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Statement of Ethical Dog Training Approaches

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At Canine Assistance Puerto Rico, our commitment to ethical training extends with special consideration towards service dogs. Understanding the vital roles these dogs play in the lives of individuals with disabilities, our approach is rooted in respect, compassion, and professionalism.

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1. Evidence Based Training Methods: We utilize scientifically proven training methods to change the dogs' brain chemistry to form deeper, trusting connections with humans, dogs, and other animals.     

 

2. Specialized Relationship Based Training Model:  We first focus on the human and dog relationship, because the reported use of positive reinforcement or relationship-based training methods are associated with more positive outcomes while the reported use of positive punishment is associated with more negative outcomes. (LaFollette et al., 2019)

 

3. Focus on Welfare and Suitability: The welfare of any dog especially a service dog is paramount, not only for ethical reasons, but to ensure a service dog is not experiencing stress behaviors during training, elevated cortisol, or problem behaviors such as fear and aggression. We consider the health and well-being of the dog and the safety of the individuals they serve.

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4. Individualized and Task-Specific Training:  Service dogs are defined as a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for someone with a disability. Individually means the work or task performed must be directly related to the individual's disability.  Trained means to work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability. This includes a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. (ADA, 2020; ACAA;2020).  

 

5. Adherence to Standards and Regulations: We strictly adhere to the gold standard for good canine manners to promote responsible dog ownership and well-mannered dogs in the community. We teach only scientifically proven tasks to ensures our training methods and the service dogs’ abilities meet the highest standards of excellence and reliability. We don't train tricks to circumvent pet traveling fees, policies, or laws.

 

6. Ongoing Training and Assessment: Service dog training is an ongoing process. We conduct aftercare program to ensure the handlers maintain their skills and adapt to any evolving needs as the dog ages.

 

7. Partnership with Handlers: We believe in building a strong partnership between the service dog and their handler. Our training includes educating the handlers on how to effectively understand how their dog feels secure and confident instead of experiencing stress during training resulting in better behavior, health, and a balanced lifestyle.

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8. Transparency in Training:  We maintain transparency in all our training practices by utilizing evidence based training methods linked to increasing a dogs' optimism and avoiding conflict naturally.

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9. Support: Our program provides ongoing support to dog teams virtually or on-site.  Teaching handlers to take the responsibility that their dog feels safe and confident to thrive together as long as possible.

 

10. Community Education and Advocacy: We actively engage in educating the community about service dogs, their roles, rights, and the importance of respecting these special animals and their handlers.

 

At Canine Assistance Puerto Rico, we are dedicated to upholding these ethical standards in our training programs.

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Resources:

  • LaFollette MR, Rodriguez KE, Ogata N, O'Haire ME. Military Veterans and Their PTSD Service Dogs: Associations Between Training Methods, PTSD Severity, Dog Behavior, and the Human-Animal Bond. Front Vet Sci. 2019 Feb 11;6:23. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00023. PMID: 30805353; PMCID: PMC6378910. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2019.00023/full

  • Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)

  • The Air Carrier Access Act of 1986 (ACAA)

© 2025 by CANINE ASSISTANCE PUERTO RICO, LLC. (CAPR) Reserves All Rights to change or discontinue at anytime any aspect or feature containing our information.  CAPR is run by a team of highly qualified professional canine behavior consultants, covering Puerto Rico and the United States. We have been helping owners train their dogs to become the perfect pets or qualified service animals, since 2020. CAPR uses nutritional principles from The Forever Dog (TFD) resource written by Rodney Habib & Dr. Karen Becker. TFD reveals new science to navigate the pet food industry and delay aging in our dogs to provide long, happy, and healthy lives for any budget or feeding style. Behavior training principles from The Calming Signals Approach certified by Nordic Education Centre for Ethical Dog Training. Service dog tasks clinically proven to reduce or eliminate psychiatric symptoms.

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