One of the most important parts of raising and training a future service dog is desensitization. Desensitization simply means exposing a puppy to the sights, sounds, smells, surfaces, equipment, people, animals, and environments they may encounter in everyday life—and pairing those experiences with positive reinforcement. The goal is not to force the puppy into situations that are scary or overwhelming. The goal is to help them learn that new things are safe, normal, and nothing to worry about. In this video, Cole is working on several different types of desensitization at once: ✔ Learning to work around other dogs without needing to interact with them. ✔ Becoming comfortable wearing his new booties. ✔ Experiencing the sights and sounds of a public environment, including shopping carts, beeping noises, people moving around, and other unexpected distractions. ✔ Getting used to wearing his service dog vest. Just like people need time to get used to a new pair of shoes, dogs need time to get comfortable wearing new equipment. We don’t simply put the gear on and expect them to love it. Instead, we pair it with food, praise, play, and positive experiences! The same applies to public environments. A confident service dog isn’t born knowing that shopping carts, loud noises, other dogs, and busy stores are normal. Confidence is built through positive exposure and repetition. The goal is not just for the dog to tolerate these experiences. We want the dog to be comfortable, confident, and able to focus despite distractions. By introducing these things early and making them positive, we’re helping create a service dog that can confidently navigate the world and focus on their future job of helping their person. Small exposures. Lots of praise. Big and brave 💪 ❓How long does it take you to get used to a new pair of shoes?

One of our recently graduated ASA Service Dog teams put this video together as part of a feature with WebMD!! 🐕‍🦺 Nurse Joy ✨ the precious poodle in pink showing off her service dog tasks, public access skills, and the incredible bond this team has developed through consistent communication and training 🐾 Thank you for sharing your adventures, Stepho and Joy Joy!!

It’s this right here. The connection. The time you spend just being with your dog. These moments aren’t separate from training—they’re a huge part of it. When you take time in between sessions to get on the floor, love on your dog, play a little, or just give them your full attention… you’re building something way bigger than a behavior. You’re building trust, you’re building engagement. You’re becoming their favorite place to be! And when you pair that kind of connection with your actual training sessions—whether you’re working on desensitization, obedience, or a specific task—it changes everything. Training becomes more rewarding. More valuable. More fun for the dog. Because now it’s not just “do the thing.” It’s: 👉 do the thing 👉 get rewarded 👉 AND spend time with your favorite person That combination is what makes dogs love the training game! So yes… the bonding moments? They’re the best part for us. But they matter just as much—if not more—for them. 💛🐾

Sandy, one of ASA’s service dogs in training did great today! I am so proud of Sandy! She did absolutely incredible! She stayed under the table the entire time at the restaurant even when the delicious smelling food came. She didn’t even look at it. She went to a coffee shop and was incredible with strollers and people walking tight to her. She worked hard in the book store and stayed super well! She even focused on heel while we weaved through those tricky block chairs in the store! Thank you @Amanda Taulborg for walking us through each step of preparing her to go out and be coool!

Sandy and her handler Reagan absolutely rocked training today! New environment. Big sounds. Moving boards. And Sandy showed up ready to learn. She earned positive reinforcement the whole way—food rewards, praise, pets, and plenty of encouragement. She also got a well-earned “Free Dog” release for listening confidently and being such a good girl. Desensitization is all about slow introductions. Balancing distractions and new environments with: - positive reinforcement - clear handling and guidance - breaks - fun - and extra love 💛 That’s how confidence is built. Sandy is learning how to be big, brave, and awesome—one experience at a time—and she’s well on her way to becoming an incredible service dog.