There is an impressive and amazing range of kinds of service dogs that seek to lessen in many ways the limitations imposed on the owner by a disability. A person struggling against agoraphobia or PSTD, for instance, may find it more realistic to go out in public if in the company of a trained support dog. With the appropriate and specialized Papillon training, the dog will leave a legacy as among the most efficient in terms of being a service dog, mobility service dog, hearing ear or signal dog, or seizure alert dog. 

Granted, Papillons may have the brains for working as service dogs, but few can manage this important work. Most elaborate programs that train service dogs usually prefer or prioritize larger dogs. But going after able-bodied labs or German Shepherds is only practical, since there is no way to know with whom the dog will live with until the dog completes its training and a match is made.

Nevertheless, smaller programs are getting more and more aware of the importance of toy breeds as service dogs.

Now, what does it take for a Papillon to be fully fit for service work? A steady and stable character and disposition is important. Not all Papillons are fit for the rigors and stress of public work. The initiation rite, and of course the remedy and drill for a service dog is of course socialization. Specifically, exposure to people of all ages, sizes and cultures is valuable.

A service dog must also prove its mettle by not reacting unnecessarily to the presence of other dogs, to cats and squirrels, or to nearby children creating a distraction. This prized level-headed temperament is not only due to good genes and breeding, but also thanks to hours of training in public which is instrumental in desensitizing the dog to the stress originating from the surroundings.

It is in the middle of day to day crisis that the training of service dog papillons are tested. For example, if the dog and owner are walking along a busy street, and the owner accidentally drops a key on the ground, it makes no sense for a well-trained dog to be frightened of traffic noise, and to balk at helping its owner. The same goes for a park, where squirrels, dog pee and other doggie distractions lurk. Owners need their pet to be on the alert for their needs.

Currently, many PCA members actively rely on their Papillon service dogs. A fully trained dog can take around two years to get there, even if the dog has an ideal temperament. Compared to their bigger counterparts however, Papillons have relatively longer working lives. With Papillon Training, its possible to do more and get even more from this dog breed!