contact. My girl was a pet first, who turned out to be good at helping me leave the house without human backup. Her favorite person was my partner, not me. She liked working but she was a terrier and would have hated drilling obedience stuff to the level of a program dog. I would rather have had her, my friend and helper, than any other dog. She was awesome and it was an honor to have gotten her help.
One of my closest friends has this amazing program dog. And like my dog is good. She’s great even- but damn is this dog just a step above her and I sometimes internalize it more than I should. I know she’s never judged me for it and my dog has never done anything (outside of being obsessed with this dog for some reason- I swear it’s because he’s the only dog that respects her personal space)
But I’ve also had people fawn over my dog. Saying she’s the most well trained service dog they’ve ever met. My dog that occasionally eats goose poop, looses her shit over squirrels if I’m not prepared, and sometimes walks ahead of me. A dog that I’ve cried over more times than I can count because she’s terrified of fireworks. A dog that I’ve battled with working through her nerves since day one. The same dog that bounced back after being nearly attacked in days. The same dog that has given me so much freedom. The same dog that I’ve had people tell me is the most well behaved dog they’ve ever witnessed
We’re all somewhere on our journeys. And sometimes our dogs are perfect and other times they know how to make use feel like absolute fools. You’re seeing that dog in a great moment. I guarantee that handler has had embarrassing moments with their dog too
If your dog is great for your needs and does what they need to in a controlled way- you’re solid. I’ve been rushed at by program dogs and reacted at, just as much as I’ve seen gorgeous ones that are perfect in the moment.
Program dogs are bread and pups are selected through different tactics and even dogs that start training don't always make to graduation. Every dog has their temperament, like people. So dogs with special temperament make it into the program.
You can't expect any dog to do "perfect" as an sd dog.
That's beside the professional training thing.
the dog should not be reactive like that & approaching other dogs, otherwise I didn’t see any red flags to worry about. Use positive reinforcement only & clicker training and be consistent! that’s how ADI orgs do it, for the other comments that saying they should share how they do it. it’s all public information.
Program trained dogs are still dogs. The sd you met today has likely been working for a lot longer and is more mature than your dog in addition to their professional training. But they likely still have quirks that you didn’t see, because no dog is perfect. I have an ADI trained program dog. She’s fantastic, but she’ll never have the tight attention heel of a gsd and her head sometimes turns towards a dropped treat. Every single dog in our team training cohort had their own strengths and quirks. IMO, the mark of a successful team is not perfection, but the ability to recover from mistakes.
Not only might her dog be more mature and experienced due to years of work, but different breeds calm down and settle into adulthood at different ages. I've heard golden retrievers have an especially long "puppyhood," in terms of when they settle down. Your dog's excitement could be in his/her genes, too--you obviously can't train out temperament. Additionally, you have to consider whether your dog was bred in a puppy raising program, like hers surely was. Did you adopt your pup?
Try a small Münsterländer x English springer spaniel crossbreed their's "puppyhood" last up to the age off 3. I did read about them having a very long "puppyhood" but was still amazed that it took 2.5 years with my oldest. The youngest will be 3 next month, and the oldest one refused to play with him until a couple of months ago. It is so much fun to see them playing ar last. Both are not SD. I see very few SD here in the Netherlands. Most are used as guidedog for people with impared vision. I have seen 1 ASS SD, and that is it.
Just remember that program-trained dogs, by ADI orgs at least, were likely specifically bred through multiple generations for service work, specifically selected from each litter, specifically trained by experienced professionals and assessed by other experienced professionals, and specifically matched to their handler. They are, for the most part, like that because they had everything going for them, and only the "best" really made it through to the client (because of, IMO, a customer service thing and an image thing, on top of them wanting to have really well-trained dogs). It's like comparing apples to oranges. My dog has had great days like that, and she's had not so great days where she tried to eat some crumbs off the floor at a food court. I would be willing to bet my left kidney that, at some point, that dog had off days where someone incorrectly assumed it was an illegitimate service dog. If your dog is task-trained for your disability, it is a real service dog. If it can task well when you need it, in public or otherwise, then it doesn't need to be a perfect robot. If it is generally well-behaved, non-disruptive, and unobtrusive, you guys are miles ahead of the average dog and owner in the US. Honestly, I'm of the opinion that not all service dogs need to be held to that standard. I actually prefer that my dog not watch me 24/7 and hold a tight heel all the time, because the few times that I've asked that of her for certain outings, she's been throughly exhausted by the end of the day, and I'm worried I'll burn her out. As long as your dog is under your control and you're aware of the times that you need to keep him under control, you're totally fine. Edited to fix typos.
