American Assistance Dogs trains dogs to:
- Pick up items
- Open/close doors or drawers
- Turn on/off lights
- Give balance support or transfer help
- And other tangible skills as needed by a client
- Intangible skills do develop between client and dog
- We do not train dogs for the blind
These dogs are a great source of comfort and a bridge to the greater community. Our dogs are CGC certified before being placed – that means they’re not just a service dog, they’ve proven they can be good Canine Citizens too!
FAQ’s
Q. Is it difficult to train a service dog?
A. Not really, it’s a time commitment. Inexperienced trainers will have lots of help along the way. The majority of time is spent training basic obedience and manners. Skills the dogs will use later to help someone are fun “games” we teach the dogs to startand these become the foundation for the skills they use to help someone.
Q. How much time does it take to be a volunteer trainer?
A. The commitment is approximately 2 years. Much of the training is just part of everyday living. We do request the puppy is socialized by attending weekly classes until a CGC is obtained. At home training is approximately 30 minutes a day – depending on maturity and skill level of the puppy/dog.
Q. What is a CGC?
A. Canine Good Citizen is a basic manners test we require on all our service dogs.
The details can be found at www.akc.org/CGC
Q. How much does it cost to train a service dog?
A. The approximate cost to raise/train a service dog with A.A.D. is $3,500 – including food, training, vet care, equipment. A.A.D. helps with the Volunteer Trainers for as many of these costs as possible. Other expenses can be considered donations and deducted from taxes.
Q. Is it hard to give them up after training them?
A. Absolutely. But to know you are changing someone’s life by doing it is so amazing it makes the tears worth it.
Q. Can service dogs and service dogs in training go anywhere?
A. Yes. There are laws in MN that govern both clients and trainers in public places; each state has their own specific laws. The MN statutes can be found at : http://www.ccimn.org/forms/MN%20DA.pdf
There are also federal laws that govern service dogs and their clients, these are under the ADA laws see this site for more information: http://www.ada.gov/qasrvc.htm