Raising a Service Dog: Training and Milestones at 4 Months Old

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In this video, I'm sharing an update on raising 4-month-old service dog puppy, John Denver! We’ll dive into his training progress so far, covering key milestones and skills we’ve been focusing on. From basic cues and potty training to public access training, and Denver's first couple AKC titles, we’ll break down what’s been working and where we’re still encountering challenges.
We’ll also take you along as we discuss socialization activities, trick training, hiking adventures, and how these activities help build confidence and resilience. Plus, I’ll touch on the unique aspects of preparing a service dog for their important role. Whether you’re curious about service dog training or looking for tips for your own puppy, this video offers a real-life glimpse into the process-successes, struggles, and all!
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[@freshwomandiaries5627]

I would love if you did a course on puppy potty training for service dogs. I'm getting an Australian Shepherd and I currently have a toy aussie and I've found that she is very easy to train and tries really hard to learn what I want her to do. I'm not really worried about training behaviors (like the beginnings of sit and stay and such), but I'm worried about the puppy behaviors. I remember getting pretty frustrated by jumping, play biting, pulling on the leash, herding, and barking, but I didn't really get frustrated teaching new behaviors with my first dog. Having a course to at least help with potty training would be great and I would take it, but also a course designed to help with all puppy specific behaviors that need to be addressed

[@DoggyU]

I likely won't be doing a full puppy course right away (as I'm just too in the weeds with my own puppy right now!) but maybe in the future! I've written a bunch of it ... just unfortunately haven't figured out how to clone myself lol!

[@SteveA-d4m]

Congrats on choosing an Aussie❤❤❤ If you search Doggy U playlist you will find lots of topics on raising a puppy as I had a puppy a year ago and found valuble information with Laura’s playlist

[@freshwomandiaries5627]

Thank you both for the replies! And Laura all the work you put in is more than enough to help already, no one expects you to clone yourself haha. If you ever do find time to make the course I'm sure it will help a lot of people!

[@mobstercrow7515]

Leash pulling is pretty easy to fix. Every time they pull, turn around and walk the other direction for 5-7 steps, turn around to the original direction you were going and wait for your dog to chill, then continue walking. At first you will be turning around a lot, but after a while, your dog will get it. Start out inside of your house, then the backyard, then the front yard, then the sidewalk, then other places. If your dog can't do it at home, they won't do it in public of course. After they get it, teach them at different speeds. Walk fast, then slow down while scuffing your feet, then your dog will understand that scuffing = slow down. Keep proper posture and walk with a purpose. If they are too far forward or behind then do the turn around thing. It also helps to teach the actual heel command. Heel is a position, it must be trained off leash indoors. You should be able to say "heel", then your dog should come into the heel position. It helps a lot during walking, if they pull you can say "heel" and they will remember that cue and go back to position!

[@freshwomandiaries5627]

Ooh that's awesome advice, I haven't heard it before! I will add that to my notes for my next dog! Thank you :)

[@tjsayers5428]

Yes, please, on potty training a service puppy! I’m getting a 7-week GSD service puppy today and would greatly appreciate knowing what is different than “normal” potty training. Current methods I use: always on leash and outside in designated area (no pee pads), bells on door for them to alert they have to go out (blind people cannot see pup politely sitting at door), inside crate in room with me while I am working (so I can focus on work and know they won’t wander off for a pee). Your video will probably be too late for this pup, but would love to see one. ❤️

[@yvren1323]

yes!! a lesson on specifically potty training for service dog work would be really helpful to me

[@armadillofeathers4850]

Your journey with this pup really touches my heart, especially watching you fall in love with him. I got my first lab last May and feel the same way, even through the frustrations of puppyhood. Thank you for sharing this with us.

[@DoggyU]

Haha yes - definitely not all rainbows and sunshine but just a really cool pup

[@cwilliams2958]

Love it! Training manners in public (restroom, watch, etc) is def one of our struggles. Another super relatable vid, the reason I’ll keep learning!

