Originally published 2019-03-04. Article reviewed on October 4, 2026. Original publication: 2019-03-04.
This is one owner-trainer’s dated account. Its ages, timetable and experiences are personal, not a required retirement or transition schedule. Assess the older dog’s comfort with your veterinarian and maintain backup assistance.
No one method will be right for everyone, but here’s my story regarding the steps to take towards getting a successor dog and retiring a current service dog.
First, begin the process before you need to. The last thing anyone wants is to have an older dog that won’t get a chance to retire. I start the process when my current dog is around 8 years old. It often takes 2 years to comfortably switch over to my successor dog and also because one can not replace a soul. There are dogs after your first, second, third, and so on. and they are called “Successor Dogs”.
When you are partnered with dogs as long as I’ve been, you gain a unique perspective. I am an owner trainer that has benefited from the knowledge of many amazing mentors, several of them over the years. A few of my mentors stand out over others, and some are good friends that I have met along the way.
Program costs, eligibility and waiting times vary. Check actual terms and support rather than assuming military status determines funding. Budget for training, care and a candidate that may not become a service dog.
My personal choice was to be an owner trainer, because I grew up with dogs and have been training dogs for almost 40 years. This is the information I know best.
My first step is to come to terms with the fact that my best partner ever (they each are) is getting older. The big “joke” is that about the time they’re perfect, you need to start the process of training the next of a hopefully long line of dogs, and begin to retire the partner that you’ve worked with for years.
Make a Plan
The next step is to plan and refresh the foundation skills. Discuss a puppy’s safe socialization and vaccination plan with a veterinarian rather than treating the two as an all-or-nothing choice.
The next step is to identify your wants and needs. An example follows. I have come to a point in my life where I do not want to sort through 10 candidates to find my next partner. Additionally, I don’t want to deal with teething or house training any more than I have to, so this time, I hired a very trusted professional to pick the dog for me, and due to a move from South Carolina to Texas, I was really very lucky that she was willing to house my dog until I could take delivery of the pup.
The dog chosen for me was one year old and had undergone health screening. Screening helps assess a candidate but does not rule out every future problem or guarantee service-work suitability.
**Tip** If you do go to a Rescue or Humane Society, listen to the kennel staff or “match maker” and think about personalities, ages, work ethics, and energy levels. Use all of the tools put forth to help you find a solid match. This will save you a lot of time, and frazzled nerves, and heartaches. Check out this guide for evaluating Service Dog candidates at the shelter, too.
Use Your Local Resources
Once you have a candidate, from this owner-trainer’s perspective, consider getting into a class or training group. This is a great socialization tool and will help teach your dog that working is separate from playing, that focus is important, as well as that there is a time and a place for everything.
I have never found that working an older dog with a younger dog in public pans out. They don’t imitate as well as some might think… or maybe I just haven’t had any luck with it. It also slows down the process of retiring your current dog, and confuses the process, as well.
I preferred splitting outings between the two dogs. For a candidate, choose permitted settings and activities suited to its health and training. Store policies and laws vary; do not assume every branch of a named retailer permits a dog in training.
This gradual approach helped me transfer work between dogs. CGC and public-access assessments can provide feedback, but the ADA does not require those certificates before a qualifying dog’s public access.
It’s really a rough time on the handler and seasoned dog, but it’s not an optional task… time passes and dogs don’t live as long as we do… no matter how much we wish it weren’t true. So be kind to yourself and to your partners, both current and future. Take time. I usually take 2 years to fully transfer over – which coincides nicely with my retiring dog’s 10th-ish birthday.
I chose to have an experienced trainer review my team and provide feedback. A trainer’s letter is not required ADA certification or proof that staff may demand.
Lastly, once you’ve switched dogs, whether you get to keep your retired dog or not, it’s time to get on with life. There’s a lot of life out there to be lived. Get on with it!
Remember, leave nothing but a great impression, and enjoy your new partner. Life is good.