Profile of an Ideal Dog for Service Dog Work
The Right Dog
+
The Right Match with a Human Partner=
A Successful Working Team
The Selection Process
Selecting the Right Dog is probably the most critical part of the equation. There are specific criteria that have
been developed over time which have been found to be necessary for success with a service dog. There are specific guidelines
which disqualify a dog from service dog work.
Realizing this, and understanding these criteria and guidelines will help you to be an educated consumer in the service
dog arena. A provider organization or private trainer who deviates from these industry standards probably will not be
able to deliver the highest quality of service.
Making the Right Match
The second part of this equation is matching the Right Dog with a human partner. Even if a dog meets all the criteria
and does all the tasks and exercises, when placed with a human partner that is not a good personality match for that
particular dog, can lead to failure as a team. Dogs have separate unique personalities, just as people do, and
this must be considered for both parts of the team.