Our first "official" post for Teacher's Pet! Why isn't Promise a Certified Service Dog, and then, What Is He Actually?

I took a big step today, personally, regarding Promise's training. I bought a special vest and two "Service Dog in Training" patches to go with it. I can't wait until it arrives and I get to see how Promise reacts to the vest. We will incorporate this into our training so that he realizes the vest equals the expectation of specific behaviors.

I feel it's important to post a disclaimer here: I will never present Promise as a certified service dog unless, by some bizarre happenstance, he ever happens to be actually certified. Promise will upon reaching the appropriate age, be required by me to pass a therapy dog evaluation. He will then be an "Evaluated Therapy Dog" and a "Owner-Trained Facility Assistance Dog", with the latter term one that is made up simply to help people we meet understand what he does. Service Dog certification is a lengthy process that requires an exceptional dog and then gives that dog an exceptional purpose and expectation. Promise's plan has always been: S.T.A.R. Puppy (earned), Canine Good Citizen, Community Canine, Therapy Dog Evaluation. Until one year old, the only evaluation he is eligible for is AKC's S.T.A.R. puppy--the exam which he passed at 4 months old.  He is not going to be "certified" and I would never demean the real Service Dogs or their trainers by presenting him as such. I strongly encourage other dog owners to research the importance of not misrepresenting your dog for any reason!

Our "Service Dog in Training" patches are for when we are working out in public and I need people to understand that they cannot simply approach him and pet him in the middle of a behavior we're working on. At 9 months old, basic obedience commands are still our priority and before I want Promise to be petted and adored by the public at large (keeping in mind he goes to work with me at least once a week and gets the opportunity for appropriate socialization and behavior in the classroom) I want him to have rock-solid come, sit, stay, heel, etc. I will always be present to assist Promise in his work with students--that's one of the reasons he IS a facility assistance dog and not simply a Therapy Dog. Promise will learn to obey specific commands given by either me or one of the children I teach that will help my students when they are having difficulties or emotional reactions specific to their diagnosis.

Due to the nature of the struggles my students face I may often have to be the one to give Promise the command. A child with Tourette Syndrome or even severe ADHD can be so caught up in what their body is asking them to do they can't reach out for help or even realize they need it. A child with a language processing delay can be so badly frustrated that the ability to verbalize at all becomes impossible. As a trained professional it then becomes my job to direct my dog to perform the task that will best help the student in difficulty.

All this to say, while he will eventually wear "Facility Therapy Dog" patches at the school, the SDiT patches will help the general public understand when I ask them to either: a. not interact with my dog or b. interact in a very specific way. Service Dogs in Training are not given public access, but many store-owners are willing to allow short visits if you arrange them ahead of time and explain the situation (another reason for the SDiT patches, it helps customers understand why a dog is inside).

On a fun note, here are recent pictures!
Promise went to our local paid-entry dog park for the first time today. I love this park for many reasons, chiefly because dogs must have inoculations to enter, male dogs must be neutered, and there are two decent-sized, filtered ponds inside the fenced, shaded 15 acres.