Service Dog Training

​Well-trained service dogs transform the lives of individuals with disabilities by providing invaluable support, increased confidence, and greater independence. Our expert training empowers you and your dog to partner together to navigate daily life with greater ease and unlock new opportunities!

Types of Service Dogs We Train

Service dogs can assist individuals with a wide range of disabilities. We have experience and a track record of success training all of the following:

Mobility Service Dogs

Can assist individuals with mobility challenges by doing tasks like retrieving items, assisting with balance or standing up, pushing buttons, opening and closing doors, and more!

Psychiatric Service Dogs

Assist with mental health conditions including (but not limited to) Anxiety, Depression, OCD, PTSD, and ADHD. Tasks could include: alerting to or interrupting repetitive behaviors, self-harm behaviors, nightmares, flashbacks, or dissociative episodes, providing deep pressure therapy, creating space in crowds, retrieving medication, and giving reminders, among others.

Austism Service Dogs

Can help a child or adult with autism using many of the same tasks as psychiatric service dogs (see above), as well as aiding in routines, helping to reduce overstimulation, retrieving helpful items, and alerting a guardian to wandering, and they commonly support positive social interaction.

Medical Assistance Service Dogs

Can be trained to respond to events such as fainting, falling, seizures, dizziness, migranes, etc. with assistive tasks like pushing a medical alert button, retrieving help or guiding the handler to help, retrieving medication, water, or other items, staying with the handler or providing pressure therapy, or alerting to early signs of a medical event.

Dominic is currently studying odor-based alerting for use cases such as allergen detection, diabetic alert, siezure alert, and more.

Public Access

In addition to assisting with specific tasks, service dogs need extensive training to behave appropriately in a wide variety of environments, on a consistent basis. We'll set you and your dog up for successful outings and prepare you to handle common situations that arise when handling a service dog, including training and non-training scenarios.

We'll equip you with everything you need to access public areas confidently with your service dog:

Professional Training Equipment

Service Dog Vest and Signage​

Service Dog ID and Documentation

Transportation and Travel Practice

Registration On the National Service Animal Registry

ADA Info Cards and Access Rights Training

Public Access Test Documentation

All hand-selected or custom-made for your specific dog and needs!

Service Options to Match Your Needs

Coaching

1 session per week, teaching you how to train your dog

Hybrid

1 session per week teaching you how to train your dog
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1 session per week working directly with your dog to boost your progress and make training easier for you

Professionally-Trained

3 sessions per week, working directly with your dog to build skills
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1 transfer session per week, teaching you and your dog to use skills together.

We Train Service Dogs Who Love to Work!

We advise against the use of aversive training methods for all dogs, including the use of choke chains, prong collars, shock collars, and physical corrections.

Trainers proficient in operant conditioning, classical conditioning, and management techniques successfully train service dogs without the use of pain or intimidation[1]. Scholarly research documents correlations between the use of punitive training methods and the dog's stress levels [2], as well as a negative impact on the relationship between the dog and handler [3].

We teach you to partner with your dog using positive reinforcement methods so your dog loves to work and you get to cherish a deeper bond with your canine companion. Plus, don't we all feel a little better when we focus on cooperation instead of conflict?

Why Work With Us?

Educated and endorsed by university professors and leading industry experts

7 years service dog training experience

2 years training with an Assistance Dogs International (ADI)-accredited organization

Sucessfully trained mobility, psychiatric, autism, and medical assistance dogs with lasting success

Over 10 years of accredited continuing education

Specialized education for working with individuals with various disabilities

Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) Professional Member

Insured Service Dog Trainer

Over 1,000 dogs trained with 100% 5-star reviews

Don't Take Our Word for It!

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Dominic came highly recommended to us, and I cannot agree more. He was absolutely amazing with our dog. We've seen tremendous progress with Tusi, and he has also equipped us with the tools to continue and enhance the training... He has a great understanding of why dogs do the things they do, and is able to exclusively use positive reinforcement to get them to become polite little members of society!

former client

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Dominic's character, leadership, and ability to graduate the most successful teams at [our organization] was done in a way that often required a combination of heart and intelligence that made him stand out as a master of his craft.

