I started training my service dog when he was 9 months old. I was in an electric wheelchair at the time and I could barley transfer and could only ambulate sidways. Both of my hands have limits and my right hand is also injured so self training was a chellenge but yet sooo rewarding. I started Hoss so young because he could medical alert me at 9 months and also suffered from seperation anxity. His previous owner was gone for many hours and he was left in a kennel. So I got permission from Physical Therapy to bring him there and explained that he was very young and in training. Today he is 3 years old and knows 110 commands. He not only can medical alert me, has saved others including my husband. He opens/closes doors, dresses/undress me and himself lol. He can retrieve anything dropped or laser light target, he makes beds, does laundry, monuvers with a wheelchair and mobility assists me (I got out of the wheelchair March 2007); Although have to have my heart worked on April 2008, hope I don't get put back in the chair. With Hoss' help we walk pretty good now. Hoss is so unbelievable he does anything I ask and knows exactly when it is time to work. Even when he is off work and on release he always checks in to see how I am doing. I don't know how I ever got along without him. I have been disabled for over 11 years and to this day I don't know how I did it with out this guy. He is my best friend and above eles he is my PARTNER. My husband has been soo supportive of me and Hoss. I don't know if any of you have noticed when you self train your dog information and supplies are very difficult to come by. My husband started this business because I was having a very hard time getting service dog supplies. This website also has a service dog forum and a service dog photo gallery page. You can also email questions regarding service dogs or supplies and we will get the answers for you the best that we can. He is the Yellow Lab on the top of the site opening the big locker room door at Physical Therapy. He is also on the service dog photo gallery. Well it is very late I must go. Everybody hug and kiss your service dog partners and have a great evening.
Lindecker01

We're training the Chihuahuas to signal us to certain sounds, phone, someone at door, buzzers (alarm clocks, bread machine, timer, dryer, etc.) and while they do well with those, what else can I teach them that would be helpful for a dog under 6# to do? I want to teach them as much as possible but we mainly need them for hearing.

I'm newer to the board here and was reading these posts. Being I didn't see anybody respond to you I like to add besides hearing to sounds such as door, bells, alarms, people. You may want to teach your dog to alert to dropped items. Sometimes something drops and one doesn't realize it dropped because of walking away. I mention alert because some dogs will just auto pick up and that could be dangerous to them. So alerting first and then tell them to pick up if it's feasable! Just a thought.