TwoDogs
Boxer Insane
A hand target is a very useful behavior to have. You can use it to teach all sorts of other fun tricks and it is very helpful in that you can use it to direct your dog into different positions around you in tight quarters like on a public bus, in a restaurant, etc.
Teach him all the positions of sit, down, stand and then teach them while you are seated in a chair and then on both sides of you.
Teach him to come to and heel on your right side to a different verbal cue than on your left.
Teach him to retrieve objects to your hand and then teach him to retrieve them and put them in a basket.
Teach him a good, solid "leave it" so that he doesn't go toward or sniff at things he walks past while on leash.
More important than teaching him specific behaviors is what you do to socialize him to the world that he's eventually going to work in.
Get him accustomed to riding in all sorts of vehicles, walking on all sorts of surfaces, and passing through all sorts of doors by taking him to retail establishments and businesses that allow leashed dogs.
Get him used to people with a variety of appearances, gaits, and mannerisms.
Get him accustomed to the sounds of traffic, sight of joggers and bicyclists, people in uniform, baby strollers, shopping carts, and anything else he might encounter when he starts accompanying you as a service dog.
In all honesty, I'm surprised that any trainer would suggest that you just work on your own with your dog and wait on any more advanced training as late as a year old. Not because dogs can't be trained at a later age to the level of obedience and specific behaviors that is required, but because so much happens developmentally during that first year that will affect a dog's adult temperament. The single most important characteristic of any service dog is a sound, stable temperament. A good trainer will provide a HUGE amount of help and the necessary guidance during puppyhood.
My colleagues that train service dogs all have puppy programs and classes. These are trainers that train for service dog organizations and trainers that assist owners in training their own dogs for assistance work. Yes, you can select an adult dog that is a good candidate for service work and start the training at one year. In fact, there are a number of organizations that actually train adult shelter dogs for service work but those dogs go through a strict screening process and only well-socialized, confident, stable and dog & people friendly dogs make it into the program. But if you have a puppy that you are hoping will grow to be a service dog, it is in everyone's interest to start now with a training plan to provide adequate socialization and strong foundation behaviors so you're doing your best to ensure the dog IS a good candidate.
There are a lot of online resources for people who are training their own service dogs. Give a look at this yahoo group. It has a lot of members and is pretty active. Perhaps you could get more info and direction from others who are training their own dogs for similar work.
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/assistance-dogs/info
Teach him all the positions of sit, down, stand and then teach them while you are seated in a chair and then on both sides of you.
Teach him to come to and heel on your right side to a different verbal cue than on your left.
Teach him to retrieve objects to your hand and then teach him to retrieve them and put them in a basket.
Teach him a good, solid "leave it" so that he doesn't go toward or sniff at things he walks past while on leash.
More important than teaching him specific behaviors is what you do to socialize him to the world that he's eventually going to work in.
Get him accustomed to riding in all sorts of vehicles, walking on all sorts of surfaces, and passing through all sorts of doors by taking him to retail establishments and businesses that allow leashed dogs.
Get him used to people with a variety of appearances, gaits, and mannerisms.
Get him accustomed to the sounds of traffic, sight of joggers and bicyclists, people in uniform, baby strollers, shopping carts, and anything else he might encounter when he starts accompanying you as a service dog.
In all honesty, I'm surprised that any trainer would suggest that you just work on your own with your dog and wait on any more advanced training as late as a year old. Not because dogs can't be trained at a later age to the level of obedience and specific behaviors that is required, but because so much happens developmentally during that first year that will affect a dog's adult temperament. The single most important characteristic of any service dog is a sound, stable temperament. A good trainer will provide a HUGE amount of help and the necessary guidance during puppyhood.
My colleagues that train service dogs all have puppy programs and classes. These are trainers that train for service dog organizations and trainers that assist owners in training their own dogs for assistance work. Yes, you can select an adult dog that is a good candidate for service work and start the training at one year. In fact, there are a number of organizations that actually train adult shelter dogs for service work but those dogs go through a strict screening process and only well-socialized, confident, stable and dog & people friendly dogs make it into the program. But if you have a puppy that you are hoping will grow to be a service dog, it is in everyone's interest to start now with a training plan to provide adequate socialization and strong foundation behaviors so you're doing your best to ensure the dog IS a good candidate.
There are a lot of online resources for people who are training their own service dogs. Give a look at this yahoo group. It has a lot of members and is pretty active. Perhaps you could get more info and direction from others who are training their own dogs for similar work.
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/assistance-dogs/info