Concerns During Placement Process
I’m currently in the process of having training/placement sessions with a service dog through a program. This program is nonprofit, and the dog will be placed with me free of charge if things go well. That said, I’m concerned with some of the behaviors that I’m seeing during our sessions.
First, it’s taking 2-3 requests for the dog to listen to commands, and sometimes even requiring a prong correction. This is true even for simple commands, like touch or heel. Additionally, while walking in a heel, the dog occasionally deadweights, refusing to keep going unless I lure with kibble or reset, sometimes multiple times. Are these things normal and to be expected in the beginning when working through the placement process? Or should I be concerned?
This is possibly one of my only chances to be placed with a service dog through a program, and I cannot owner train. I want to be optimistic that this will be okay, but I’m worried about being placed with a dog that is more work than help…