Another thing to add to your first paragraph is that most programs still have a very high wash rate and will only pass about 30 to 50% of the dogs at most to be service dogs. Some programs, particularly those that tend to start with rescues or dogs not bred for it, half as high as a 90% wash rate. In an ideal world, all service dogs would at least be capable of that level of sustained obedience and focus. But most people don't have the time or the money to spend on that level of training and on selecting and breeding dogs only to have such a high risk of the dog washing and having to start again.
Yes! I should have added that as well, so thank you for saying it.
I totally agree! I do wonder though how they get that level of focus and how they teach certain things. It would really help if some of those organizations shared some of their training knowledge for owner trainers. It’s a shame access to that kind of information is so siloed
Oh man I would love to see how they train those dogs. Not even necessarily for training my own dog. Just because I find dog training itself so interesting. But I do understand why a private company would keep its training under wraps.
This type of training isn’t unique to service dog programs. Lots of obedience, and literally ring sport dogs are trained to do this. Ring sports in particular, are expected to have a tight, flashy heel through insane distractions for extended periods of time. There is a lot available “out there” for how to train it, but one of the biggest, and frequently overlooked, things is that the engagement is built FIRST. If you have a dog that’s making eye contact as the first thing it learns, shaping and cleaning up the heel is much much easier than trying to teach a tight heel and then teach the focus. Many, now even most, of these dogs are started as puppies with R+ techniques, but as they mature trainers do use aversives to proof. Breed and personality matter a lot too. As with other pieces, if you breed FOR engagement it comes much more naturally. Plus, service dogs tend to be bred with lower dives, because that makes their day-to-day easier but a high drive dog is easier to keep motivated with extended focus. It’s a trade off.
When I got my first pet dog 16 years ago, my dad taught me to teach them the "look at me" command first bc if you don't have the dogs eyes, you don't have their ears. Which definitely isn't completely true, but it's a good analogy to teaching engagement first. He didn't have any service dog experience, he bred and showed Rottweilers when he was younger and trained our family pit bull and helped me train my first dog. It really helped a lot though, teaching engagement right off the bat.
so i can’t reference a specific course but i highly recommend checking out dunbar academy. i remember one i watched about how to keep that rapt attention and it was so absolutely obvious but something we’re not necessarily taught in training. here’s what i remember: if you want your dog to be at attention, you have to expose them to a bunch of scenarios where they might get distracted - but only after they’re good at attention already with no distractions. details i remember: do it at home, for 1 sec, 3, 5, 8, 10, 15, 25, whatever they can get to for the day. next day up that, see if you can get to a minute. i use the command “watch” for this training but you can use whatever. then take the next step which might be just outside your house on your porch and do the exact same thing. maybe see if you can get to 1.5 min. and then take it to the sidewalk in front of your house. then down the street. then on the sidewalk in front of the park when it’s not busy. and on and on until it’s full chaos and that’s where you’re training him. it’s literally just tiny piece by piece. he explains it so much better but that’s the gist of it. idk if that helps but just wanted to share what i knew of it!
i’m glad to read that you also think about burnout because i feel the same way. mine is owner trained and basically exactly what op described and he loves having a job to do because he’s a chow mix. but i can tell that he’s also trying to figure out the balance of attention to me vs taking care of himself too. he’s really good at it but at the end of the day it’s exhausting to him to do that all day long. his trainer even recommends paying attention to his social battery. i don’t want him to wear himself out every day and have rapt attention like that because i want him to actually continue enjoying his work. that’s a situation that benefits both of us, so why wouldn’t i want to maintain that?
