That Dog Trainer Chick

10/12/2023

My amazing service dog client Yalina Lopez just sent me this. It’s so perfect and amazing. It really captures all three of them.

08/05/2023

Edit: This is getting spread around more than I ever thought so I should clarify, this is for the US only. Other countries have different laws.

Hey everyone. So there was a post about service dogs earlier today in another group I’m in. There was a ton of misinformation in the comments of that post so I decided to clarify some things. I figure this might help others too so I’m cross posting.

I am a service dog trainer and have been training dogs for almost 20 years (will be 20 in April). I want to clarify some things when it comes to service dogs. Below is a chart that helps clarify the differences between service dogs (or mini horses), emotional support animals and therapy dogs. Also here are some clarifications about the laws…

1. A service animal MUST perform a task that you yourself can’t do (or struggle to do) that mitigates your disability. Just being with you is not enough. It has to be an actual task like alerting to low/high blood sugar, seizures, anxiety or a number of other alerts. It can also be mobility work like bracing, fetching things on the ground because you’re in a wheelchair or can’t bend down, or helping to pull you up the stairs. There’s an infinite list of possible tasks but it has to be specific to your disability.

2. There are no official registries, certifications or tests required in the US for public access. Most programs have their own tests including the CGC but legally it is not required. The sites offering certifications and ID’s are scams. They are a major reason why so many have fake service dogs and are a HUGE problem for those of us with real service dogs. I beg you, please do not support those companies. Side note, airlines fall under the ACAA and not the ADA so they are allowed to ask for more proof like proof of CGC certificate and a doctors note. That’s the only time in the US that a SD would need to provide proof of CGC certificate.

3. There’s two different ways to obtain a legitimate service dog. First is through an organization. Most of these will either have a long wait list (the ones that are free or cheaper). These waitlists can be 2-5 years depending on the program. The organizations that don’t have long wait lists are usually $15k-$30k. Some will help with fundraising but it’s still expensive and raising funds like that can take awhile. Second, you can do what we call and “owner train” where you train the dog yourself with the help of a trainer. These programs usually take at least a year to two years to complete and cost $5k-$10k (other than some free veteran programs for PTSD). Owner training a service dog takes a lot of work/time so be prepared to put in the work if you choose to go this route. Also, be aware that not every dog can be a service dog. It takes a special temperament to be a successful service dog.

4. Faking service dogs is a federal crime and is a huge problem for those of us with legitimate service dogs. First off, when you show up with IDs and say your dog is a certified service dog, it makes businesses think those are real and they start to require them. Then when a real service dog comes in, the business illegally declines them because they think they should have the ID. Second, every year tons of service dogs are attacked while doing public access and end up having to be retired early. These SDs are not just because we want our dog with us. For many of us, they are life and death. So if we have to retire the dog early and aren’t already prepared with the next in line, we lose our lifeline and end up not being able to live our lives fully because of it. For instance, I have PTSD and asthma. My panic attacks cause me to hyperventilate which can/has triggered an asthma attack which can kill me. My SD alerts me to my anxiety before it becomes a panic attack and then provided deep tissue pressure, blocking and tactile support to get my to calm down and not have a full blown panic attack. Without her, I can’t even go to a grocery store or restaurant without risking my life. So when you fake service dogs, you are actually risking people’s livelihoods, not to mention the expense of training a new service dog.

5. Public establishments may only ask two questions. First, “Is the dog(or horse) a service dog (or horse)?” Second, “What task(s) does the animal perform?” They cannot ask about your disability or any personal information due to HIIPA laws. They also cannot ask for the dog to demonstrate the task(s). They can ask you leave an establishment if your dog is being poorly behaved like barking, growling, sniffing food in a grocery store, jumping on people, etc. They can also ask you to leave if your dog has an accident.

6. Service dogs in training rights will vary by state. Because they are not technically covered by the ADA, it’s up to each state. The majority of states give them the same rights as long as the dog is with a trainer (includes you if you’re self training) but not all of them do. Airlines typically do not allow SDiT’s.

If anyone has any questions at all, feel free to message me. I’m an open book and know the laws inside and out.

Chart and pic of my SD for tax below

04/15/2023

Little missile launched

03/13/2023

So many people forget to train the environment for sports they want to compete in. Today Nami did not compete at the agility trial but we worked on being calm and focused in the environment. She struggled at first but eventually settled in. Such a good little girl.

03/12/2023

Sit stays with bite toys and me getting up and down from a chair. Nami crushed it tonight.

03/02/2023

Nami’s regional qualifier and dock junior title. This was her very first competition of any kind and her first time in a regulation dock. I am so damn proud of her. This dogs never ceases to amaze me.

Nami’s regional qualifier and dock junior title. ...

02/27/2023

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRnGYgD6/

Nami qualified for regionals and for her Dock Junior title at her very first competition 🎉 ...

02/18/2023

Star can fly ✈️

02/08/2023

Nami the spider monkey 🙊

01/14/2023

Nami doing her thing at the workshop last weekend. 📸

12/13/2022

Did the AI thing with Cloud.

09/25/2022

Check out our new team logo. It’s perfect.

08/20/2022

🐾Office Dog 🐾 Nami kept me company yesterday while I worked on accounting all morning. She was soooo good. I love this dog ❣️

08/20/2022

Morning training with Nami. Sit to stand with front feet elevated.

08/20/2022

Best buddies. Nami and my parents golden (Nali) are two pees in a pod. 🐾❤️

08/18/2022

Puppy playtime intro’s 🐾

08/18/2022

I finally got to meet Yalina and Honey today. Honey is a SDiT and Yalina is doing an amazing job with her. A few small tweaks to help them be successful as a service dog team was all they needed❣️

08/17/2022

Nami was a very good girl for her first Chiro and Fitness appointment yesterday with Dr. Lisa.

08/14/2022

Ready for Day Two of disc do**in. Today is Skyhoundz.

08/14/2022

One tired pup after a day of disc do**in 💤

08/13/2022

We made it to the hotel for a weekend of disc competitions. Tomorrow is USDDN and Sunday is Skyhoundz.

08/12/2022

Huge Thank You to Two Bostons Pet Boutique for this wonderful gift to help remember Flash. It is absolutely perfect 🌈🐾

08/12/2022

Cloud and I had a great lunch with our buddy Mandy in DT Naperville today. As per normal, no one knew Cloud was even there until we got up to leave.

08/10/2022

Shoutout to EarthWise Pet Naperville for doing an incredible job with Nami’s nail trim/file yesterday. For the first time ever, she didn’t scream during a nail trim. So snuggled her the whole time (which she loves) and were super patient. Highly highly recommend them. ❤️

08/09/2022

Nami working rear end awareness and incorporating her focus work. Nailed it!

08/09/2022

Meet Teddy. He is definitely one of my favorite clients. He’s been training with me for many years now. He started as a scared little rescue dog and has blossomed into an amazing family dog and agility dog. I couldn’t be more proud of the progress he has made.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Jodi Frazier Dirth

08/08/2022

Board & Train Dogs 🐕

08/08/2022

Puppy Playtime Photos.❣️Cuteness Overload❣️