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Spoke N' Paws Assistance Dogs®

Obedience Training for Shelter & Rescue Dogs

Assistance Dog Training

Assistance Dog Certification

Spoke N' Paws-Assistance Dogs offers a unique, four-phase training program that provides obedience training for dogs in local animal shelters as well as opportunities for selected dogs to receive advanced training as assistance dogs.

In a cooperative effort to help place dogs in good homes, the Spoke N' Paws staff (paid and volunteer) visits humane societies, animal shelters, and animal-rescue facilities to work on basic obedience training and behavioral issues with dogs in those facilities. The majority of dogs brought into these establishments are surrendered by owners who don't know how to resolve their pets' inappropriate social behaviors. Our goal in this phase is to teach these dogs how to live in prospective homes. In addition, this phase is a "learning laboratory" to train new Spoke N' Paws staff members. By working with different breeds, we learn more about canine behavior—an important factor when placing dogs with individuals who have physical, mental, or emotional limitations. Rigorous temperament testing is conducted with dogs that demonstrate potential for our advanced training program. To reduce the release rate in advanced training, it is important that we choose dogs that can adjust easily to different environments.

In the second phase of the Spoke N' Paws assistance-dog training program, we teach selected dogs to perform advanced commands. These commands include picking up objects from the floor, pulling a wheelchair, tugging open a door, closing a drawer or cabinet, turning a light switch on or off, alerting someone to a ringing telephone or a baby crying—or simply providing companionship for someone who is housebound. Each dog selected for assistance work leaves our facility with a repertoire of skills and commands. Once a dog is matched with a recipient, we work with the team—in their home—for one week. The first part of the week, we teach the recipient basic information such as canine health, maintenance, and a list of the dog's skills. During the latter part of the week, we work with the recipient on "tailoring" the dog to his or her specific needs. By structuring the placement in this fashion, we assist the recipient in teaching the dog how to perform the tasks needed most.

The third phase of the Spoke N' Paws program provides certification to recipients who complete our program, as well as certification to people who have trained their own assistance dogs. Although the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does not require an assistance dog to be certified, we offer certification to those that pass a public-certification examination (behavior and etiquette in a public setting). Before we certify an individual for public access, we need to know that the individual, as well as the assistance dog, can maneuver safely in public settings. For people who have chosen and trained their own dogs to assist them with everyday needs, Spoke N' Paws provides short seminars and offers the opportunity to test for certification with our organization and achieve more independence as a working team.

Phase four involves an extensive follow-up program for all Spoke N' Paws participants. Our fundamental goal in this phase is to provide every working team with the support they have earned. We visit each participant in their home once a year to provide instruction and assistance to ensure a successful team.

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Links of Interest

Association of Pet Dog Trainers

International Association of Assistance Dog Partners
Wolf Packs
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