I’m sorry your day was so rough, OP. Try not to compare your SD to other SD’s. You and your trainer are exactly right. They’re *not* robots. Sometimes orgs end up with *excellent* pairings in their breeding programs, where 80%+ of the sire/dam’s puppies go on to be successful SD’s. That ADI org dog was having a great day, and they have been bred for generations to have that kind of temperament, and they were likely raised either by a puppy raised that had weekly group meeting with one of the org’s trainers, or by an inmate who has nothing *but* time to devote to the dog every minute of the day. And they usually spend their last several months back at the facility working with a professional trainer that finishes up their task training *every single day*. Any dog that isn’t up to their standards is adopted out as a pet, or as an at-home SD. And it sounds like this handler is a very good client who keeps up the dog’s training. It does no good to compare your dog to one that was literally bred for service, when the org only graduates the absolute cream of the crop. Your dog is task trained, they refocus on you on command, and they have a good heel. Your dog *is* a SD. You *are* a handler. Your trainer is right in that you *are a good team*. Try not to worry about not being “literally absolutely perfect”, okay? None of us are. That ADI org dog definitely has off days too, where *their* handler worries about what other handlers would think of their dog. But you’re doing great. You and your dog are a good team, and the fact that you’re so worried when you’re actually doing so well is a credit to your standards. But try not to worry so much. All SD’s are individuals, and that doesn’t mean that yours isn’t an excellent good boy. :)
I also met a friend of my mom who has a program dog the other day and there are definitely differences. But i try to remember that my dog does all of his stuff with only me as the trainer and once a week private class with a professional trainer for an hour and a half. I cant take my dog to school with me cause they only allow ADI dogs, but she can take him with her all day, so thats also a lot of "training time" i miss out on. The other dog is trained to perfection by multiple professionals for at least a year and a half before even meeting the handler. Its like comparing the veg from your backyard garden to something you find in the supermarket. You can either feel bad about the fact that yours is wonky and a little but smaller than the supermarket one, or you can be proud of your accomplishment and see that that wonky lil carrot is perfect to feed one person, you.
Not OP, but I love the analogy you included here! I'm mentally putting it in my back pocket the next time I find myself comparing us to others, thank you!
Some things to consider coz I think you’re being way too hard on yourself and your dog. - there is no requirement for a service dog to do a tight/competition style heel. Its entirely up to handler preference and training program. Neither is worse or better. - different dogs do the same job in different ways. This is especially true when the dogs you’re comparing are different breeds. - that dog has a big TEAM of professionals training it probably, of course its going to be ahead of the pack. - your dog didnt fail and neither did you: you identified a weak spot in the training and sounds like you’ll work on that. It sounds like you’ve reached the end of your trainers professional capacity, and need to seek someone else to tighten things up.
You don’t want your dog approaching other dogs but all the other stuff doesn’t matter unless it specifically matters to you for your disability. Do you need your dog to stare you in the face while he walks?
IGDF service dog handler here: After seeing first hand how my program cherry picks the dogs they train in the programs, I can re-assure you: Your dog is doing great! With the litter of my dog I saw a dog that was dropped out of the program because he had frequent “off-days”. I’d prefer my dog being comfortable with having a slightly off day than being a robot. But the compulsion training those dogs receive is impressive. They’re not allowed to take anything food from the ground (my dog is that way too) which is for their safety. Your dog wanting to greet is absolutely okay, my dog’s ears perk up when she sees another dog she wants to meet. However I do not encourage or sanction this like I was instructed to do. A lot of the program dogs are balance trained and that’s why they’re like robots.
Fwiw, I appreciate whe a sd isn't the most completely tightly controlled. I know this may be controversial -- to be clear, I do think the dog needs to meet cgc and adi public access standards... But also, when the dog is in SUCH a tight heel CONSTANTLY, or they NEVER break eye contact even for a second, it feels a little too rigid for my comfort. My dog meets standards, but if she's not in the world's tightest heel constantly, or if she looks at the source of a sound for a second, I feel that let's her keep in touch with herself while she's working for me. Just my own feelings ❤️🩹
There's a reason why a "complete" service dog comes with such a high price tag or long wait. Carefully, purposefully-bred fab breed, pre-screened for potential to wash with years of 24/7 training. Owner training to the standards of a program dog simply isn't feasible. It's sad that people who don't live with either of you and haven't seen your training or task are so ready to judge you. Do not help them with that. You also only spent one day with this person. You didn't get to see their earlier years, off days or moments of weakness. I guarantee you they've had them.
