Service Dog Training
Service Dog Training
Training a service dog begins long before task training or public access work.
Dogs being prepared for service work have different developmental and training needs than pet dogs, and starting with the right priorities makes a real difference. Our programs provide a structured pathway from early development through formal service dog training, using positive reinforcement methods that build trust and communication between you and your dog.
Not every dog is suited for service work, so every dog begins with an individualized Initial Evaluation.
Service Dog
Pre-Candidacy Program
For puppies and adolescent dogs being raised with the goal of becoming future service dog candidates.
Pre-Candidacy is for dogs who aren't yet ready for formal service dog training, but whose handlers want to develop them with future service work in mind from the start.
Training is tailored to the dog's age and developmental stage and may include household manners, handler engagement, confidence and resilience, environmental exposure, neutrality around people and dogs, settling, leash skills, and cooperative handling. We continue assessing each dog's suitability for service work throughout the program.
Initial Evaluation: $300
5-Session Package: $875
Completing Pre-Candidacy does not guarantee acceptance into Candidate Training. Dogs must demonstrate appropriate behavioral, temperamental, and training readiness before advancing.
Service Dog
Candidate Training
For dogs who have been evaluated and accepted as candidates for formal service dog training.
Candidate Training strengthens foundational skills while progressing into the advanced requirements of working alongside a disabled handler. Depending on the dog and handler, training may include public access skills, environmental stability, neutrality, handler engagement, reliability in increasingly challenging environments, and individualized disability-mitigating task training.
Dogs do not need to complete our Pre-Candidacy Program to be considered. Dogs with appropriate prior training may be evaluated for direct entry.
Initial Evaluation: $300
5-Session Package: $975
An evaluation does not guarantee acceptance. Recommendations are based on each dog's temperament, behavior, training history, and readiness for the demands of service work.
Not Sure Which Program Is Right for Your Dog?
You don't need to decide before getting started. During the Initial Evaluation, we'll assess your dog's training, behavior, temperament, and maturity, learn about your needs and goals, and recommend the best next step. That may be Pre-Candidacy, Candidate Training, or, if service work isn't the right fit, an alternative training path.
An Initial Evaluation is required before enrolling in either program.You don't need to decide before getting started. During the Initial Evaluation, we'll assess your dog's training, behavior, temperament, and maturity, learn about your needs and goals, and recommend the best next step. That may be Pre-Candidacy, Candidate Training, or, if service work isn't the right fit, an alternative training path.
An Initial Evaluation is required before enrolling in either program.