Service dogs provide far more than companionship. They can be an essential source of independence, safety, and support for people living with disabilities. Through specialized training, service dogs can assist with many varied tasks supporting many individualized needs.
For their handlers, a well-trained service dog can mean greater confidence, increased independence, and the ability to navigate everyday life with fewer barriers. Behind every successful service dog is thoughtful, consistent training built around the unique needs of the individual they support.
Offered Tasks
Item Retreival
Medical Alert
Door Assistance
Lights Assistance
Allergen Detection
Search for Support person
Psychiatric Alert or Interruption
Block or Create Space
Deep Pressure Therapy
Leg Elevation
Medication Retrieval
* Please inquire if you'd like to train a task not listed here *
Program Trained Dogs
$15K - $25K
Inquire for fully or partially trained dogs
Waitlist for a fully or partially trained dog is between 6 months and two years depending on many factors including, but not limited to:
- Dog availability - Tasks required - Dog response to training
This program is designed for people with a medical or psychiatric disability who want to train their own dog for service work. Training your own service dog is a long, complex process. While the Americans with Disabilities Act protects your right to train your own service dog without professional guidance, it is strongly advised to work alongside a professional to ensure the greatest possibility for success. This is especially important if you are starting your journey with your first service dog- even if you’ve trained pet dogs in the past. The Trust in Dogs programs are built to guide you and your dog through advanced obedience, public access skills, and task training following the guidelines of the American with Disabilities Act.
Step 1: Temperament Assessment
A Temperament Assessment is a required first step. This allows your trainer to understand your dog’s personality, current knowledge, aptitude, and training needs. It is estimated that more than sixty-six percent of Service Dog prospects fail or “wash out” before they complete their training. While nobody can guarantee a service dog prospect’s long term success, a temperament evaluation goes a long way to ensure you and your dog have the highest probability of reaching your goals before you become invested in the process.
Temperament Evaluation cost is applied toward total program cost.
Your dog stays with you, and you are in control of your progress throughout the program! Your trainer teaches YOU how to train your dog and gives you exercises to practice between lessons. Each lesson gets more challenging, introduces a new skill, or advances skills taught in previous lesson.
Every team has a different starting point! The phase you begin with is determined during your temperament evaluation. Each Phase Includes 8 Customized Private Lessons in your home and community. Lessons are scheduled every other week. Each phase takes approximately 4 months to complete.
4 Training Phases
Phase 1
Basic Obedience and Socialization Specialized to prepare your dog for their career as a service dog
Phase 2
Task Training and Advanced Obedience Your dog will learn their basic tasks and advanced obedience in pet friendly stores to prepare for public access training
Phase 3
Basic Public Access and Continued Task Training Introduction to tasking in public and basic public access, such as grocery stores, restaurants, museums, and more
Phase 4
Advanced Public Access and Advanced Task Training Refining confidence and obedience for advanced outings, such as airports, zoos, concerts, rodeo, amusement parks, etc.
Your dog stays in the home of their trainer while they complete the most extensive and advanced training program offered at Tug &Trust Dog Training.
This is the ideal program for a person who already has a suitable service dog prospect, but works long hours or is limited in their training abilities due to their disability.
Length of training will be recommended after consultation and temperament evaluation.