Does your dog do tasks to support your disability? Then your dog is a service dog. Is your dog capable of remaining under your control in public without causing disruption? Then you have the right to public access with him. You're not an imposter and your dog isn't fake. I don't know that I would take your trainer's word that he's "as good as he can get", it's not *ideal* for him to try to initiate greeting other dogs while working and such, and is a thing that can you can continue train around, but as long as you can always redirect him without issue he's not suddenly considered out of control over it. For me, the concern with him wanting to greet another SD but being redirected immediately without distracting the other SD is less of an issue - I would be concerned for *you and your dog* if, say, someone was actually out with a fake SD who is dog reactive and reacted badly to your dog wanting to initiate a hello or staring at them. Working dogs of every type are going to vary in how 'perfect' they are, because of a combination of genetics, breeding, training, socialization, individual personality, etc. I used to farmsit for someone who had two border collies. One was the sharpest dog I've ever met and could go fetch the horses every night himself with no direction, bring them into their night paddock, and would literally double-check the group to make sure he had them all. He was able to realize without looking back into the field if a horse was missing and he would go back himself and herd them in. The other one... she was still young and learning but she thought she needed to herd ducks for me (where? she didn't know either) when I was feeding them, lmao. They were both herding dogs, and they were both bred and trained/in-training for it, but they were two very different dogs and in different stages of training and from different family lines.
My owner assisted service dog can resemble anything from a stellar program dog to an off-duty TSA detection nutcase depending on the day, so I relate to a lot of this. Something to keep in mind, sustained eye contact can be a task for some teams. You might have not been seeing "perfect obedience" so much as an ongoing task. While that's still fancy and impressive, it's not necessarily fair to you to compare your SD's OB to another SD's task behavior. Something else that really helped me with what you're struggling with is when I processed that, even if I got a "perfect" program dog, I would probably technically gradually "downgrade" how the dog "looks" to others while working in public, based on how I personally want my dog to work with and assist me. On top of there being a million different training standards, the behavior we see in different dogs also comes down to handling standards. I love my dog defaulting to swinging out to face me in heel unless I ask for a tight heel. I love playing with my dog while we walk around, complete with little hops of happiness. I love that my dog switches between eye contact and environmental awareness. These things help my disabilities... On top of your service dog not being invalid based on what you've described, you could be like me, where having this high level of obedience would come at the cost of sacrificing other behaviors you need. For example, sustained eye contact (whether OB or task based) could be counterproductive for some handlers who need assistance paying attention to their environments. Sure, it's potentially possible that your dog could work up to that level of obedience, but it also sounds like it's genuinely not relevant to your situation and would be a misuse of resources. IMO it is just as possible that the dog you saw was originally going to be sent home with the same exact obedience levels as your dog, until that particular handler was assigned and specifically requested higher obedience/task expectations for their own personal disability accommodation purposes.
My first service dog was an owner trained dog, and my second service dog was a program trained dog. They BOTH have their strengths and their weaknesses. My first had the tightest heel I've ever seen. My second tended to hang back and try to walk kinda behind me, which meant that he got distracted more. But my second caught the alerts faster and gave me more lead time to prepare. My second will step forward to try to block me from things he considers dangerous (no other arousal, just trying to block) while my first would fall back and get behind me. Both of them would ocassionally lose their minds and try to randomly pick up something they found on the ground; they could have been laying a foot from a french fry for an hour at lunchtime without ever even sniffing in it's direction, but, by god, right now we HAVE to pick up that specific acorn over there, or the world will end! They're dogs. They are all going to have different strengths and weaknesses. If you look at your dog, and what you're doing is WORKING for you, then that's a good thing. Stay that course! If you see areas to improve on, then work on those! Just because he's 'graduated,' and is doing his job as a service dog doesn't mean that you cannot continue training, continue improving, continue growing as a team! Constant, consistent asks are key. When I wanted my second to work on his heel, it meant I HAD to get on him for every little thing, even when I didn't feel like it! It has to be a concious, 24/7 action. But the more you ask, the more they'll tend to deliver, especially when you show them how happy it makes you! Really shower them with that love and praise and treats! My first would get happy and squirmy over just a simple good boy. My second needed to be petted, kissed, and told how good he was. My first loved to have his ears rubbed and the top of his head touched, my second needs his muzzle cupped and caressed and to have a kiss on the forehead. All dogs are different. Learn how to read YOUR dog best, and connect with him the best. All other training flows from there!
I wouldn’t worry about it because your service dog is for you and nobody else. It doesn’t matter if he was trained by you or by an organization. Any dog that is trained by an organization, doesn’t make it better than your dog because your dog is for you. I would stop comparing myself and other teams because at the end of the day your dog is doing what he or she was trying to do. Don’t be so hard on yourself.