[@DoggyU]

Restrooms can be so challenging! (and consequential because they can also be so icky! LOL)

[@gingerblues1896]

Would absolutely love a course on potty training for service dogs! Getting a labrador puppy as a service candidate in a couple months and i want to be as ready as possible

[@LinneaVoss]

My female golden was *obsessed* with toilet paper/all paper at that age too!! She’ll be 2 at the end of the month and she doesn’t care about it at all anymore haha. You’re an amazing trainer and thank you for sharing your journey with him! It’s so fun to watch. ❤

[@DoggyU]

Haha glad there’s some toilet paper relief in my future if I just manage it 🧻 😂

[@Smokeybluetheraccoon]

I feel like in a lot of ways our service dog puppies are really different! Ayla's only a couple weeks older than Denver. She's always had an amazing natural settle. That's one of the things that drew me to her, is she's a very chill dog (for a puppy). She loves to work with me, but sometimes I have to amp her up a bit to get her to train. She's also such a snuggler! She loves to just laze around cuddling up with me

[@HappyAirHomestead]

Yes please. Would love to see the potty training course.

[@variamoon4172]

Congratulations Laura!!!!!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤❤❤

[@vsmartdogs]

Happy new year, yall🥰Have you heard of Dr Claudia Fugazza and her Do as I Do research? You and Denver basically did an informal version with you showing him how to push the door closed and him mimicking you, but the researchers actually developed a system where they can teach dogs to mimic a ton of different behaviors that humans can demonstrate and they were able to teach a lot of behaviors like this incredibly quickly compared to normal shaping sessions. There's often still some "clean up" shaping that needs to be done once the dog gets the general idea, but really cool stuff!

[@earth2wendy]

Yes! And the contrast of those controlled study vids I saw with Denver’s doing this so spontaneously for Laura is what struck me as so cool and amazing here!

[@jesikahelgeson2266]

Yes a course on service dog potty training would be very helpful. Thank you for all of your videos it is extremely helpful for owner training.

[@DoggyU]

🥰

[@Katlyn_Alves]

I'm so happy for both you and John Denver! Y'all look so happy with all your play and training! Thank you for sharing all the ups and downs with us. I love getting a peek into how you approach his training and your relationship together!

[@RoseAnneLivao]

Your training methods are so thoughtful, and it’s wonderful to see the bond you have with your service dog in training. Thanks for sharing good content! 🙂

[@KateFarrell-b9u]

It'e so helpful to see the progression over time! Thanks for sharing 🙂

[@earth2wendy]

Loved this training review-it’s always so enlightening to hear your thought processes! And that’s sooo cool how Denver copied you closing the fridge!! Also, “from me and Denver” was 💯% correct-no matter what the fake grammar police say!!👍 “From I”?🤔 Nah, that ain’t right…🤨 Trip and I want to thank you for this interesting update. Thanks from me and Trip!🐕🙂❤

[@DoggyU]

Hahaha appreciate the grammar police comment :)

[@katttttttpaige]

I know I comment on every one of your videos but thank you so much for posting!!! My baby girl is 14 weeks and I love watching what we can shoot for coming up!!! Our biggest issue is her crying the whole car ride!!! Can I get a video on car manners?! Also, when doing public outings as a young puppy how much heeling versus loose leash walking do you expect?

[@one_field]

He's doing so great! What a quick learner! I love your point that the goal now is to have him love learning, and it is obvious that you're hitting that goal and more. He will totally pass his CGC! Yes, a potty training video would be wonderful--and a human restroom training video, too, please! My pup is okay with the big handicap stalls, but that's not always an option, and getting him to crowd into the tiny stalls with me can be a real struggle. Some of that is just logistics; his back is 3 feet long, not counting his head or tail, so getting physically into the stall is just challenging. But your advice on whether they should sit, or stand, and where, and whether you should enter first or have them enter first... all of that would be great to hear.

[@DoggyU]

I'll add it to the list!

[@najoni36productions]

Yes, I would love if you did a course on puppy potty training for service dogs!

[@sarahstephenson948]

I'm loving this update and Denver is the goodest boy! We got a SD prospect back in February, and your videos have been life changing. Super curious how you're handling the fomo? Our pup has it bad. He can settle REALLY well at home, but it's a big struggle transfering the skill to anywhere else. Suggestions would be amazing!

[@lilyj25]

Such a great video thank you, love seeing his progress and he’s doing amazing you’re doing a great job with him ❤ also Love the idea of a potty training for service dogs too, please 🙏🏼😊 ❤

[@IsabelleBouchard]

What a cool puppy you have! I enjoyed watching your training and hearing about the easy and not so easy things. I will be following your adventures with Denver in Colorado! Have fun!

[@DoggyU]

Thanks Isabelle!

