# Training Older Dog for Service Work



## kauffmds (Nov 6, 2015)

I don't know if this is the right forum. I'm sorry for the long post. I want to give you all of the information that I can. I need advice on training a dog that I've just adopted from the local shelter. Here is everything that I know about him:

His name is Thor and he is 6 years old. He he was taken to the local Humane Society shelter, after their owner died. Thor is a purebred DDR GSD. Thor is extraordinarily well trained. He speaks German and English. His teeth are a bit worn down and rounded and he definitely has an issue with his right hip, which is stiff and arthritic. He was just neutered by the vet that the Humane Society uses, so I'm making an appointment with our vet to have his hip x-rayed.

Otherwise Thor is very healthy and very active. The vet tech that works where Thor was neutered, knew the owner and Thor. She said that the owner spent more than $7500 on her 2 GSD's (Thor has a brother), to buy them and to train them. Although I don't have direct knowledge, I suspect that they're schutzhund trained. 

He's all business when he's on the leash and he follows my commands without hesitation. He ignores everything that's around him, and he's not dog, cat, child, human, food, aggressive. He doesn't seem to startle at all. I suspect the schutzhund training, because of the knowledge of German commands. His worn teeth could be from protection work, and his hip from obstacle course. He is truly well trained and me watches me intently. I don't see any issues with his temperament. 

I've owned a total of 6 GSD's over the past 30 years. I've never participated in the sport of Schutzhund, and I don't have the physical abilities to do it now. But, I've always done advanced obedience training with my shepherds. With the exception of Heidi, all were younger than Thor.

my question is:

I have young onset Parkinson's Disease; the VA put in a dorsal spinal simulator about 6 months ago. I was looking for a dog to train as a service dog for me. Do you think Thor can be adapted in his training for this purpose? It would be simple things, like picking up things that I drop, opening the door. I'm starting to have freezing up episodes, so I would like to teach him to tug on the leash a bit to get me going again, or push me with his nose on command.

He's 6 years old; is that too old to teach him these things? I'm sure that it will involve a variation of what he's already been taught and he's excellent in public. Does anyone know a source of good information on training a service dog?

Thanks!


----------



## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

I don't think Thor is too old at 6 to learn to be a service dog. He already is so well trained that I think he would easily learn how to pick up things for you. He also probably needs and wants a job to do. My only concern would be his hip and that his health is up to the duties like tugging you out of a freezing episode. I would suggest you check with your vet first. I did find these sites that could help you with the training and in evaluating Thor for the service work:
Service Dog Training | A Better Pet LLC
Canine Service & Assistance Dogs | K9 Service Dogs


----------



## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

there is also the possibility of hiring a regular trainer (I say regular but has and can demonstrate their ability) as none of these behaviors are too complex. dogs that need to guide or alert will need specialty training but the behaviors you need will be driven by your verbal cues, hence, it's a matter of retrieve (dropped items), targeting (nose push) and pulling (if physically capable) should include a harness which is not difficult to teach a dog to pull into. many are delighted to do so!


----------



## Liulfr (Nov 10, 2015)

He's not too old to be trained, since the average age for SD retirement is around 10. But I believe a SD with a background in Schutzhund is a big no-no. 

Check out http://servicedogcentral.org. There's a wealth of information there, as well as a forum full of very knowledgeable people who can answer your questions. Kirsten, the owner, has GSD service dogs herself.


----------



## JustJim (Sep 6, 2010)

Centy came to me when she was 7+ years old. I got hurt in a fall a few days later, and wasn't able to begin training her for several more months. When we finally got started, it took a few days for her to learn her primary task: to lean into my leg when I was off-balance and starting to fall. She picked up a few more tasks over the years she was with me. The tasks she could learn were limited more by my ability to define the task and work out how best to teach it, than by any limitations due to her age. 

Books: start out with _Teamwork: A Dog Training Manual for People with Disabilities_, then move on to _Team Work II: A Dog Training Manual for People with Disabilities_. As for the group at Service Dog Central, be cautious; disagreeing with the groupthink can get people pretty upset with you.

Edited to add: While some groups won't certify therapy dogs that have had bite training, I'm not aware of any legal requirement that service dogs not have schutzhund or similar training. I do know of a few service dogs that have had bite training, and at least one former MWD that is now acting as a service dog.


----------



## Liulfr (Nov 10, 2015)

JustJim said:


> As for the group at Service Dog Central, be cautious; disagreeing with the groupthink can get people pretty upset with you.


Because that never happens here.  



JustJim said:


> Edited to add: While some groups won't certify therapy dogs that have had bite training, I'm not aware of any legal requirement that service dogs not have schutzhund or similar training. I do know of a few service dogs that have had bite training, and at least one former MWD that is now acting as a service dog.


Public places can legally exclude a dog trained in bitework. But since there's no proof this dog has been trained in such, and it's just a guess on the current owner's part, I don't see where it's a big deal as long as the dog behaves as expected for public access.


----------



## Baillif (Jun 26, 2013)

Speaks English and German eh? Sounds like a **** of a dog  Should make him a translator.


----------



## JustJim (Sep 6, 2010)

Liulfr said:


> Because that never happens here.


I've not encountered the level and intensity of harassment and vituperation here that I experienced at SDC. 



Liulfr said:


> Public places can legally exclude a dog trained in bitework.


Could you cite your source on that, please? ADA and the relevant guidelines allow a public or private entity to exclude, or have removed, a dog based on _behavior_ (growling, barking, biting, etc); absent that behavior (or presumably, a history of those or similar behaviors), there seems to be no way it would come up. (Or at least that was how it was explained to me when I contacted DOJ regarding this question back in 2010. Has there been an actual change in the law/guidelines?)


----------

