Welcome to My Service Dog’s Blog Site. Please feel free to list your Blogs and invite your friends to do the same.
Hopefully we will get many animal Blogs so we can all share and learn from one another.
This is a family and restricted Blog site so keep it clean.

Happy Blogging!
Allie Keaton

I get asked this question more than any other when it comes to puppies. Before I give instructions, I want to make a comment. “If you don’t have time for a puppy then don’t get one!” A puppy takes time, energy, and patience, but the return is that you have a dog that you have molded to your lifestyle and bonded at an early age.

Step One: Set up your home and yard to receive your new puppy. Decide where the puppy will potty in the yard and where the crate will be placed in the house. Set out rugs in all the rooms in which the puppy will be spending time so the puppy will have a “spot” to be in each room. Finally, set up a “play area” in the family room.
Purchase all the supplies needed: crate (just large enough for the puppy to turn around in and lay down), flat collar, 4’ leash, healthy food, healthy treats, safe toys, harness, and a safe shampoo.

Step Two: Arrange to get the puppy on a weekend or when you have a few days to devote to just the puppy. When you go to pick up the puppy, take the crate for it to travel in or put a towel on the back seat and use a harness to seat belt it in. Don’t hold the puppy on your lap while traveling!

Step Three: As soon as you get home, put on the puppy’s collar, attach the leash, and take the puppy to the “potty spot” and say, “go potty.” As soon as the puppy potties say, “good potty!” and give him a treat. If the puppy does not go potty, then walk him around in the yard close to the spot and try again after a short while. Give him a drink of water and continue until the puppy potties. Now, you have just taught the puppy that he gets a treat when he goes potty in that spot when you ask him to. Note: Make sure you praise him right there and give him a treat – not when you get inside!

Step Four: Keep the puppy on the leash in and out of the house and tethered to you unless he is in his crate. A puppy that is in eye sight at all times can’t make a mistake without you knowing it. You are also bonding with the puppy at the same time he is getting accustomed to the leash.

Step Five: Now is the time to find out how his system works. In other words, you will determine how long it takes him to need to potty after he eats and how many times he needs to pee during the day and night. I will mention here that a puppy will have to go to the bathroom after he: 1. eats or drinks; 2. wakes from a nap or sleep; 3. plays; 4. gets stressed out or scared. The general rule is that a puppy can ‘hold it’ one hour for each month of age. If you take him out too often then he may get confused and you may teach his system to go often.
Note: Free feeding is not recommended! Put out just enough food during feeding time and pick it up if he doesn’t eat all of it.

Step Six: Now, you are taking the puppy out after feeding it and every few hours the first day. When night time comes, take him out one more time right before you go to bed. When you bring him back in, it’s bed time for him too so don’t let him play and put him into the crate. Note: There will be a “Crate Training Blog” later.
In some cases, your puppy will sleep through the night without having to be taken out, but the first few nights he may have to go out in the middle of the night. Make sure that you DO NOT allow him to play when you bring him back in. Put him right back in his crate until morning.

If you do what I have suggested here then you should house train your puppy in a very short period of time. If your puppy makes mistakes in the house, then it is your fault because you are not watching him close enough or taking him out often enough.

One thing I want to insert here is that if your puppy does have a mistake and you catch him – don’t punish him! If you catch him trying to potty inside, then clap your hands to try and stop him, grab him up, and rush him to his ‘potty spot’ outside. But, don’t let him think that he is bad for making his mistake.
If your puppy repeatedly potties in his crate, then you should take him to your vet to rule out medical problems such as urinary-tract diseases or intestinal parasites.

I hope this helps and that you have great success house training your puppy.

Comments and Blogrolls welcomed.

Allie Keaton

Have you ever been denied Public Access with your Service Dog? If so we want to hear your story and help to put a Stop to the ignorance!

If you are a person that has denied public access to a person with a service animal then you better do your homework because not only have you broken the law, but you may have caused grief and even devastation to the person you denied and that is UNACCEPTIBLE!

It is time for all of us to make a stand and help those with service animals to become part of society and live life.

This is a common problem for people and their Service Dogs and we need to educate the public about the laws that protect the disabled and their Service Dogs.

Definition of a Service Animal: A service animal is any animal individually trained to perform tasks for a person with a disability (PWD) such as to guide a person who is blind, alert a person who is deaf, pull a wheelchair or pick up dropped items, alert or protect a person with seizures or provide balance and mobility assistance, among other tasks.
· A service animal is not a pet.
· A PWD may be asked what tasks the service animal performs but may not be asked for special certification or ID cards for the animal and may not be asked about his/her disability.
· A PWD may not be charged additional fees to be accompanied by a service animal.
· A PWD accompanied by a service animal must be admitted and may not be isolated, segregated or treated less favorably than other patrons.

Carry a card with this information: If you are an employee or owner of any business open to the public including, but not limited to, restaurants, hotels, taxis, shuttles, stores, medical facilities, theaters, parks, health clubs or zoos and you have been given this information, you have probably violated the federal Section 36.302© American With Disabilities Act (ADA), 1990 and the civil rights of the card-holder. Violators of the ADA can be required to pay money damages and penalties. For more information about the rights of persons with disabilities with service animals, please contact the United States Department of Justice at 1-800-514-0301.