[@Paycorn1]

Potty training for service dogs would be a life saver for me! Just got a new prospect

[@lauriethornburgh4596]

I would love a potty training course for service dogs. I will be getting a puppy to train as a service dog and want to learn everything possible. Your videos are already helping see what it will be like and I can't wait to use your work as a resource in the future.

[@DoggyU]

Thanks Laurie!

[@JavathePittServiceDog]

Great job, Very informative.

[@inezadams73]

Yes, please, i need puppy potty training course!

[@karlajames9115]

would love to see a potty training content for service dogs!! Love your channel!!

[@HlastaCaled]

I would love a tutorial on how to train away wining/barking. I have struggled with our current 3 year old dog who still makes noise when we arrive at a "fun" place, she has put the toy in the "best" place to initiate play, or with arrivals at our front door. We don't give her the fun thing if she is making noise but still the behaviour is persistent. I will be getting a puppy early 2025 and don't want them to acquire this behaviour as I hope to train them for ASD service dog.

[@nadinabbott3991]

Challenge with lobo. He is a roomba. As a street dog, that’s way in his past (last year) he will eat anything he finds. So advise from vet, muzzle. We don’t know exactly how to train him away from something he learned as survival. However, went to visit my cousin. He settled for 2.5 hours…he got play time after that

[@AnxietyRat]

Yeah unfortunately sometimes there are some behaviors that are so ingrained that you can't train them out anymore once they're in there... And food scarcity behaviors is one of them.

[@nadinabbott3991]

@ which we will deal with a muzzle. Otherwise he goes for stuff he should not. He is young, 19 months, so we are hoping.

[@AnxietyRat]

@@nadinabbott3991 yeah I mean since he's so young there's a little bit of a chance that you might be able to train it out of him.... But also he developed this behavior during a very very formative time of puppyhood... And so there's absolutely a chance you might not be able to train it out of him at this point, unfortunately... Even with him being as young as he is. So yeah a muzzle might be a lifelong thing for him. For his own safety and health.

[@applesauceisevil]

I definitely would love a service dog potty training video. My puppy is 6 months old and he's great about not going in the house and will go on cue, but he also goes without being cued and in other buildings or on sidewalks. I have no idea how to teach him when it's NOT okay to go.

[@KS-ph5ci]

Yes on the course! I had my last dog trained to potty on command and one time a neighbor saw/heard. Well, she thought her dog would speak English. I watched her yell the same phrase I used for 10 minutes at her Pom pup. I mean, what do you even say to that? 😅 Like you say, not an alligator worth fighting.

[@DoggyU]

🤣

[@bayleewhite9488]

CAN YOU DO A VIDEO ON HOW TO HELP VOCALIZING INA 1 YEAR OLD? LUNA ENJOYS BARKING WHEN EXCITED OR HAPPY AND WHEN SHE IS MAD. LIKE HAPPY WITH HER TOYS, AT THE WINDOW, BEFORE GETTING PETS BY THE NEIGHBOR, ETC. TODAY SHE BARKED ONCE IN THE STORE WE PRACTICED IN. WE BOUGHT ONE ITEM AND IT WAS A VERY QUICK TRIP. I HAD HER DO THE MIDDLE LEG THING IN LINE AND WHEN WE MOVED FORWARD SHE WANTED TO STAY IN HER SIT, SO SHE PROTESTED MOVING WITH ONE QUICK YIP. I TOLD HER NO AND WE PROCEEDED. I GAVE HER A TREAT FOR RETURNING TO HER HEEL. WE HADN'T BEEN OUT IN 3 WEEKS BC OF SICKNESS AND STUFF. MY INPERSON TRAINER WANTED ME TO TEACH A BARK, THEN A QUIET. I COULDN'T FIGURE IT OUT BC SHE DOESN'T BARK ENOUGH.

[@roxanebuchstaber9147]

NEED to see that. I've had trouble training my service baby to potty on cue

[@suzifromarkie]

Please do a video on how to train pup to go on command.

[@DoggyU]

Stay tuned for a course!

[@robinrutherfordcost4748]

2 questions: is there a link for the mini teeter? Best way to prep for the 3 minutes of supervised isolation in the CGC test - especially if you have a dog that is super attached to the owner? Congrats on titles and all the progress Denver!

