German Shepherds as Service Dogs: Frequently Asked Questions
At Magnum Opus, we get a lot of questions about and interest in our German Shepherds as service dog prospects. Here are some of the most common questions we get, and our answers!
What is a service dog?
A service dog is trained to do specific tasks that mitigate the disabilities of their handler.
Service dogs are allowed certain rights under federal law (the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA). From the ADA:
“Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Examples of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties. Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.”
Are German Shepherds good service dogs?
Yes! The German Shepherd breed has a long history of successful working service dogs, and they remain one of the most popular and highly recommended breeds for service work to this day.
However, German Shepherds are not a good fit for everyone, and service dogs are no exception to this! Please contact us to discuss your individual needs in order to determine if a German Shepherd service dog might be a good fit for you.
Does Magnum Opus place service dog prospects?
Yes! We have been placing a limited number of service dog prospects since the very beginning of our breeding program. Starting this year, we expect to welcome our first litters bred specifically for service, facility, and therapy work, as well as emotional support and active companions.
We are extremely familiar with the specific type of temperament, energy level, and working ability that service dogs need to be successful, and have had fantastic success with placing service dog prospects with each specific handler. Our approach to selecting, placing, and training service dogs is highly personalized and customizable to maximize the success of each team.
Do I qualify for a service dog?
To qualify for a service dog, you must have a disability that can be mitigated by a task trained service dog. Additionally, you must be able to provide for the physical and emotional needs of a service dog, and financially provide for the expense of a service dog.
While service dogs may be considered medical equipment, they are still living breathing animals with needs of their own. They are not machines. They must be properly fed and watered, given appropriate opportunities to relieve themselves, exercised, enriched, given proper veterinary care, groomed regularly and thoroughly, trained, given time “off duty” to relax and decompress and play, and receive affection and attention. Many first-time service dog handlers are not prepared for the amount of extra time they must dedicate to their service dog. The handler must be fully prepared to assume the responsibility of their service dog’s health and well-being.
Service dogs are also extremely costly. The up-front investment into one of our high quality puppies as a service dog prospect is just the beginning. It is estimated that a fully trained service dog over two years can cost the handler $15,000—$50,000 and up. These costs come from professional training, equipment, food, general care and upkeep, veterinary expenses, and much more.
Another thing to consider is highly personal—whether you are mentally and emotionally equipped to handle a service dog in public spaces. Service dogs attract a lot of attention from the general public. You will be asked a lot of questions, sometimes very intrusive or inappropriate ones. Strangers of all kinds will approach you and your dog to interact, and sometimes touch your dog without warning or consent. You will also run into poorly trained service dogs or pets, sometimes highly aggressive ones. Your rights to public access with your service dog will inevitably be challenged by someone who is not well-educated on the laws. Both you and your service dog must be prepared to handle those scenarios appropriately. As a handler, you must always be prepared to advocate for and protect your service dog. If you do not think you can handle any of the above scenarios, a service dog may not be right for you. We highly recommend that you spend a day or two with a service dog team in public places to see how your life will be affected before committing to a service dog.
What types of service dogs are there?
There are many different types of service dogs, such as guide dogs, hearing assistance dogs, mobility dogs, psychiatric assistance dogs, medical alert dogs, medical response dogs, allergy detection dogs, and more. Service dogs can be trained for a wide variety of tasks that mitigate their handlers' disabilities.
We have successfully placed service dogs in quite a few different categories.
What kind of training does a service dog need?
Service dogs must be housebroken, well-behaved and non-aggressive in public spaces, reliably perform specific tasks to mitigate their handlers' disability, and remain under the control of their handler at all times. Generally speaking, the training of a service dog can be divided into two broad categories: public access training, and task training.
Public access training involves early socialization and exposure to a lot of different environments, obedience training, training the dog to have neutral reactions and remain aloof with strange people and dogs, training the dog to remain focused on its handler despite distractions in the environment, and more.
Task training involves all the foundations, shaping, cues, and practice for various tasks. Some tasks involve the dog being “on-call” to task whenever cued by a change in either the handler or the handler’s environment. For example: a drop in the handler’s heart rate cuing the service dog to alert its handler to the change, or the presence of an obstacle in the path of a service dog that cues the dog to guide its handler around the obstacle. Some tasks are requested by the handler each time. For example: the service dog retrieves a medicine bag, or opens a door for their handler.
Do I need to hire a professional trainer for a service dog?
You are not required to hire a professional trainer for a service dog. There are many owner-trained service dogs! However, it is highly recommended that you do seek professional training assistance for a service dog. How much professional training help you will need depends on your own experience training dogs, as well as the type of tasks the dog is required to perform.
How do I find a trainer for a service dog?
When hiring any trainer, we recommend looking for a trainer with years of experience, proof of having successfully trained many dogs, excellent reviews from past clients, and recognition in the form of certifications and awards. For a service dog trainer specifically, look for a trainer who specializes in or has experience with training service dogs, (ideally with GSDs), and the same type of tasks you are needing.
How long does it take to train a service dog?
Typically a service dog goes through 1-3 years of training. Every dog is an individual and some need to stay in training longer than others. Service dogs must be fully trained before they have full legal access & accommodation rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
What about a service dog in training? Do they have the same legal rights as a fully trained service dog?
Under the ADA, service dogs in training do not have public access and accommodation rights. However, certain state and local laws do give these rights to dogs and puppies that are still in the training stage. Make sure you research your state’s laws.
What happens to service dogs that don't complete their training?
Service dogs in training that do not complete their training (or "wash" from service work) typically become beloved family companions. Being a service dog is very rigorous job, and not every dog will be a good fit for the role. In addition, service dogs have a high “wash” rate, meaning quite a few service dogs in training will not make it as a fully trained working service dogs.
Before any service dog prospect is placed by Magnum Opus, we will discuss the possibility of the dog washing from service work to determine what would happen in that potential scenario. Sometimes the dog will stay with its original handler as a pet, and sometimes it will be returned to Magnum Opus. Each situation is different, and it’s always good to have a backup plan.
Does a service dog need to be registered, certified, or carry documentation from any organizations?
No! There are unfortunately a large number of online scams that claim to sell official paperwork for service dogs. This is not a legal requirement and is never needed to gain access to public places with your service dog.
How is a service dog prospect chosen?
Service dogs need to meet a specific set of temperament requirements to be successful. At Magnum Opus, our puppies undergo several days of rigorous temperament testing as well as task-specific aptitude testing that is performed by outside trainers in unfamiliar environments. This testing helps us choose the best service dog prospect for each handler.
If you have further questions, feel free to reach out to us!
Links for further research: