I have a 7 month GSD pup being trained for a service dog for me and my disabilities (not a protection dog).

I am unsure if I should use a vest to indicate the dog is working or free to play. Vest on = working, Vest off = release. I think this is how you train a Police dog, but he is a Service Dog and really is at work all the time.

1- Currently in the house his vest is always off. When he is with family only, the pup watches me like a hawk and stays near. He has been on a leash or crate for four months. Now he is off leash most of the day. If I get up, he gets up and follows me. I will need him to help stabilize my walking. He is being trained to walk me down and up the stairs, etc. just using his collar. He is starting to do this now, almost naturally. I just switched to collar after puppy harness. He is being trained to heel on leather collar now. Is he too young for a collar, does it matter for heeling, and/or should I put him in a new harness at home/no vest?

2- When friends visit, kids playing with my son, the pup goes and plays. Usually he goes back on the leash with me after a little while so the kids can play without him. He does not come to my call yet. Working on that, but he is young and needs to be a puppy too. He fetches a ball very well. Should I put the vest on at all times even in home and not let him play with others at this age?

3- Maybe he is too young to be worried about this?

This is hard for me to describe, but hopefully you get the gist and can help me with a plan forward.

Regards,
Ken

Your pup is hitting the teenager stage. Expect everything he's ever learned to go right out the window for a few months until he decides that you're much more important than his silly ideas.

Keep working on obedience foundation work. A 7 month old pup should have reliable recall within various home distractions. Kids playing is no exception and it's a safety concern if you're unable to quickly pull him away from them because of your disabilities. Use a long line in a quiet area, use treats, use repetition until he seems almost bored with the idea, and then up the stakes. Start using more distractions and build from there. Keep a long line on him at ALL times until his recall is reliable. This is not a pet, it's a service animal, and he needs to be allowed to grow into himself and be a puppy, but he also needs to grow up understanding that YOU are the most important thing and he WILL obey. It could mean life or death for you one day.

As for the vest, it sounds like you're confused, so I'm willing to bet he's confused, as well. I can't give any real advice on it except to ask service dog trainers or owners who've had lots of experience with this. There's a great yahoo group that I can't recall the name of at the moment.

Samantha,
Thanks about the teenager stage. I have begone to notice some of that...funny you brought it up. Thanks so much for your time in replying. I don't want to mess up.

I always work on a long line. Children are no longer a distraction at all to him. Dogs are though. He starts barking that puppy wants to play yelp and jumping at the leash. I am introducing him to some other dogs that have no interest in him, so he started to learn they are so much fun...but still my biggest distraction.

The Vest....well I just don't know if I should put one on him in the house. Points of view from others indicate it should not be necessary so I am going to stay with vest only outside where state law requires. Thanks so much for your continued help.

Please don't stop posting to my questions. The more feedback I get the better.