A Service animal is an animal that is individually trained to work and perform a task or a series of tasks that benefit an individual with a disability (whether medical or psychosocial) in order to facilitate their ability to function with ease in society.

Medical Alert Assistance Dogs are trained to help people with life-threatening health conditions, giving them greater independence and above all saving their lives on a daily basis. Our dogs are trained to assist individuals with health issues. They are taught to identify the changes in scent that happen with the chemical changes caused by serious and chronic medical conditions.

Currently the majority of our Medical Alert Dogs work with people with epilepsy in many forms and diabetes. We also train medical alert dogs for other conditions including Lupus, PTSD, Panic Disorders, heart conditions, and severe allergic responses. We continue to investigate and train for other crippling conditions which our dogs may have the ability to detect.

Canine Bio Detection Services assists people in training their own dog to become their service dog.

Training includes either group classes, private sessions or board and train. We have numerous outings to test the dogs in various public places. We train in basic dog obedience, appropriate behavior in public places, specific tasks based on individual needs.

We assist our clients in finding an appropriate dog for service. Generally this means a dog who is between the ages of 6 months to 2 years, is calm, favors humans over other dogs, has no demonstrable behavior issues, has a good work ethic and passes the required physical.

If for any reason you cannot add another dog to your household and you wish to use your current dog, your dog will undergo an initial assessment to determine appropriate temperament as well as assessment every six months within the training until graduation then yearly after graduation.

Training requires dedication, patience and commitment of working with your animal on a daily basis.

Americans With Disabilities Act states that anyone depending on an animal to function should be allowed full access to all private businesses that serve the public, like restaurants, stores and theaters. The law specifies that such animals must be trained specifically to assist their owner. Animals may provide either Psychiatric, Assistance or Medical related tasks that assist in the daily functions of their owners.

Service Animals must be TRAINED.

Being able to take your animal everywhere sounds great but the individual must be aware that it requires patience, understanding, willingness to follow through, and overall hard work. The individual should at al times be aware of the laws and expectations regarding service animals and their behaviors.

Before deciding on a service animal a few things must be taken into consideration:

Is the animal for a psychiatric, assistance or medical issue

What types of tasks do you expect the animal to perform (Companionship/ Comfort is NOT A TASK)

Are you willing to make the effort, attend classes regularly, complete homework tasks for up to 2 Years.

Public appropriateness:

+Always on leash, under control, housebroken and non-aggressive

+Must be able to work/perform tasks that assist their handler with functioning in societyThe Animal is to be well maintained, clean, with no odor

+The animal does not urinate or defecate in inappropriate locations.

Behavior:

+The animal must maintain focus of its handler and not bother others in public

+The animal cannot disrupt the operation of business.

+The animal does not vocalize unnecessarily, i.e. barking, growling or whining.

+The animal cannot display any aggression towards other animals or people.

+The animal does not beg for food or steal food.

Training:

+The animal specifically performs tasks that alleviate or lessen the suffering of their disabled individual.

+The animal works calmly on leash, harness or tether.

+The animal is able to perform their tasks in all arenas.

+The animal must lie quietly beside their owner (or under a table in restaurant) without blocking aisles, hallways, etc.…effectively being invisible to others.

+The animal urinates and defecates only in appropriate place, and owner cleans up after it or arranges for clean up.

+The animal maintains a distance of no more than 2 feet of its handler at all times unless the nature of a trained task requires it to be working at a greater distance.

Our service dog program has 5 levels.

The first 3 levels are basic to advanced obedience. This is necessary for all service, assistance and therapy dogs.

Level 1 covers the basics of obedience and public manners including:

+Leash Manners

+Attention & Focus

+Self Control with Doors

+Proper Greeting Behavior

+Leave it

+Come

+Self Control Around Food

+Stay

+Settle

+Self Control Around Toys

Level 2 covers distractions, other dogs, leash handling issues in everyday life, vet and groomer visits, the beginnings of retrieves.

Level 3 covers:

+Backing up out of the way, or out of danger

+Right turn, left turn, about turn, and walking through a crowd (loose leash)

+Sit / Down / Stand Stay with Distractions

+Recall in-sight and out of sight with many distractions.

+Attention to owner under heavy distraction

+Taking your dog to outdoor cafes, Starbucks, or picnic and trusting that he won't eat your dinner. This is a high level "leave it".

+Do you really know sit - tests sit, stand, down and stay under unusual and distracting situations

Level 4 covers control in public places

+Loading and unloading from a vehicle

+Approaching Buildings

+Entries and Exits through Doors

+Heeling through a building

+Recalls in public through heavy traffic

+Sits, Downs and Stands on Cue with no hesitation

+Self control despite noise and movement

+Off Lead Control

+Control in traffic in a parking lot or on a sidewalk

Level 5 starts the process of task specific training individual for each service team.