[MDDogsAdmin]

Hi Kevin,

Yes that is called intelligent disobedience. If you train the scent work correctly and train the obedience correctly then you don’t ever have to train intelligent disobedience because the nature of it is that it is not a command, it is the dog thinking. If you train obedience using too forceful of methods or you never let the dog think in your training then the dog will likely not demonstrate intelligent disobedience, but if throughout training you give them opportunities to think for themselves then they will learn this on their own.

[MDDogsAdmin]

Hi Christina!

Alerting correctly to samples is the first step so that is excellent that she’s doing very well with that! How long have you been working on scent training with your pup? Have you worked through all the steps or are you still progressing through?

When you are low or high and she hasn’t alerted, you can pair it with a sample – bring out a scent sample that is near what level you are at and then rub it on the back of your knee, hand, or foot. This will pair the sample with the live scent and may help bridge the gap for your pup.

[MDDogsAdmin]

I do teach the same alert for both. You can teach different ones, but since the dogs’ alerts always need to be verified with a meter then there aren’t too many benefits to having a different alert and it requires a bit more training. If you are up for the training though, there are quite a few DADs who have a different alert and it may sometimes be helpful, especially if you are dropping or rising and don’t have a CGM.

[MDDogsAdmin]

For all PA challenges I approach it first as an educational moment. I try to be understanding and acknowledge that it is confusing that some people have IDs, or that some “service dogs” are ill-behaved, but then explain what the laws really are. I also recommend having ADA cards in your dog’s vest or in your wallet that you can always hand them out.

I have had very few access challenges in all the years I’ve had DADs and I’m very grateful for that. The one that was the most difficult was at my university in an eating establishment/grocery store environment. In that situation, I explained politely and the employee was not having it – did not care about the law and said “I’m the manager so I get to make the rules”. In that situation, I calmly insisted that I was permitted to stay and he said that I’m not allowed to stay but he gave up and walked away. I then called the disability office at the school since they run the store, and explained the situation. And if it had been a typical store I would have called whoever ran that store. It’s very stressful to be denied access, but I’ve found the majority of the time a calm explanation and being understanding goes a long way. And when it doesn’t, then I view it as an educational opportunity and to help those after me not have to go through it. A grocery store that I visit frequently tried to deny me access the first few times I entered with my service dog in training, but I explained each time to them and I haven’t had a problem since then. So it does make a difference eventually!

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