A service dog as defined by the American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) is “a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.”
Requirements for a proper candidate for service work include:
- a stable and confident temperament in various environments
- no sensitivity to visual and auditory stimulus
- no sensitivity to different surfaces
- house trained (exception is puppies)
- medically clear by a licensed veterinarian for service work
- comfortable around people of various shapes and sizes
- non-reactive to people, dogs and children
- drive to work for their handler around various distractions
- ideally having food, ball and/or scent drives necessary for training
- have at least one task that mitigates your disability
- passing the required testing for our program:
- Canine Good Citizen (CGC)
- Advanced Canine Good Citizen (CGCA)
- Urban Canine Good Citizen (CGCU)
- Novice Trick Dog (NTD)
- Public Access Test (PAT)
As someone with a chronic disability, I can understand the struggle you face day to day and how life can be impacted. Service dogs are important pieces of medical equipment that can make our struggles easier to cope with.
This training journey from start to finish can last 1-2 years and we want to be a part of your training journey. In enrolling in our programs, you will join a community with a sense of family. You will receive endless support and education even after completion of the program.
Training your own service dog is hard.
While yes, you can train your own service dog, it is very overwhelming. You likely have trained your dog to sit. But can your dog sit, on the first command, in a busy environment with tantalizing smells, loud sounds, lots of other people and dogs, and more distractions?
Luckily, you found help. Together, we’re unstoppable.
Call NOW at 912-663-9699
or
Click here to schedule your FREE consultation ($99 value)
Program Breakdown
To enroll in our service dog training program, the handler must have a diagnosed disability and the dog should meet our requirements on evaluation. Our evaluation consists of testing the dog and how it responds to a variety of stimulus including social, auditory, visual, proprioception, tactile stimulation, unusual stimulus, medical equipment, and obedience.
Handler must provide in addition to passing our evaluation:
- doctor’s note stating need for service dog
- vaccine records (we require rabies, distemper/parvo, and bordetella vaccines) from licensed veterinarian
- proof of dog being heartworm negative and on prevention
- proof of dog being on flea prevention
- letter from licensed veterinarian stating dog is clear to work as a service dog
- passing orthopedic radiographs of hips and elbows for mobility service dogs* (tasks include guide work and any weight bearing exercises)
Cost for evaluation: $75
Call NOW at 912-663-9699
or
Click here to schedule your evaluation!
Phase 1: AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy (Option A)
This phase is ideal for puppies or dogs under 6 months of age. In order to move from phase 1 to phase 2, the team must successfully pass the AKC STAR Puppy test and the AKC CGC test.
- Method of Instruction: 6 private 1-on-1 sessions
- Age: 8 weeks – 6 months
- Goal: pass the AKC STAR Puppy (Socialization, Training, Activity, & Responsible owner) and the AKC CGC test
In this program you will learn:
- stages of puppy development
- ideas for socializing your puppy
- basics of behavior and body language
- behavioral procedures and concepts
- appropriate exercise for puppies
- how to be a responsible puppy owner
- house training & crate training tips
- preventing aggression
- training equipment
- quadrants of training
In this program your puppy/young dog will learn on leash:
- environmental exposure and socialization
- puppy behaviors
- polite petting
- proper grooming
- walking on a leash in a straight line
- walk on leash past people
- sit on command
- down on command
- comes when called on leash from 5 feet away
- ignoring mild distractions
- stay on leash from 5 feet away
- what your rights are as a handler
- service dog laws including:
- American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) – This law gives a handler access to non-pet friendly public areas with a task trained service animal.
- Fair Housing Act (FHA) – This law gives you access to live in non pet friendly housing (exceptions apply).
- Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) – This law gives you access to fly on airplanes with your task trained service dog.
- Georgia State Laws – This law gives service dogs in training access to train in public spaces so as long as they are accompanied by a trainer with an accredited organization.
Includes:
- customized training plan and binder with documented training sessions
- access to online puppy course (coming soon)
- clicker
- treat pouch
- AKC STAR puppy and AKC CGC testing
- award rosette and ribbon
- sessions posted to Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok
Phase 1A Cost: $825
Call NOW at 912-663-9699
or
Click here to schedule your evaluation!
Phase 1: Canine Good Citizen (CGC) (Option B)
In this phase, you will learn to appropriately care for your dog by providing adequately for their health, safety, exercise, training, and quality of life and how to properly communicate with your dog.
- Method of Instruction: 5 private 1-on-1 sessions
- Age: 6+ months
- Goal: AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC)
In phase 1, your dog will learn on leash:
- how to politely greet others
- walking on a loose leash
- walking through a crowd
- sit, down and stay on command
- reacting appropriately to other dogs while out on a walk
- come when called from 10 feet away
- reacting appropriately to mild distractions
- supervised distraction
- self-relaxation techniques
- task foundations
Includes:
- customized training plan and binder with documented training sessions
- access to online puppy course and basic obedience course (coming soon)
- CGC testing
- award ribbon for completion of CGC
- training in pet friendly locations
- access to group pack hikes
- sessions posted to Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok
If your dog is older than 6 months, the team will begin with this phase. In order to move from phase 1 to 2, the handler and dog team must pass the Canine Good Citizen. During this phase, we will introduce the basic foundations for task working needed pertaining to the specific disabilities.
Phase 1B Cost: $825
Call NOW at 912-663-9699
or
Click here to schedule your evaluation!
Phase 2: Advanced Canine Good Citizen (CGCA) and Urban Canine Good Citizen (CGCU)
In phase 2, you will learn how to proof your dog’s obedience commands around advanced distractions, additional duration and distance between you and the dog.
- Method of Instruction: 5 private 1-on-1 sessions
- Age: 6+ months
- Prerequisite: Completion of Phase 1 and/or CGC title
- Goal: Advanced Canine Good Citizen (CGCA) and Urban Canine Good Citizen (CGCU)
In phase 2, your dog will learn on leash:
- extended sit and down stay
- walking on loose leash with city distractions
- down stay at pet friendly restaurant
- come when called with distractions present
- entering and exiting through doorways
- crossing the street without pulling
- ignoring food on sidewalk/leave it
- navigating a pet friendly store
- exposure to elevators, steps, and stairs
- riding in a car safely
- place command
- auto sit and not bolting out doors
- continued task foundations
Includes:
- customized training plan and binder with documented training sessions
- access to online puppy course, basic and advanced obedience courses (coming soon)
- CGCA and CGCU testing
- award ribbons for completion of CGCA and CGCU
- advanced training in pet friendly locations
- access to group pack hikes
- sessions posted to Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok
In order to move from phase 2 to 3, the handler and dog team must pass both the Advanced and Urban Canine Good Citizen tests.
Phase 2 Costs: $825
Call NOW at 912-663-9699
or
Click here to schedule your evaluation!
Phase 3: Task Training
In phase 3, you will learn how to break down tasks step by step. Your dog will learn tasks relevant to your disability.
- Method of Instruction: customizable private 1-on-1 sessions
- Age: 6+ months
- Prerequisite: Completion of Phase 2 and/or CGC, CGCA, and CGCU
- Goal: Master 1 task relevant to your disability and Novice Trick Dog (NTD)
Includes:
- customized training plan and binder with documented training sessions
- access to online puppy, basic and advanced obedience and task training online courses (coming soon)
- testing for tasks selected
- training in non-pet friendly locations
- access to group pack hikes
- tools and kits needed for select task training
- program “service dog in training” vest
- sessions posted to Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok
Phase 3 covers task training. This means we build off the foundations for tasks already established in previous phases so that your lifeline becomes reliable in outings in public spaces.
We train for the following conditions: psychiatric, mobility, hearing, diabetic, allergen detection, seizure response, cardiac response, and much more including dysautonomia. At this time, we do not train guide dogs.
In order to move from phase 3 to 4, the handler and team must successfully demonstrate 1 task to mitigate their disability in their home environment and pass the Novice Trick Dog (NTD).
Phase 3 Costs: starts at $1250
Call NOW at 912-663-9699
or
Click here to schedule your evaluation!
Phase 4: Public Access/Graduation
In phase 4, you will learn how to handle potential access issues. This is where we focus on proofing all tasks in a public environment.
- Method of Instruction: customizable private 1-on-1 sessions
- Age: 1+ year
- Prerequisite: Completion of Phase 3 and/or NTD, CGC, CGCA, CGCU and master 1 task relevant to disability
- Goal: pass MHP public access test and demonstrate tasks in non-pet-friendly places
Phase 4 is the final installment in our program. This is where we build off all the skills and commands and proof them in a public setting. This means we build off the foundations for tasks already established in previous phases so that your lifeline becomes reliable in outings in public spaces.
We train for the following conditions: psychiatric, mobility, hearing, diabetic, allergen detection, seizure response, cardiac response, and much more including dysautonomia. At this time, we do not train guide dogs.
In order to pass phase 4 and graduate from the program, the handler and team must successfully demonstrate pass the MHP Public Access Test and demonstrate all tasks needed to mitigate their disability in a non pet-friendly environment.
Includes:
- customized training plan and binder with documented training sessions
- access to puppy, basic and advanced obedience, task training, public access, and service dog skills online courses (coming soon)
- advanced training in non pet friendly locations
- access to group pack hikes
- testing for public access test
- graduation certificate
- trade in "in training" vest for program “service dog” vest or mobility harness
- sessions posted to Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok
Phase 4 Costs: starts $1250
Call NOW at 912-663-9699
or
Click here to schedule your evaluation!
Advanced Field Trip Options
Are you wanting to be able to take your service dog to more advanced locations such as an airport, zoo, or even a theme park like Universal Studios? Our advanced field trip options include specialized field trips that can be added into your program:
- Universal Studios / Islands of Adventure
- Disney World
- SeaWorld
- Savannah / Hilton Head International Airport
- Charleston aquarium
- Georgia aquarium
- Jacksonville Zoo
- Fairs/carnivals
- Many more!
Some of these public places are available in our limited group training events.
Cost for field trip(s): price varies (can be added into program price overall)
Call NOW at 912-663-9699
or
Click here to schedule your evaluation!
Achievements
