Facility Dog Program
Facility dogs are highly trained dogs that live and work with a facilitator. While they don’t have public access rights, facility dogs go to work with and are approved to be in the same facility that their handler works in. Our facility dogs work in locations like schools, hospitals, and healthcare facilities. Facility dogs learn tasks that help clients and students reach individual goals and progress in life.
Do you need a facility dog or a therapy dog?
Therapy dogs and facility dogs may sound familiar, but they are vastly different. Facility dogs only work in one facility which is where their handler works. They have tasks to help patients and students reach set goals and are able to comfort individuals by showing them different skills.
What tasks can my facility dog be trained to do?
Your facility dog will have tasks like a service dog, but aimed towards the public! Some of our dogs know skills like demonstrating for ultrasounds, playing basketball, wearing glasses, and playing fetch with young kids.
Becoming a certified team
Saving Duos Facility Dogs go through extensive training to become fully certified. Each facility team’s training plan will be unique to them with individualized tasks that best support their work location. Upon graduation, each team will know a minimum of five tasks. As well as having passed their Canine Good Citizens test and passing the Saving Duos Facility Dog certification test. Each team must pass a certification test every year.
Facility Dog Training Plan
Socialization
All of our animals go through socialization to make sure they are calm and confident. During our facility dog socialization, we visit lots of pet-friendly locations, desensitize grooming and vet needs, and work on keeping your dog confident and comfortable in all situations. We also emphasize understanding how to remain calm for pets from the time your dog is young to help them succeed in their work. We encourage everyone to start this training as young as possible. Dogs without all their vaccines will begin training from the safety of a stroller or wagon.
Beginners Training
Beginners training helps teach dogs the basics of how to live life. We focus on helping them gain confidence through exploring and form the base of their commands. While customizable, this training typically includes potty training, foundations of recall, confidence building, crate training, walking on a leash, learning to settle, continuation of vet care, continuation of grooming care, and learning how to interact with other animals.
Basics Training
Basics training is where obedience starts to become the center of our attention. We begin developing and practicing our Canine Good Citizen Skills. Including:
- Accept of a friendly stranger
- Sitting politely for petting
- Appearance and grooming
- Loose leash walking
- Walking through a crowd
- Sit, down, and stay
- Recall
- Remaining calm and controlled around other dogs
- Remaining calm and confident around distractions
- Supervised Separation
Facility task training
After your dog has mastered the above skills and passed their Canine Good Citizen we will begin learning Saving Duos facility dog skills and specialized tasks. These include:
- Tandem Team Walking
- Sitting for pets
- Standing for pets
- Laying for pets
- Approaching strangers upon command
- Offering a belly command
- Walking with a stranger
- Friendly of mascots
- Tolerating clothes, toys, and more.
- Specialized tasks ideal for your work location
Final Evaluation
Once you have your Canine Good Citizen, have learned all your tasks for your facility, and are confident in your dogs skills you are ready or the Saving Duos Facility Dog Certification Test. Reach out to us to schedule your certification test!
Saving Duos 