This course covers all the basics a person would need to understand the process of acquiring and navigating the world with a service dog. It starts with United States service dog law including the ADA, FHA and ACAA, as well as state vs. federal laws. It discusses where a service dog can and can't go, legal and access questions, and frequently asked questions. The next section goes over creating structure for an owner-trainer using voluntary testing, as well as public access testing. The next section goes over types of service dogs, tasks, and how to build a task list for your own service dog goals. Next I help the student answer the question "is a service dog right for me?" This section includes service dog alternatives, working with your medical team, public access considerations, program vs. owner-training considerations, professional training, timelines, and cost. The next section covers finding a trainer, including red flags, as well as gathering the rest of your support team. The next two sections cover finding a service dog prospect, as well as finding a breeder, with a detailed look at health testing, raising strategies, titling and other factors to consider. I also cover questions like "what if the dog doesn't work out?", introducing the new dog to your current dog, and succession planning. The next section covers working a service dog, including lifestyle considerations for a service dog handler, public challenges, communicating with family and friends, preparing your dog for unique situations, petting, service dog etiquette, handling public inquiry, what to do if you are denied access, and more. Finally we work through a self-assessment to check if the current dog or prospect they are looking for is a good fit for service dog work.

Sponsor:DOGGY•U
Speaker(s):**Laura DeMaio Roy

Contact: Laura DeMaio Roy
 Web: http://www.doggyu.com/