Service Dogs
Disqualifications for Service Dog Work
Service Dogs
What Service Dogs Do
Is a Service Dog for You
How to Get a Service Dog
The Right Dog
The Right Source
The Right Trainer
The Right Training
Your Goals
Your Resources
Getting Ready for a Service Dog
Equipment
Health Care
When You Get a Service Dog
Working in Public

Disqualifying Factors
Any of these reasons can disqualify a dog from service dog work.  These are factors you will want to rule out innitially through extensive testing before you make a choice about a particular dog.
 
Temperament
Aggression
Sound Sensitivity
Hyperactivity
Distractability
Fearfulness
 
Health
Allergies
Skin Problems
Hip or Knee Problems
Thyroid Imbalance
 
Other Disqualifications
Inappropriate Barking
Inappropriate Elimination
Excessive Mouthiness
Critter Chasing (cats, rabbits, or squirrels)

Christy Hill discusses this with good examples in her article on self-trained dogs.  However, the same criteria and considerations apply to any HelperDog candidate.  As an informed consumer, you can avoid many common mistakes by reading about other's experiences.  Check out Christy Hill's advice on dog selection at:

If you are a person visiting this site who has information, comments, stories, opinions or other input on this topic that would be helpful and could be included on the Comments and Input page for this topic, please email:

Education and Support for People and Service Dogs