To qualify a dog as a Service Dog the person using it (or intended to use it) must first be diagnosed with a condition that warrants use. For example, if you are diagnosed with PTSD you have a diagnosed condition. Next is to have a Dr. confirm that a service dog would/could provide benefit. When this is the case they can actually write a prescription in many cases.
Then comes training. Most Service Dogs are actually trained by their owners as the training is relevant to the condition of diagnosis. Some dogs do receive training from organizations that specialize in certain types of training such as seeing eye dogs but this is by far the minority.
The cost for training from organizations can be upwards of 50K in mnay cases, this is subsidized or otherwise donated usually. This is another reason why most are owner trained. Being trained by an owner is still not cheap as various levels of basic training are needed, which is handled in many cases by general trainers. Also, theere is the cost of time. All Service Dogs require a huge amount of time to train and in fact the process is never ending and thus does require a huge commitment by an owner.
APBR
Then comes training. Most Service Dogs are actually trained by their owners as the training is relevant to the condition of diagnosis. Some dogs do receive training from organizations that specialize in certain types of training such as seeing eye dogs but this is by far the minority.
The cost for training from organizations can be upwards of 50K in mnay cases, this is subsidized or otherwise donated usually. This is another reason why most are owner trained. Being trained by an owner is still not cheap as various levels of basic training are needed, which is handled in many cases by general trainers. Also, theere is the cost of time. All Service Dogs require a huge amount of time to train and in fact the process is never ending and thus does require a huge commitment by an owner.
APBR
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