THE SERVICE DOG PROCESS

Our Service Dog Program provides a structured, step-by-step training path designed to develop confident, reliable service dog teams. We focus on building a strong obedience foundation, teaching essential service tasks, and preparing dogs and handlers for real-world environments.

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Program Requirements​

To enroll in the program, clients must provide:

• A doctor’s note or letter confirming the need for a service dog

  • No personal medical details are required—only confirmation of need.

• A dog suitable for training (temperament assessed throughout the program)

• Commitment to attend weekly sessions and practice at home​

This ensures training is appropriate for the handler’s needs while maintaining privacy and clarity of purpose.

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Phase 1: Basic Obedience (8 Weeks)

All service dog candidates begin in our foundational Basic Obedience Program. Dogs learn:

• Sit, down, stay, heel, and recall

• Loose-leash walking and handler engagement

• Calm behavior around distractions​

Throughout this phase, trainers evaluate each dog’s temperament, reliability, and readiness for advanced service work.

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Phase 2: Service Dog Foundations (7 Weeks)

Dogs who demonstrate strong obedience and the right temperament may advance to Service Dog Foundations, where they begin:

• Introductory task training

• Public access skills and manners

• Confidence-building in new environments

• Behavior proofing in real-world settings​

This stage sets the groundwork for effective service task performance and public access readiness.

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Phase 3: Real-World Task Preparation

As training progresses, tasks are refined and expanded to support the handler’s needs. Dogs practice in a variety of public settings to build reliability, consistency, and focus in everyday environments. We may meet at various pet friendly locations and move onto malls and stores.

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Optional Add-On Training

Additional lessons can be purchased if:

• Your dog needs more practice before the final test, or

• You want to add additional disability-related tasks, such as:

  • Nudging

  • Retrieving medications

  • Pawing to interrupt behaviors

  • Deep Pressure Therapy (included in the program)

  • Other custom tasks

These sessions allow full customization of your service dog’s training.

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Final Evaluation & Certification

At the end of the 15-week program (8 weeks Basic Obedience + 7 weeks Service Dog Foundations), both the owner and the dog will complete a final test which is included in the program cost.

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To receive the Service Dog Certificate:

• Your dog must pass the evaluation and receive a perfect score.

• The test covers general obedience, public access behavior, task readiness, and teamwork

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Certification Validity

• Certificates are valid for 2 years

• Renewal requires retaking and passing the evaluation before or at expiration every 2 years

• If the certificate expires without renewal, the service title and training status become inactive until re-tested

This ensures that all certified service dog teams remain safe, reliable, and up to current working standards.

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Lifetime Support

Once certified, clients receive lifetime access to our trainers for:

• Letters

• Documentation support

• Email-based questions

We’re committed to supporting you and your service dog team long-term.