In this episode, I speak with dog training legend Ivan Balabanov about Service Dog Training. Ivan is best known for his accomplishments in dog sports. He is a two-time world champion in the protection sport IGP but has worked in every dog discipline you have heard of. Ivan is known and respected across the globe and has lectured over 900 times and on every continent.

We discuss Ivan's history with service dog training, the differences between training service dogs and other dog training specialties, and Ivan's key takeaways from his time at Guide Dogs for the Blind. Further, we explore the necessary traits of good service dogs and the state of the service dog industry and discuss the causes of the staggering 50% washout rate, even with service dog breeding programs.

Additionally, we discuss the right drive for service dogs, the business of dog training, the challenges of the industry overall, dog trainer regulations, and other topics.

Visit the Podcast Episode Page to watch the video version, see additional content, and access a list of the episode references.

Buy Ralf's book If Your Dog Could Talk - Understand Your Dog Like Never Before (5th Edition) on Amazon.