Training Service dogs..ME?

[lindamarie]

I was contacted by a girl wanting me to train her mom's Goldendoodle ! Mom is disabled.
This past summer, I was walking Bogart to church with me. He had his Service Vest on.
This girl stopped her car and asked for my phone number as she thought Bogart was so GOOD! She said she had seen me before walking him and just had to stop.
So, I get this voicemail months later asking me how much I charge??

I called her back and talked to the mother. I explained that Bogart was MY Service Dog and I didn't train dogs. I wound up on the phone with her and then her daughter for an hour.
Mazie, the Goldendoodle, isnt born yet. She will be going home with them in February. She has asked me if I would start helping to train Maize before she goes to my Russian guy.
OF COURSE I WILL!!
This Feb, we'll have a puppy Goldendoodle to visit and help with. How COOL is that??

THEN..........my brother called me. His best friend has MS.
He just bought a Labradoodle and is seeking my advice on training him, Charlie, for Service as well!

WOW! I wish I had the talent, patience and stamina to do this! What a great job this would be, but well beyond my capabilities!

[MaxandMe]

LINDA i think it's great you'll help and get them started !!! and the Russian guy will probably be pleased as well to see his training
in action.

[MySweetDoodle]

No, no – don’t say that this is beyond your capabilities! Give yourself credit – others obviously do! You should be very, very proud. People have seen Bogart and are impressed, very impressed. They now want your assistance in training their own dogs in the way you have trained Boggie. THAT is huge! Definitely a compliment that you should take to heart!

So now what? Just *go with it*. Start slow, do what you can, and build from there. If this is a passion you feel that you would want to follow, by all means DO IT! Dream BIG while you *walk slowly*. You never know where it will take you, but when you do something that you truly love – it is never *work*!

Congratulations on what just might be the start of something truly wonderful! And remember – everyone had to start somewhere!

[lindamarie]

AW..thanks you guys!
It is a dream, but what I'd have to do to get certified and started would be beyond my WILDEST dreams!
I can tinker in it though....

[Raleighsmom]

Well that's exciting Linda!!!! And I'm pretty sure you could certainly 'dabble' in the training if only to get the pups started...and it would be doing something that you love!!! You've done such a wonderful job with Bogie!!! Go for it, but only if you're up to it!!!

[MerNor]

What a wonderful experience! You should be really proud of yourself and your doodle . I agree that you should give yourself more credit and try not to limit yourself by telling yourself how hard it would be. Maybe you work with puppies now, take a class later.. etc etc and five years down the road you find yourself at the end of a totally fun and natural progression which has led you to training service dogs .

Good luck and have fun! It's a wonderful excuse to play with a sweet gold doodle puppy