I have encountered many retrievers who might be labelled “obsequious.” That was not a trait I wanted in a dog. I wanted vigilance, a bit of wariness, and a hard-ass demeanor. I got what I wanted and needed in my Belgian shepherd. It is absolutely natural to feel imposter syndrome. A close friend just retired at the top of his field. He is in his early 60s and still feels an imposter! Remember that the dog you see in the moment is not necessarily how the dog functions in day-to-day life. All dogs make mistakes. My dog isn’t a perfect SD by any means. She has impeccable recall off leash, is an incredible deterrent, and always has my back. At the end of the day, what is paramount is your relationship with your dog.
Belgian Malinois handler and owner-trainer here! 👋 lol We rarely see other Belgian Shepherds as service dogs. Our boy is only 8-months-old and we haven't really done any public access training yet. (we DO take him to pet-friendly stores/venues, though.) We've just been working on basic obedience training, and a few basic tasks at this point, and going slow with our training so that we don't burn him out by pushing too much, too soon. 😊 They're an incredible breed if you can handle them, for sure. Just wanted to say hello! Here's a video of my husband doing some down/stay offleash training recently with our boy. https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMr2kDQqT/ (Our 3½-year-old daughter has a critical congenital heart defect and so eventually we're hoping to train him for cardiac alert, and really got him for her, in the first place. My husband is battling colorectal cancer, is diabetic, has OCD and has an ileostomy...and I'm a chronic pain patient with multiple spinal issues, mobility issues, myofascial pain syndrome, fibromyalgia, and ME/CFS in addition to ADHD. So a lot of his tasking is just retrieving items, hitting handicapped door buttons to open doors, and he does non-contact/non-violent personal protection as well. Like I said, we haven't done too much task training yet, as he's still so young. 🫶 )
Mals are a rarity in service work for good reason. A dog from a reputable breeder will often have too much drive; a dog from a backyard breeder will have an uncertain temperament. Best unsolicited advice I can offer as an experienced Belgian handler: give him an outlet for his drives (tug work, ball), make sure he has an off switch, and do a lot of impulse control work. Squash any signs of reactivity as he moves into adolescence.
while these dogs should be a shining example to follow and you should strive to achieve the best for you and your SD, there is no strict criteria for how well your SD must act, how tightly they heel, etc. as long as your SD maintains discipline, performs tasks properly, and can always be recalled in an event of a bad day slip up, i believe that you have nothing to worry about. this is something i also stress about regularly so i definitely know how you feel!
Dude I have an ADI dog and she acts like shit sometimes, yours sounds better than mine 😂
1ST and foremost. Comparing yourself to another person when you are two different people with 2 completely different circumstances, is never going to be good for you or your teams relationship. That being said, if it is a habit, the good thing about compulsion training, with your dog breaking a down stay, is that is something that can be worked on. If you are worried about it take it back to the basics. I’ve no doubt your dog is a fully trained service dog however much like people, when you stop doing the basics you get rusty and cut corners. There’s no reason you can’t have a dog that sharp. Find the time to do the training if it bothers you that much. Certain dogs need to do certain things. Some require they watch their environment others pay special attention to the handler that’s going to require a different subset of skills. When my dog is interested in something or someone is trying to district him I have him switch positions or practice a head down command. It’s different for every team.
My SD was privately trained, but was bred to be a program dog and would have been raised as a program dog if I didn’t have a connection to get him when I did. Program dogs are usually bred for a few generations to be working dogs specifically for this reason… they are usually the highest quality working dogs. That doesn’t make either one of the dogs in your post not a service dog… they’re just on different levels and the program dog probably has so much more training hours under her collar, that’s what she was born to be and has trained to be since the day she was born. ____ If you feel your SD needs more training, that’s always an option you have.
I saw a dog like that at the dog park the other day. Their mom took them around the loop a couple of times. The behavior was so controlled that I think mom was only there to test dog. No idea if it was an SDiT prospect or not. The heel was so tight that if they'd been my dog, I definitly would have kicked or stepped on them by accident a lot. They were maybe only 10-13 inches tall on all fours but their eyes never left moms head. Honestly, I was more thinking about how they trained to that level and if the dog had neck pain than how much better they were at maintaining the heel than me and my boy. My SDiT is trained for me. He could never maintain the same level of attention as that dog in the park, but the attention he can do is what I need/want.
