Do Service Dogs Have to Be Professionally Trained?

Service dogs do not have to be professionally trained. A person is allowed to self train a service dog. There can be good reasons for a person to self train a service dog. Not all organizations will know the exact needs of every person. A dog may take to a person and learn that person's needs better by getting to know the person better from being around that person rather than having a generalized training through an organization.

Also, it is cheaper for a person to self train a service dog or even get help from a professional dog trainer than to go through an organization that will cost the person or some agency that helps people with disabilities thousands of dollars. The key is that not just any dog can be a service dog. The dog must actually be trained and must be providing service to the disabled person.