Paws for Responders: Comfort K9 Training Program
Paws for Responders: Comfort K9 Training Program
Comfort K9s are therapy dogs and must go through a specialized training program to prepare them for their jobs. Paws for Responders partners with emergency responder facilities, to cater the Comfort K9 training program to each facility's individual needs. All puppies, Facility Handlers, and Puppy Raisers, learn through a positive, science-based training program that is regularly updated and modified to use modern, humane handling practices, as well as LIMA (least intrusive, minimally aversive) techniques for behavior modification.
Here is an overview of the different stages of training that a Comfort K9 goes through while preparing for their career.
Puppy Training (0-5 months old)
Puppy Training (0-5 months old)
Definition
Definition
Teaching the puppy how to navigate the world successfully
Teaching the puppy how to navigate the world successfully
Focus
Focus
Building confidence, teaching manners, addressing “puppy” behaviors
Building confidence, teaching manners, addressing “puppy” behaviors
Examples
Examples
Socializing, potty training, appropriate play, puppy nipping, appropriate greetings, introducing the leash, crate training, etc.
Socializing, potty training, appropriate play, puppy nipping, appropriate greetings, introducing the leash, crate training, etc.
Basic Obedience (3-8 months old)
Basic Obedience (3-8 months old)
Definition
Definition
Teaching cues to increase responsiveness and handler control
Teaching cues to increase responsiveness and handler control
Focus
Focus
Teaching the puppy how to make good choices, providing replacement behaviors for common problem behaviors, teaching impulse control
Teaching the puppy how to make good choices, providing replacement behaviors for common problem behaviors, teaching impulse control
Examples
Examples
Sit, down, stay, wait at the door, loose leash walking, off, leave it, drop it, come, etc.
Sit, down, stay, wait at the door, loose leash walking, off, leave it, drop it, come, etc.
Advanced Obedience (8-18 months old)
Advanced Obedience (8-18 months old)
Definition
Definition
Refining cues and increasing reliability around distractions
Refining cues and increasing reliability around distractions
Focus
Focus
Adding duration, distance, and distraction to basic obedience, fine tuning gestures and verbal cues
Adding duration, distance, and distraction to basic obedience, fine tuning gestures and verbal cues
Examples
Examples
Stay for extended duration, heel past distractions, ignoring dogs in public, responding to cues the first time, making cues more subtle, etc.
Stay for extended duration, heel past distractions, ignoring dogs in public, responding to cues the first time, making cues more subtle, etc.
Public Access (3-24 months old)
Public Access (3-24 months old)
Definition
Definition
Positively exposing the dog to stimuli found in public settings (different from home environment)
Positively exposing the dog to stimuli found in public settings (different from home environment)
Focus
Focus
Creating positive associations with new environments, teaching the dog how to relax in public places, practicing obedience in public
Creating positive associations with new environments, teaching the dog how to relax in public places, practicing obedience in public
Examples
Examples
Riding in elevators, settling at a park, riding in the car, walking through crowds, passing bikes/strollers/shopping carts/ etc.
Riding in elevators, settling at a park, riding in the car, walking through crowds, passing bikes/strollers/shopping carts/ etc.
Tests and Certifications (24 months old)
Tests and Certifications (24 months old)
Definition
Definition
Working dogs often need to pass tests to be certified to do their particular job
Working dogs often need to pass tests to be certified to do their particular job
Focus
Focus
Testing the dog’s skill set and making sure they behave appropriately for their job
Testing the dog’s skill set and making sure they behave appropriately for their job
Examples
Examples
Canine Good Citizen, Therapy Certification, Service Certification, Etc.
Canine Good Citizen, Therapy Certification, Service Certification, Etc.