D.A.D.s go through many stages of learning in order to achieve the high standards required of them. Below is a typical timeline for the training of a D.A.D. I train, but each dog is different and sometimes I modify the timeline as I am constantly tweaking things in order to find the most effective way to work with each dog.

< 7 weeks (often training does not begin yet)
  • Luring practice
  • Scent imprinting (put low blood sugar scent on mother's nipples, reward for following scent)
  • Lots of handling
7 - 8 weeks
  • Very basic obedience - mostly luring sit and rewarding for coming to me
  • Imprinting of low blood sugar scent - saliva sample in jar with holes in top, when puppy smells it click and treat.
  • Begin crate training
9-10 weeks
  • More structured basic obedience - sit, down, stand, come, heel, watch me, place, and get dressed.
  • Continued imprinting of low blood sugar scent, gradually begin requiring a pawing of the jar
  • Continued crate training
  • Socialization
  • Short trips to pet friendly stores without any strict behavior standards (may be put in cart, held, etc.).
11-12 weeks
  • Sit, down, stand, stay, heel, recall, leave it, drop, place, and get dressed.
  • Scent training - reward for pawing scent source, transition scent source to hand.
  • Continued crate training
  • Socialization
  • Short trips to pet friendly stores without any strict behavior standards. Practice scent training in the stores.
13-14 weeks
  • Continual work with sit, down, stand, stay, heel, recall, leave it, drop, place, and get dressed. Work a lot on under.
  • Scent training - scent source is in hand, reward for pawing. Begin scent games - put scent in one container with other identical containers and reward when puppy paws positive container.
  • Crate training
  • Socialization
  • Begin public access trips - puppy goes into a store for a few minutes, then we leave. Very quick and positive!
15-16 weeks
  • Continual work on basic commands, with focus on heel, watch me, under, and get dressed. 
  • Work on place for 3 minutes without any interaction.
  • Scent training - continue games from previous weeks. Begin hidden scent samples to see if puppy identifies smell without the prompting of a training session
  • Socialization
  • Public access - still very short trips, but a little longer than the previous weeks'. Still very fun and positive while being on best behavior. Occasionally practice basic scent work in the store.
4-5 months
  • Work on commands and solidifying them in increasingly distracting environments
  • Work on place for up to 5 minutes without interaction.
  • Scent training - continual practice and shaping of the polite alert chain. Add in testing with the meter and waiting for results.
  • Alert behavior - if a bringsel is to be used, it may  be introduced during this time
  • Public access - real trips will be taken, still short at 30 - 45 minutes per day. But manners and good behavior will be expected. Occasionally practice easy scent work in the store.
5-6 months
  • Continual practice with commands in distracting environments. 
  • Work on place for up to 15 minutes without interaction.
  • Scent training - continual practice and shaping of the polite alert chain (with testing and waiting). Add in normal saliva sample as a control that the dog must not alert to.
  • Alert behavior - if a bringsel is to be used it will be introduced if not already
  • Public access - trips from 45 minutes - 1 hour long will be taken a few times each week. Increase frequency of scent work in public.
  • Introduce fetch and the criteria for it. 
  • If not already begun, begin running multiple times each week with the dog.
6-7 months
  • Continue to practice obedience commands and other service dog commands (paws up, get up, close, side, between, etc.).
  • Increase duration of place, up to 30 minutes without interaction.
  • Scent training - increase the scent sessions in public, and increase difficulty level. Add in high saliva samples (250 and above). Continue to work with normal blood sugar level saliva sample.
  • Alert behavior - continue to refine the alert chain.
  • Public access - trips from 1 hour to 1.5 hours. 
  • Continue fetch and running.
7-8 months
  • Continue to practice obedience commands and other service dog commands.
  • Increase duration of place, up to 45 minutes without interaction
  • Scent training - continue scent sessions in public. Add in high samples (200 and above) Continue to work with normal blood sugar level saliva sample.
  • Alert behavior - continue to refine alert chain. Begin to fade out all prompts.
  • Public access - trips up to 1.5 hours. Increase distraction level - pet stores, bowling, movies, etc.
  • Continue fetch and running
8-9 months
  • Continue to practice obedience commands and other service dog commands.
  • Increase duration of place, up to 1 hour without interaction. 
  • Scent training - continue scent sessions in public. Add in high samples (190 and above).
  • Alert behavior - continue to refine alert chain and finish fading out all prompts.
  • Public access - trips up to 2 hours. 
  • Continue fetch and running
  • Be around a diabetic for short spurts.
9-10 months
  • Continue to practice obedience commands and other service dog commands.
  • Increase amount of off lead work
  • Scent training - continue scent sessions in public. Continue with high samples.
  • Alert behavior - continue to refine alert chain. May begin moving bringsel to collar/vest if applicable.
  • Public access - trips up to 2.5 hours.
  • Continue fetch and running.
  • Introduce low impact agility - very low jumps, grids, tunnels, chutes, etc. 
  • Have two training sessions with new handler.
10-11 months
  • Continue to practice obedience commands and other service dog commands
  • Work on off lead behaviors with more distractions.
  • Scent training - continue scent sessions in public. Continue working with high samples.
  • Alert behavior - continue to refine alert chain. Continue working with new bringsel location if applicable.
  • Continue daily running.
  • Continue low impact agility.
  • Have two training sessions with new handler.
11-12 months
  • Continue to practice obedience commands and other service dog commands
  • Work on off lead behaviors with more distractions - dog park, pet stores, etc.
  • Scent training - continue scent sessions in public. Begin adding in normal blood sugar saliva samples close to highs but not quite to differentiate between them. 
  • Alert behavior - continue to refine alert chain.
  • Continue daily running.
  • Continue low impact agility
  • Have one training session each week with new handler.
12-14 months
  • Continue refining everything.
  • Focus on specific areas that need work.
  • Continue running and low impact agility.
  • Have one training session each week, and every other week new handler keeps dog overnight.
14-16 months
  • Continue refining
  • Focus on specific areas that need work.
  • Continue running
  • Regular agility can be done.
  • One training session each week with new handler, and new handler keeps the dog every weekend.
Approximately 16 months - Graduation!