Director of Client Services at an ADI-accredited service dog school

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Dominic is more than capable of making [positive reinforcement service dog and therapy dog] training happen. In the dogs we have seen him train, they have an excitment to do the work and look forward to helping their humans.

Professional Therapy Dogs of Colorado, University of Denver Institue for Human Animal Connection Professor

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​Dominic is a force-free, positive dog trainer with expertise and skills to help any dog. My dog absolutely loves him... Dominic has helped us with a variety of skills including basic obedience, reactivity, nose work, loose leash walking, task training with DPT and more.

former client

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Dominic’s proficiency as a trainer, his dedication to humane methods, and his success in producing well-trained service dogs make him an excellent candidate.

Training Manager of an ADI-Accredited service dog school

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Dominic is a MIRACLE WORKER!.. After just 2 do-it-for-you sessions at busy Wash Park I have a dog who will happily heal on command, ignores other dogs and people, and does not pull when I let him walk free... One of the best investments I’ve ever made in my life, I cannot recommend working with him enough. I know now I will have a very well-behaved dog for the rest of his life.

formet client

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Dominic did an excellent job with our dog Zelly. He taught her to be incredibly calm on leash and instantly recall off of it. 100% recommendation to anyone considering dog training, worth every penny.

former client

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​Dominic is the real deal for dog training. He is extremely well-studied and takes a research-based approach to his work. Stella (my dog) and I learned SO much from him and I have to say that has resulted in a deeper relationship between the two of us. She understands me better and vice versa. It was 100 percent worth the investment to get tailored, one-on-one training from a true pro. If we're going to live together for the next 12+ years, we've got to be on the same page. And, thanks to Dominic, we are now. Stella LOVED every minute she spent with Dominic. It was fun to see her so engaged in learning.

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Contact Us About Service Dog Training:

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Reach out using the form below

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You'll receive an email with more information about our services and a link to set up a free phone assessment

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If we're a good fit for each other, we'll suggest a consultaion to plan your training program and get started!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a service dog, skilled companion, therapy dog, and emotional support animal?
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A service dog is specially trained to perform specific tasks that assist a person with a disability. These tasks are directly related to the handler’s needs, such as guiding individuals who are blind, alerting those with hearing loss, or assisting with mobility. Service dogs are legally protected and allowed in public places under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

A skilled companion is a trained assistance dog that may not be suitable to access all public places, but can perform helpful tasks for a person with a disability at home or in dog-friendly settings.

A therapy dog provides comfort and emotional support in settings like treatment centers, schools. and other clinical settings. These dogs are trained to be well-mannered and interact positively with various people, but they are not trained to perform specific disability-related tasks. Therapy dogs do not have public access rights under the ADA.

An emotional support animal (ESA) offers companionship and emotional relief to individuals with mental health conditions, such as anxiety or depression. Unlike service dogs, ESAs do not require specialized training to perform tasks or access the public. They do not have public access rights but may qualify for housing accommodations under the Fair Housing Act.

How long does service dog training take?
Training duration varies depending on the dog and the specific tasks required, but most service dog programs take 6 months to 2 years to complete.

Do you offer public access training?
Yes! We provide real-world training to ensure your dog can navigate public spaces confidently and appropriately.

Can you train my current dog to be a service dog?
We assess each dog’s temperament and behavior before determining if they are a good fit for service training. Even if your dog is not suitable for public access, we can help you train them as a 'skilled companion' - a dog that does helpful tasks at home or when accompanying their handler in dog-friendly settings, or just a better-behaved, more enjoyable pet.

Do you certify service dogs?
Yes! Although service dogs are not legally required to be certified, we certify the service dogs we train to reflect completion of our program that exceeds minimum legal standards for training and testing.

What is the cost of training?
Costs vary depending on the level of training needed and the service options you choose. Contact us for more details about our service options and pricing.