I'm owner training as well and I feel a lot of the same feelings, and we are going through a teenager phase. We have lots of embarrassing moments right now, we just roll with it. However, you are doing everything you possibly can to be a good dog parent, trainer, on top of being disabled. It's expensive and sometimes we just don't have the means to purchase all these trainings. But it doesn't make what we've done less worthy or mean that your dog isn't a real service dog. Perfection isn't necessary to get the job done, If they are doing what they were trained to do and you guys are happy I say you did a fantastic job. Honestly from what it sounds like, you did a great job. Don't let anyone make you feel less than for what you and your dog accomplished together.
Training is perishable and never ends.
Why would you want a robot dog? Legally, SDs may be functionally tools; but in interaction, they are dogs - sentient beings with their own unique experience of the world, unless made to be otherwise. Turning them in robots just because you can is something I very much dislike about a lot of SD training organizations. I find it tantamount to animal cruelty, treating the dog so rigidly as a tool. The ADA doesn't require this level of training. The degree to which you've trained your dog suffices perfectly well. If one needs help with a disability, an SD is a great tool; if one is incapable of recognizing this animal is also their own individual being, not \*just\* a tool, one should probably look into assistance through inanimate objects and not get a dog. If you can't accept them as a dog, then find another option. If your dog is able to "behave" in public and perform a task while also being allowed to interact with the world in her own unique way, then she's exactly what an SD should be... not an automated assistant to control and dictate to, but a partner to help each other out in this journey of life. If you saw a kid who was perfectly behaved, unwavering focus on whatever they're told to focus on, fearful of doing anything other than what their parent tells them, etc... you'd probably assume that kid is abused, and you'd probably be right - it's a hallmark of narcissistic psychological abuse, years of being made to feel they're not allowed to do anything other than what the person determining their fate tells them. When we see soldiers behave as such, it's linked to conversation of dictatorships and nationalistic propaganda (narrative control, coerced or threatened or shamed or disregarded into conformity). It's funny to me we don't recognize the same in dogs.
Same exactly. Dogs who behave like that freak me out a bit.
This is of course a matter of different training (neither of which is worse/better than the other), but it's also important to consider breed. I don't know what your dude is, but labradors are known to be almost 100% owner focussed, especially if they've been bred for service work. They're so devoted to the owner, that's why they're such a popular breed. Again, it's not a matter of the lab being better than your lil guy, it's just a matter of being different. :)
I have felt the exact same way! The dog we were around was a seeing eye dog and fucking perfect down to her food reactions. She was amazing and I felt so fake next to her with my owner trained dog. I didn't trai. My girl to always be looking at me or to avoid regular temptations, I only trained her to leave them alone or not react, but she was allowed to sniff and look. But in the end, my SD lasted 10 years of service and the guide dog was ruined by being fed bananas by someone in our office. The guide dog completely wouldn't guide anymore or listen once someone had a banana in the room and my SD knew she could sniff but didn't care. Sometimes program dogs are taught so strictly that tiny changes can take them out of service.
Take the things that bother you back to the trainer. It's good information to work with. I owner trained my first SD with trainers and went to a program for my current one. My first one did what I needed and behaved well in public. He was an all around great dog! But, he wasn't nearly as refined as my program dog. My program dog was bred for his job and prison trained. That means 24/7 training for most of his pre-working life. That's a lot different than the weekly two class that a lot of SDs get. There's no real right or wrong here. It's all about the results. I would encourage you to go back to your trainer for follow up as often as you need. I did that and others do too. It's helpful and provides you with support.
There's already been a ton of wonderful feedback and advice given, so I'm not going to beat a dead horse on that one. OP....you can ALWAYS teach your dog something new and you should always be "proofing" your training and working to keep your skills sharp or to sharpen them, if you're not 100% happy with where you're at. You never HAVE TO stop training....and a trainer that tells you "whelp, that's it. That's as good as your dog will ever be." wouldn't be a trainer that I would PERSONALLY trust or respect. Just my two cents. You can always improve, and training never stops. I think you're doing great and it's absolutely NOT REQUIRED, just to preface this....but if you WANT that neat "competition style heel"....I personally found this series on Tiktok to be extremely helpful. She breaks the steps down, one-by-one and makes things relatively easy to understand and follow. 😊 Move at YOUR dog's pace. This is a marathon, not a sprint! But if you WANT that heel....heck yes, you can do it! You've ALREADY accomplished so much with your dog, and you should be extremely proud. 🫶🥰💕 https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMr2kEDsb/
I think you just created your own homework list! If you want that level you can achieve it. But carefully consider whether you do or other tasks are more important. Any time I see a dog do something I like or I wish my dog did X better, I mull it over a few days and then add it to my homework list. Same with any errors that happened when we were working together. Jmho
From my understanding, all that makes a "real" SD is one that provides the necessary task/s to mediate your disability reliably, has good manners in public so as not to cause disruptions, and is tolerant of the many many mishaps that occur when out and about. Other reactive dogs, getting tail stepped on, etc. It definitely sounds like your pup could use a little more work on not reacting to distractions but that doesn't make them a "fake." You should always be training, so your trainer saying "welp that's as good as it's gonna get, off you go" when your dog still has clear room for improvement is a bit concerning. Maybe try a session with another reputable trainer to work on distractions. Personally I don't care about a super tight heel outside of an obedience ring. I like my dog to look where she's going, plus I've always felt it couldn't be great for their necks full time.
