My Service Dog and Me

29/09/2025

Do you need help with the answers to these questions about target training ⁉️

1.) What is targeting?

2. When can you start teaching it?

✅ Watch our FREE youtube video “Targeting” which gives you all the information you need, INCLUDING a demo with a SDIT puppy.

✅ Then go to the comments and share your answers and any questions you may have.

“Targeting” 🎯
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpbtJzJzVbw

👉🏾 Don’t forget to sign up for our upcoming FREE TASK TRAINING WEBINAR at the link below. ⬇️
https://linktr.ee/myservicedogandme

25/09/2025

🆓 Would you like to watch a FREE Task Training Webinar?

🐾 Follow the link below and join, get access to our classroom, and you will get the DATE, TIME, AND ZOOM LINK for our FREE Task Training Webinar.

⏩ But that’s not all, in the classroom we have two valuable FREE recources that are available NOW:

1.) The Clicker Training E-BOOK 🦮

AND

2.) Effective and Efficient Dog Training Skills for Owner Trainers 🐕‍🦺

(These will both help get you ready for the Task Training Webinar.)

So follow the link below, then click on FREE TASK TRAINING WEBINAR,
sign up, and get started. ⤵️

https://linktr.ee/myservicedogandme

Also check out our other free and low cost resources. 😉

My Service Dog and Me Team. 😊

22/09/2025

What do you think needs to be considered when thinking about task training and puppies? 🐶

↣ Building a foundation,
↣ Building confidence,
↣ Physical vs mental maturity,
↸ or all of the above?

We would love 💗 to hear your thoughts in our comment section. 🧏🏻‍♀️

Go to the link below ⬇️ to learn our thoughts on this some times controversial topic.

"Task Training and Puppies" is a great FREE YouTube video from My Service Dog and Me. It talks about our opinions on a sometimes contriversial topic. 🫢

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJT4V02Puao&t=297s

🚨 Be sure to check our linktree for new resources. 😉 https://linktr.ee/myservicedogandme

12/09/2025

Summers almost over 😎, but this picture was just to good to pass up.

Take a moment to ADD A CAPTION about what this pup may be thinking. 🐶💬

In the mean time don't forget about all our FREE resources from My Service Dog and Me, and watch for NEW ones coming soon. 😉

https://linktr.ee/myservicedogandme

08/09/2025

🙋🏻‍♀️ Have you set yourself up for success❓

🐕‍🦺 The My Service Dog and Me Academy team wants you to succeed. We have put together a very comprehensive, step by step program just for you, the owner/trainer.

⏰ While you wait for the Academy to open, we want to share one of our free youtube videos to help set yourself up for success. 😉 👇🏻

"Three fundamentals that actually help predict success as a service dog."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKRWdVguA8k&t=104s

28/08/2025

In this post we wanted to share three of our teams dog's. You will see each one as a puppy, then as an adolescent, (or adult).
They range from 8 months to 6+ years and names are Phoenix, Lelue, and Toby. ♥️

So now we would like to know HOW OLD is your SDIT/SD? 💙

Is your SDIT a puppy? 🐶

Adolescent? 🐕

Adult? 🐕‍🦺

Please share in the comments below. ⬇️

😁 Be sure to keep and eye on our Linktree for FREE and low cost resources.
🆕 content coming soon.

https://linktr.ee/myservicedogandme

18/08/2025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKRWdVguA8k&t=104s

We always get questions about what behaviors a service dog candidate needs to learn first - but really - there are three far more important skills for your d...

11/08/2025

🎾 What is a GAME CHANGER?

💡It can be when you find something that solves and ongoing problem, an adjustment to your routine that makes things so much easier, or simply taking a step back, or just about anything else that makes a difference.

✏️ We have game changers in our My Service Dog and Me Academy, but here we are sharing two FREE youtube videos that we call game changers:

🐕‍🦺 Freedom Walks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wf9juDW8AgY&t=8s

🦮 SMARTx50
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6hj20vnzVQ&t=16s

01/08/2025

PLANNING

Planning is one thing that really helps us keep on track with our dog training. Wether its worksheets that we fill out, an app on our phone, using a calendar, or simply using a notebook, whatever works for you works best.

Flexibility is equally important. Things don't always go as planned and we need to be ready to adapt. Some days we don't feel up to training, our dogs are more distracted than usual, or our arrangements for someone to help falls through. Those days it's great to have some simple training plans in reserve to fall back on. Even something as simple as a frozen kong, or practicing house manners with SmartX50 keeps things moving.

However, don't forget to "plan" for days off as well. Putting those on in your training resource can really help you to remember that both you and your dog need, and deserve, days off.

This is a great resource from our FREE youtube channel on planning:

"How to create weekly training plans for your service dog in training."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp6ayNblWYE&t=417s

22/07/2025

👇🏻 Please share your thoughts on what socialization means to you in comments below.

🙋🏽‍♂️What is socialization?
🙋🏻‍♀️ Why is it important?
🙋When do you start?

There are so many thoughts 💬 on the proper way to socialize your SDIT puppy. We make it easy to figure it all out. 👏🏽

👀 Take a look at our low cost, Socialization Mini Course that will answer all these questions and much more. ⬇️

https://www.myservicedogandme.com/socialization

14/07/2025

Why should you teach targeting? 🎯

How do make a target stick? 🍡

Targeting can be one of the most valuable thing you can teach for future tasks, learning to focus, and even for fun.

Our 🆓 youtube video "Target Sticks" teaches you the reason for using target sticks, and how to make one at home!

↓ Check out the link below and also be sure to go to our LInktree for more resources and low cost courses.

"Target Sticks"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kh_kvKf0O0

Linktree
https://linktr.ee/myservicedogandme

03/07/2025

FOCUS - EYE CONTACT - LOOK AT ME 👀

There are lot of ways to describe having your dog pay attention to you. Sometimes it may just need to be a glance, to check in, sometimes they need to be more focused to catch symptoms and alert, and other times, they may be able to pay attention simply by listening.

What it doesn't mean is having your dog staring at you continuously 'just because'. ** Meaning, it is natural for your SDIT/SD to look around, look ahead while walking, and even look behind them on occasion. We want their attention but having them constantly watching us can be exhausting and stressful. Of course we don't wanting them to look at every distraction there is. 😉

You may have seen videos of dogs staring intensely at their handler, walking in a tight heel, and moving in sync with them. Often these dogs are only doing this for short periods of time, and there may be a toy or treat involved. It may be part of agility, or formal obedience training. That is not something we need our SDIT/SD's to do. After all can you imagine doing a job where your constantly staring at something all day long? 😳

We need to find a happy medium for this skill and it all starts with teaching them to offer eye contact.

👇🏻In the comments below, we share one of our 🆓 youtube videos, "How to teach your service dog in training to offer eye contact", to get you started!

**(This is different with guide dogs.)