[@DoggyU]

Yes that's from Cato: amzn.to/3BThcn0 Regarding CGC - this is why I start really early with others training my puppy. That being said, you can start that now. Having other people train your dog near you to start, even with you holding the leash, and then slightly away from you and progressing until they are engaged with another person out of sight. Alternatively, you can teach it as a 3 minute down-stay.

[@NatalieClaire-ol5yh]

Please to potty training for service dog im getting my service dog puppy soon and i need all of the help i can get!!

[@breannahara513]

Would love the course for potty training service dogs

[@sorayad4642]

I’m having issues with my 3 month old puppy going potty inside his kennel. I take him out every 2-3 hours to go potty, both outside and on training pads. He used to wait for me to let him out before going potty but seems to be regressing. It doesn’t seem like a medical issue

[@aaronwolf1045]

Do you train for pottying on concrete/asphalt? It’s something I trained previously but didn’t do with my current dog (now an adult). If I had a do over, I wish I would have done concrete and AstroTurf. We did train for potty on command on gravel, woodchips, grass, etc. Is there a way to incorporate it for adult dogs? She’ll go on command, unless it’s a surface she thinks is “off limits”

[@DoggyU]

So I started him on asphalt and then decided that I didn't want to put in the work required for true reliable pavement relief since it would be used so infrequently and maybe never. Pavement relief does require quite a bit of dedication to the process for most dogs.

[@carleybutler1707]

any tips for very food motivated pups who seem to think everything is food? 😅 my sd prospect seems to want to eat anything and everything. she listens to "leave it" but i feel like i have to say it constantly

[@Pawsofloaves]

I’d use a rearward ball, it’s a consistent thing that will always be there. Have them redirect to the toy

[@DoggyU]

Hey Carley - how old and in what context? Out working? On a long line?

[@carleybutler1707]

@@DoggyU she's 6 months, and we're in downtown chicago so she's either on leash or in a busy dog park. she is doing pretty well with short bursts of heel training on our walks, but during her free sniff wandering time in between (just around parks etc) she is always looking for something to snack on. a lot of people don't clean up after their dogs here so unfortunately right now she's very interested in frozen dog poop 😬

[@DoggyU]

@@carleybutler1707 that can definitely be tough. Incompatible behavior like carrying a toy can be a great option, training an auto-leave it (training auto leave it around food first), and if it's really bad you can train your pup to wear a muzzle while you're working on training around poop and such to prevent rehearsal of the behavior.

[@zaydnharbin6507]

Do you change the word for each cue for each dog? I’d think it would be confusing if you say “ sit” and Denver sits but you were talking to Jake/whip?

[@DoggyU]

I use the same cues. There’s very few times where if I say sit I don’t want both dogs present to sit. If I have specific instructions for each dog, like if I’m training them both together and one is on a platform and one I’m training with, the set up, shows them what they should do. I might say something like whip. Stay Denver touch to get one off the platform while keeping the other one on. But having the same cues has not been an issue for me so far.

[@lauraconnaught479]

My puppy Scooter is over a year old and I'm still having issues with his potty training. He poop's in my bed and pees as well, plus a bunch of other bad behaviors

[@DoggyU]

While the potty training course would be best suited for puppies, the principles would apply to adult dogs as well.

[@cathybilodeau5759]

would like potty train for service dogs

[@explorewithsteggie1913]

How old is John Denver?

[@MsCaterific]

I have to fight for my 8 month old doberman's attention. I feel like he's getting more stubborn and he'll ignore treats when he's very distracted by dogs and things he doesn't understand/fear. :/

[@DoggyU]

Regression is really normal in adolescent dog development. Take some time off training, go for long-line walks together and check out my video on engage/disengage and teaching your dog to pay attention in 60 seconds. I think both will be helpful.

[@watchmoivies123]

Oh this is so exciting so tell me, what are you doing with the toilet paper problem? Are you distracting him from it? Are you giving him a negative word I’m sure you’re not just letting him get the toilet paper. I’m excited to know what you do. Thank you.

[@DoggyU]

Teaching a stand stay for use in the bathroom

[@watchmoivies123]

Oh, OK. Hopefully you have a little motivator with you so that he doesn’t get distracted to the toilet paper. That’s so funny.

[@ashleyobanion5717]

PLEASE do the potty training for service dogs!!!!!!

[@jewelsweaver5865]

I'm also interested in potty training for service dogs.🙂 Way to go John Denver! Laura I am learning so much on these videos. You two are rockin it.

[@DoggyU]

So glad to hear that 💜