Watch the movie rescuing Ruby. It will brighten your day.
this is how i feel with my service dog in training. she’s the same way you described and has regressed w leave it during teenage phase rn so soemtimes when i drop a treat she will lunge for it (she usually ignores it but like 30% of times will lunge for it) i always feel scared ppl will think we are a fake bc she doesn’t act as 100% perfect as the dog you described. she has a loose heel and isn’t constantly “focusing” on me, she does look around a bit and then check in w me every 25-45sec or maybe minute if we are just walking. she is in training for my ptsd so i kinda prefer her being more aware of our surroundings and not always focusing especially since i am clumsy and sometimes i will almost trip on her if she’s in too tight of a heel. honestly all dogs are DOGS and like other commenters said her dog has prob been working longer and is older so more relaxed. all dogs are different and yours still tasks for you and is obedient. it’s hard to not compare but your dog isn’t a robot and although that persons dog “seems” perfect it is prob just older and since from an org it’s prob had generations of its ancestors specifically bred for service work.
Was this by any chance a dog from CCI?
Go read the ADA law. It's so simple. That's all it takes to have a real service dog. Not disruptive, does a task for you. It sounds like your dog would even pass the ADI test I used to self-validate my self-trained. It didn't include a performance heel. Program training is super thorough. Owner trainers are doing it while living disabled, too. That we manage to do any training is pretty awesome. I couldn't care less about performance heel and constant eye contact. My girl was a pet first, who turned out to be good at helping me leave the house without human backup. Her favorite person was my partner, not me. She liked working but she was a terrier and would have hated drilling obedience stuff to the level of a program dog. I would rather have had her, my friend and helper, than any other dog. She was awesome and it was an honor to have gotten her help.
One of my closest friends has this amazing program dog. And like my dog is good. She’s great even- but damn is this dog just a step above her and I sometimes internalize it more than I should. I know she’s never judged me for it and my dog has never done anything (outside of being obsessed with this dog for some reason- I swear it’s because he’s the only dog that respects her personal space) But I’ve also had people fawn over my dog. Saying she’s the most well trained service dog they’ve ever met. My dog that occasionally eats goose poop, looses her shit over squirrels if I’m not prepared, and sometimes walks ahead of me. A dog that I’ve cried over more times than I can count because she’s terrified of fireworks. A dog that I’ve battled with working through her nerves since day one. The same dog that bounced back after being nearly attacked in days. The same dog that has given me so much freedom. The same dog that I’ve had people tell me is the most well behaved dog they’ve ever witnessed We’re all somewhere on our journeys. And sometimes our dogs are perfect and other times they know how to make use feel like absolute fools. You’re seeing that dog in a great moment. I guarantee that handler has had embarrassing moments with their dog too If your dog is great for your needs and does what they need to in a controlled way- you’re solid. I’ve been rushed at by program dogs and reacted at, just as much as I’ve seen gorgeous ones that are perfect in the moment.
Your overthinking it
Program dogs are bread and pups are selected through different tactics and even dogs that start training don't always make to graduation. Every dog has their temperament, like people. So dogs with special temperament make it into the program. You can't expect any dog to do "perfect" as an sd dog. That's beside the professional training thing.
the dog should not be reactive like that & approaching other dogs, otherwise I didn’t see any red flags to worry about. Use positive reinforcement only & clicker training and be consistent! that’s how ADI orgs do it, for the other comments that saying they should share how they do it. it’s all public information.