There’s a pretty common misconception floating around that service dogs are supposed to be these elite, fearless, never-flinch, never-blink machines. But… yeah. No. That’s not real life. 😂 Just like humans — even the most confident, badass humans you can think of — every dog has fears. Fear is instinctual. So the goal with service dogs is not to create a dog that never gets scared. The goal is to create a dog that knows what to do when something does scare them… and that comes from training + communication + trust. 🧠 So what actually matters for a service dog? Not “fearlessness.” But how they handle fear when it pops up. A well-trained service dog, when startled, should have this instinct: 👉 “Check in with my human. What do you want me to do?” THAT is the magic. THAT is the safety. THAT is why training matters so much. Because the opposite reaction — the instinctual bolt/run/flee moment — is dangerous for the dog, the handler, AND the public. And that’s exactly what we want to prevent. 💪 Training creates the communication that replaces instinct. Training opens up a line of communication: - The dog learns: “When I’m unsure, I check in.” - The handler learns: “When my dog is unsure, I guide them.” That’s the whole game. It doesn’t mean your dog won’t ever spook at something dropping behind them. Humans jump too! It just means they recover quickly and look to you instead of relying on instinct. 🎯 Your job as a handler Your job is to: - Notice when they’re unsure - Take a moment to work them through it - Help them build confidence - Prevent small startles from turning into big fears That’s how you create a dog who is: 🐶 well-desensitized 🐶 safe in public 🐶 thinking instead of reacting 🐶 checking in instead of bolting 🐶 trusting their human instead of their instincts 💛 Bottom line Service dogs aren’t fearless superheroes. They’re dogs — with instincts, emotions, and the occasional “shaky boots” moment. The real strength is this: When fear shows up, they use their brain instead of their instincts, and they trust their handler enough to ask, “What now?”

Atlas puts up with so much 🤪🤣 We have twinning Christmas spirit jerseys so we took some quick pics last night!

I’d like to take a moment to highlight one of our favorite service dog teams: @Kenzie Carlson and her service dog, Atlas 🐾💛 Kenzie received Atlas from ASA Service Dogs four years ago, and we’ve loved watching them grow together ever since! Not only do they shine as a working team, but they also give back so much to our program 🙌 ✨ Kenzie and her family volunteer with ASA fundraising and at community events. ✨ They serve as puppy raisers, giving program dogs-in-training a loving home environment. ✨ Her mom, Tammy, faithfully attends our puppy raiser classes and works side by side with Kenzie to help raise and train dogs that go on to change lives! ✨ Kenzie has also shared her knowledge publicly — giving presentations and spreading education about cerebral palsy and service dogs. Currently, they are raising Joy, one of our program pups, and they’ve raised several dogs before who have since graduated and are now working service dogs in their forever homes! 🙌 We are so grateful to Kenzie, Atlas, and their family for everything they contribute!! If anyone is considering applying for a program service dog through ASA, or interested in becoming a puppy raiser, Kenzie is a wonderful resource. She’s happy to answer questions and share her firsthand experience. Please join me in celebrating Kenzie & Atlas — an incredible team and an inspiring part of the ASA family! 🎉🐕💙

In this video, I’m working with our new poodle pup and introducing one of the most important foundations in our program: Marker Training (also commonly called clicker training). I use the verbal marker “yes” to clearly communicate the exact behavior I want. The dog performs the behavior → I mark → then immediately reward with food. This method works for every dog, at any age, and it’s how I start all of our new trainees. In this first lesson, we’re focusing on: - Building confidence - Making training fun and easy to understand - Desensitization and exposure - Stepping on/off objects - Getting comfortable with the training environment As we progress, we’ll move into: - Eye contact - Sit - Down - Stand - Confidence-building games - And a variety of other foundational service dog skills This is the very first step in creating a clear communication system and helping the dog feel confident, successful, and excited to work.

Alright doggo friends… I need to see your dogs living their BEST goofy, off-duty (aka “free dog”) life. Post a pic of your service dog (or pet) being a total happy potato! 😂🐶