Although anyone can be injured by an exuberant dog who causes a fall, when the person has a health problem, the risks of a serious injury may be higher. A person with conditions that impact balance, cause weakness or increase pain may be knocked off their feet by even minimal pulling on leash. Sometimes a medical condition indirectly increases the risk of a fall. For instance, prescribed medication could cause fatigue or dizziness. Dog trainers working with people with disabilities who are training their own dogs for service work need to be proactive and incorporate strategies to prevent falls in training.
Here are a number of situations that can lead to falls, and mitigation strategies to consider:
Entering and exiting the home.
The process of opening, stepping through, closing and locking the door all require some attention. Add in stepping over the door threshold and an excited dog, and it is easy to see why the simple act of entering or exiting a house with a dog could lead to a fall. Training behaviors that help the owner enter and exit the home slowly can be helpful. For instance, it is a good idea to train the dog to sit and wait until the owner’s cue to walk through the door.
Walking the dog on leash.
Pet dog trainers often overestimate the ability of a person with a disability to safely hold on to a dog’s leash. A person with a disability may need equipment that humanely deters pulling, like a no-pull harness, even if the dog does not pull very much. Another strategy that can be helpful during the training process is to recruit a helper who can hold a second leash. This way the owner can safely let go of the leash if the dog pulls harder than the handler can manage.
Bending to give the dog a treat.
Bending and reaching can make it more likely that a person will fall or lose their balance. Target sticks, tossing treats or giving the dog a lick of peanut butter from a long cooking spoon can reduce the need to bend and reach when training.
Walking up and down stairs.
Stairs can be challenging for people with impaired mobility. Different techniques may be needed when the owner walks the dog on leash versus off leash on stairs inside the home. On leash, the dog needs to be trained to walk on a loose leash and adjust their pace to match the owner’s when walking on stairs. Inside the home with the dog off leash, it is sometimes preferable to teach the dog to stay at the landing and wait for the owner to navigate a flight of stairs first. Then the dog can be released to go up or down the stairs once the owner is safely at the top or bottom.
Playing with the dog.
Exuberant play behaviors like jumping and mouthing can lead to a fall. It is a good idea to teach the dog to respond to cues like sit and down even while excited and engaged in play. It also helps to teach the dog to drop a toy quickly on cue. If a dog is very excitable, using a leash or tether can help manage the dog more safely. A caregiver can hold a leash, or a tether can be affixed to a heavy piece of furniture. This allows the person to move away from the dog if needed and wait for the dog to offer a sit before resuming the game.
Mitigating the impact of a fall.
In addition to proactively troubleshooting high-risk situations, consider how the dog would respond if the owner fell. A juvenile or adolescent service dog in training may get so excited by the owner’s fall that they could prevent the owner from getting help or getting up safely. Firm up responses to verbal cues such as sit, down and stay, so the dog will respond regardless of the owner’s position. A solid go to place cue can be invaluable as well.
Owners may be afraid of working with their dog after a fall or may even be tempted to resort to aversives. Taking the time to troubleshoot and prevent possible falls in training is important for the owner’s safety, as well as for promoting a positive relationship between the owner and the dog.