My Pet World: Service and assistance dogs aren't always living the good life, expert claims
Jennifer Arnold founded a service dog school called Canine Assistants in 1995.
"Assistance dogs change lives, save lives, help people to live more independently and therefore productively; there's no question about it," she begins. "But there's a huge problem in the industry. Too often we're not very nice to the dogs being trained."
Arnold hesitates, then continues, as her eyes get teary.
"I'll just come out and say it -- and expect to be attacked for saying it -- but these dogs are slave labor. I don't know how else to put it. And it is the truth that no one talks about."
Many non-profit organizations that train service or assistance dogs depend on volunteers to raise the puppies, housetraining and socializing them. Then when the pups are about 18 weeks old, they're returned to the schools.
"No one explains to the dogs what happened to the only family they've known," says Arnold. "These (puppy-raising) volunteers are wonderful, but is this (system) fair to the dogs?"
Arnold is also concerned that many schools use punitive training methods. Indeed, many other dog-training experts concur that positive reinforcement isn't only the most humane method to train dogs, but it's also most effective in the long run.
While it seems that experts are in absolute agreement that positive training is the only way to go, Arnold says she has no idea why some schools cling to harsh techniques.
"Perhaps, it's just because it's the way they've always done it, or maybe they believe it's faster," she says.
Most of the non-profits that train service and assistance dogs merely consider the animals pieces of equipment, Arnold contends. The dogs are kept in good physical health because veterinary care costs money, but Arnold wonders about the animals' mental health.
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