The video shows the process of training in a department store to desensitize a service dog candidate to specific objects, their use and general distractions encountered.
I select several locations in the store for each visit to work and practice loose leash walking between each station. This one is an outdoor recreation section so we focus on kayak paddles.
Choose areas that match your dog's ability to focus and make sure she has previous positive experiences and the prerequisite skills to be ready for what you are working on. In this case, we have worked on nose targeting a variety of objects and she also knows how to play the "Look at That" game. She has plenty of exposure to other dogs and is not afraid of them, thought they still are interesting to her. Loud sounds are also not been a problem since we work on these regularly to maintain a positive association.
If you are interested in preparing your service dog trainee for experiences she will encounter in public places, check out our "Nailed it Preparation for Public Access" class.
https://servicedogtraininginstitute.online/groups/public-access-confidence-games/
We also offer web consults to discuss specific behavior challenges and make a plan to overcome them.
https://servicedogtraininginstitute.online/webcam-training/
If you have the bandwidth, you can take us with you while you train in public!

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