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or a negative distraction.

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So be a good leader and keep yourself and your service dog safe. Use your

parent eyes

to always scan your environment for possible
positive or negative distractions.

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You must also have

parent eyes

in the back of your head because . . .

.

Dogs think fast - Move fast.

You need to redirect your dog before it sees or fully reacts to a distraction or interrupt when the dog has taken action.

Always be ready to

redirect or interrupt

your service dog when it is faced
with usual or unusual,
positive or negative distractions.

Redirect

To give a service dog something else to do instead of reacting.

Used when the service dog is "unaware"
of the distraction but you are. You see the distraction first and redirect your dog away from it because you know your dog may react.

Your service dog may, for example,

• get excited when it sees a buddy from the dog park,


• be frightened by a certain neighborhood, homeless person,


• or tend to scarf food off the ground.

   

   

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You see the homeless person that your service dog is
afraid of. As you move away from the person you have
your dog watch you until you are far enough away from
the homeless person that your dog will lose interest. You
praise your dog with a "love" or a "treat" for success.

Interrupt

Used when the service dog is "locked onto" the distraction and it is too late to redirect the dog away from the distraction by giving it something else to do. To make a sudden break in a service dog's unwanted behavior.

The goal is to get your dog under control.

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Your service dog is overly excited seeing his buddy.
The goal is getting your dog back into control.

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Move into your service dog to stop the lunging as you say, "Bravo, with me!"

Then have your dog sit or down then watch you while you decide what to do next, let the dogs visit or not. Praise and treat your dog when your dog is sitting or lying dog calmly.

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growl at the homeless person

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You move slowly into your dog, changing your and your dog's direction away from the person he is afraid of. Say "with me, good with me" then treat for the "with me" not the fear. Happy voice.

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sniff or eat a dropped hot dog

1. Redirect

2. Interrupt

Redirect

1. Give a cue

2. Touch

3. Happy Voice

4. Whistle or make an unusual sound

5. Squeak a toy

6. Go the opposite direction

7. Lure with food

8. Clear Throat

9. "Watch"

10. Do something fun like spin or bow

Interrupt

1. Move into dog

2. Block the dog

3. Sit/Stay

4. Here!
5. Wait!

6. Change directions

7. Scream

8. Slowly back up

9. Walk into the dog erratically

10. Lure

Ok

Let's Play!

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A stranger surprises you from behind to love your dog.

What do you do?

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Your service dog is nervous around a bunch of balloons.

What should you do?

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An aggressive dog is growling and trying to get at your service dog.  What should you do?

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A sleeping cat is on your front porch. Your service dog perks up his ears and strectches his neck to sniff it.

What can you do?

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You see some spilled popcorn on the ground but your service dog doesn't.

You would . . .

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Your service dog loves ponds, especially with ducks.
The closer you get, the more excited he becomes.

What do you do?

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You are at the fair and a small child is inadvertently dangling a stuffed toy in front of your service dog's nose.

What do you do?