How to Train a Service Dog: Grounding*
Answer to say: Grounding DOJ (what the tags mean)
What the dog does: Leans on you, rests its chin on your knee, or paws you until you reorient.
You'll need: patience, healthy low-calorie treats, short 5–10 minute sessions, and a marker word or clicker.
Steps:
- At home, capture a chin rest or a lean: mark and reward it when it happens, then add a cue.
- Build duration until the dog holds it for a minute or more.
- Pick your signal, like hands shaking or staring.
- Act out that signal, cue the grounding behavior, and reward.
- Fade the cue, and teach the dog to keep going until you respond.
- Practice in pet-friendly places.
Common mistakes: saying "grounding" without knowing what the dog does. Know the action, in case staff ask what it means.
When to get a pro: if the dog won't hold the position around distractions.
Sources: DOJ 2010 guidance (a dog trained to "ground" a person with a psychiatric disorder "does work or performs a task"); IAADP, psychiatric tasks.
*The published sources only describe what the finished task looks like, so these steps are adapted from standard reward-based training methods.
Your condition stays private. When staff ask what your dog is trained to do, just name the task. See What to say when they ask.
These are general training tips, not a substitute for a qualified trainer, your doctor, or your vet. Stop any exercise that hurts or stresses your dog. Sources checked October 19, 2026.