SERVICE DOG TRAINING
As of September 2021, we are suspending service dog training indefinitely. It has become increasingly difficult to discern between who has a real need and a letter from a real doctor, versus someone who just wants to claim service dog status to fly or otherwise travel with their dog. We have dealt with clients who barely get started with training before asking us to supply them with a letter for an airline (we don't). We've had people lie to airlines and list us as the company who trained their "service dog" when we have never even corresponded with the person (they check now, and we tell them the truth). We have also been overwhelmed with emails, usually from someone's personal assistant, asking how much we charge for a letter saying the person's dog is a service dog. Sadly, training that we used to love to offer has become a tedious exercise in trying to figure out if we are inadvertently becoming "part of the problem" and it has become a serious liability concern. We are leaving the information below on our website in case there is eventually federal oversight of service dog training and a real database / registration / certification.
Service dogs are defined by the Americans With Disabilities Act as dogs individually trained to work or perform tasks for a person with a disability. Dogs selected for service work must be trained to have IMPECCABLE manners in public, and they can have ABSOLUTELY NO INNATE AGGRESSIVE TENDENCIES. No dog with aggression would ever be selected for service work, for both the public safety concern, as well as the fact that a dog cannot focus on their job(s) when they are having the fear-based rush of adrenaline that accompanies an aggressive response. It is unethical to try and pass a dog off as a service dog so you can take them with you to places they would otherwise not be allowed to go as pet dogs. There is no "certification" or "registration" for service dogs. Any website or organization offering certification is a scam.
Service dogs are not to be confused with therapy dogs or emotional support dogs. Therapy Dogs are dogs who go with their owners as volunteers to provide comfort or company to people in settings such as nursing homes, hospitals, etc. Emotional Support Dogs provide comfort and support to owners with anxiety-related issues, but have not been recognized as service dogs by the ADA since the late 2000's because they are not trained to perform specialized tasks to assist their handler. However, the Fair Housing Act does still recognize Emotional Support Dogs. As of December 2020, Emotional Support Animals are no longer recognized by the Air Carrier Access Act. We do not train for emotional support.
The AKC also has a very thorough explanation of the difference between service, therapy and emotional support dogs.
If you feel that your dog would not be suitable for public access but would still like to train him or her to assist you with something at home, we are happy to assist with that. Not all dogs are good candidates for traveling everywhere with you, but they could still be helpful to you at home.
WHAT WE DO OFFER
- diabetes alert
- migraine alert
- peanut allergy alert (please ask us about other foods)
- mobility assistance (the dog must be of a reasonable size)
- hearing alert
- fetching items and/or help
- seizure response
- any other type of medical alert training that is scent-based
WHAT WE DON'T OFFER
- psychiatric service training, training for (human) anxiety-related issues, PTSD, or depression
- visual impairment help
- seizure alert (there is no proof that dogs can be trained to do this)
Please note that we do not train brachycephalic dogs (French Bulldogs, Pugs, etc.) or toy breeds for scent-based work.
DURATION OF TRAINING
How long you and your dog would need is dependent on your dog's drive, your dedication to working with the dog between sessions, as well as how far you want to take the training. For example, some people simply want to train their dog to alert and make sure they don't false-alert, which takes a shorter amount of time (not to imply that it is easy). Others might want to additionally train the dog to fetch what is needed, go look for help or night alert, all of which takes much longer. We have trained some dogs to do their required tasks in 3-4 sessions while others took as many as 8-10.
You will also be expected to work daily at home and we suggest you keep logs of your training.
**You must have a real need, a specific list of the tasks you would like to train, and a letter from a doctor stating specifically what your dog should be trained to do to assist you. We do not accept letters from psychiatrists as we do not train psychiatric service dogs. If you reach out and ask "how to make your dog a service dog" and have no idea what you need, we will not waste our time replying.
As of September 2021, we are suspending service dog training indefinitely. It has become increasingly difficult to discern between who has a real need and a letter from a real doctor, versus someone who just wants to claim service dog status to fly or otherwise travel with their dog. We have dealt with clients who barely get started with training before asking us to supply them with a letter for an airline (we don't). We've had people lie to airlines and list us as the company who trained their "service dog" when we have never even corresponded with the person (they check now, and we tell them the truth). We have also been overwhelmed with emails, usually from someone's personal assistant, asking how much we charge for a letter saying the person's dog is a service dog. Sadly, training that we used to love to offer has become a tedious exercise in trying to figure out if we are inadvertently becoming "part of the problem" and it has become a serious liability concern. We are leaving the information below on our website in case there is eventually federal oversight of service dog training and a real database / registration / certification.
Service dogs are defined by the Americans With Disabilities Act as dogs individually trained to work or perform tasks for a person with a disability. Dogs selected for service work must be trained to have IMPECCABLE manners in public, and they can have ABSOLUTELY NO INNATE AGGRESSIVE TENDENCIES. No dog with aggression would ever be selected for service work, for both the public safety concern, as well as the fact that a dog cannot focus on their job(s) when they are having the fear-based rush of adrenaline that accompanies an aggressive response. It is unethical to try and pass a dog off as a service dog so you can take them with you to places they would otherwise not be allowed to go as pet dogs. There is no "certification" or "registration" for service dogs. Any website or organization offering certification is a scam.
Service dogs are not to be confused with therapy dogs or emotional support dogs. Therapy Dogs are dogs who go with their owners as volunteers to provide comfort or company to people in settings such as nursing homes, hospitals, etc. Emotional Support Dogs provide comfort and support to owners with anxiety-related issues, but have not been recognized as service dogs by the ADA since the late 2000's because they are not trained to perform specialized tasks to assist their handler. However, the Fair Housing Act does still recognize Emotional Support Dogs. As of December 2020, Emotional Support Animals are no longer recognized by the Air Carrier Access Act. We do not train for emotional support.
The AKC also has a very thorough explanation of the difference between service, therapy and emotional support dogs.
If you feel that your dog would not be suitable for public access but would still like to train him or her to assist you with something at home, we are happy to assist with that. Not all dogs are good candidates for traveling everywhere with you, but they could still be helpful to you at home.
WHAT WE DO OFFER
- diabetes alert
- migraine alert
- peanut allergy alert (please ask us about other foods)
- mobility assistance (the dog must be of a reasonable size)
- hearing alert
- fetching items and/or help
- seizure response
- any other type of medical alert training that is scent-based
WHAT WE DON'T OFFER
- psychiatric service training, training for (human) anxiety-related issues, PTSD, or depression
- visual impairment help
- seizure alert (there is no proof that dogs can be trained to do this)
Please note that we do not train brachycephalic dogs (French Bulldogs, Pugs, etc.) or toy breeds for scent-based work.
DURATION OF TRAINING
How long you and your dog would need is dependent on your dog's drive, your dedication to working with the dog between sessions, as well as how far you want to take the training. For example, some people simply want to train their dog to alert and make sure they don't false-alert, which takes a shorter amount of time (not to imply that it is easy). Others might want to additionally train the dog to fetch what is needed, go look for help or night alert, all of which takes much longer. We have trained some dogs to do their required tasks in 3-4 sessions while others took as many as 8-10.
You will also be expected to work daily at home and we suggest you keep logs of your training.
**You must have a real need, a specific list of the tasks you would like to train, and a letter from a doctor stating specifically what your dog should be trained to do to assist you. We do not accept letters from psychiatrists as we do not train psychiatric service dogs. If you reach out and ask "how to make your dog a service dog" and have no idea what you need, we will not waste our time replying.
