Team Training

Each dog we train will have the skills needed to assist the person with whom they are partnered. 

During Team Training:

• Clients learn to manage the assistance dog's behavior
• Clients learn to direct the dog to respond to commands it already knows
• Clients assume responsibility for maintaining the health and well-being of the dog.

The client needs to demonstrate proficiency in all these areas before we can consider the match a success.  

We have two different ways to conduct Team Training:

1. If a client will benefit from in-home team training, we will send a qualified person to the home to train.  This will take one week of intense training and a follow up visit to ensure that the team is working well together.
2. We also have a Team Training Camp at our facility, teaching up to 3 clients at a time.   This camp lasts for two weeks.  There is some individual instruction during the course; however, the majority of the teaching is done with lectures and group practice sessions. 

All lectures, individual instruction, and written class materials for Team Training, either in the home or at our facility, are given in English.

All expenses for either method of Team Training are the responsibility of the client.

Maintaining a Strong Working Partnership

RI is committed to helping each partnership remain strong.  After a successful placement, we check back with each client three months after placement and again after a year.

After the first year is concluded and if the partnership is strong, RI relinquishes ownership of the dog to the client.

If any problems develop we are available by phone to help.  If follow up team training of either the client or the dog is required, there will be a minimal cost plus expenses to the client for retraining, either in the home or at our facility.

The information we gather in following the progress of our partnerships is invaluable in our breeding, training and placement process so we can continue to learn and better service our clients.