Service Dog Training: Building Independence, One Step at a Time
Feeling overwhelmed about where to start with service dog training?
Dreaming of more freedom, stability, and support in your daily life?
Wondering if your dog — or future dog — has the potential to be your partner?
You’re not alone — we’ve been there, too.
At Choice Dog Training Co., we understand firsthand how complex and emotional this journey can be.
We’re here to guide you with clarity, compassion, and real-world expertise, every step of the way.
Why Choose Us?
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Experience You Can Trust
As a service dog trainer who lives with a disability myself, I understand the real-life challenges and rewards of working with a service dog. I’ve walked this path, and I’m here to share that knowledge with you every step of the way.
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Tailored to Your Needs
We don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. Whether you need a Psychiatric Service Dog, mobility assistance, or task training for medical alerts, we design a program specific to you and your dog’s needs, goals, and lifestyle.
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Real-World, Home-Based Training
We believe in the power of training in environments where your dog will actually work. While facilities offer great structure, we focus on real-world, home-based training that ensures your dog’s skills are transferable to everyday situations — from navigating the grocery store to handling public transportation. By training in a familiar setting, we help build confidence and reliability that directly impacts your day-to-day life.
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Relationship-Based Training
We focus on building a strong bond between you and your dog. Service dog training isn’t just about the tasks — it’s about creating a partnership based on trust, communication, and respect. We teach both you and your dog to work as a team.
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Ongoing Support
Our commitment doesn’t end once the training is complete. We offer continued support and check-ins to ensure your success. You can always reach out for advice, troubleshooting, or guidance whenever you need it.
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Ethical, Transparent, and Compassionate
We take pride in using positive reinforcement methods that are both effective and humane. Our training approach is rooted in respect for your dog’s individual temperament and needs.
How We Train: Building Partnerships, Not Just Skills
Creating a successful service dog partnership is a journey based on trust, consistency, and understanding. Our training process begins by setting the dog up for success by allowing them to be a dog first. This helps establish a foundation of good habits before diving into formal training. We then focus on neutrality training and proper socialization, followed by public access and task training. Whether you're starting with a puppy or training a dog you already have, our approach ensures you and your dog are ready for the long-term commitment of a service dog partnership.
1. Searching for the Right Dog Prospect
The foundation of any successful service dog partnership starts with choosing the right dog. Not all dogs have the traits required for service work. We help you evaluate potential service dog candidates, whether it’s a dog you already own or one you are considering. By assessing factors like confidence, energy levels, temperament, and focus, we ensure your dog is a good fit for the tasks you need. This step ensures you’re setting your dog up for success right from the start.
2. Setting the Dog Up for Success: Let Them Be a Dog First
Before diving into formal training, we believe in letting the dog be a dog. This phase is critical in building confidence, trust, and positive habits. We allow your dog to experience the world in a natural, unpressured way, helping them develop good behaviors, instincts, and social skills. This approach fosters a solid foundation of habits that will make the transition to training smoother and more effective.
3. Neutrality Training & Proper Socialization
Once your dog has established a strong foundation of good habits, we begin neutrality training. A service dog must remain calm and focused despite distractions like other dogs, people, and loud noises. Neutrality training ensures your dog ignores things that are not relevant to their tasks, staying calm and unobtrusive in all environments. Proper socialization goes hand-in-hand with neutrality, exposing your dog to various environments, people, and situations. This helps them stay adaptable and confident no matter where they are.
4. Core Obedience Training
With neutrality and socialization in place, we move on to core obedience training. Key commands like sit, stay, down, place, and recall provide the structure and communication necessary for a service dog. These behaviors are crucial for maintaining control and ensuring your dog is responsive in everyday situations.
5. Public Access Training
Service dogs must behave appropriately in public places, such as stores, restaurants, and public transport. In public access training, we expose your dog to real-world environments and gradually increase distractions. Your dog will learn to stay focused, calm, and respectful, ensuring they’re prepared for a wide range of public settings. This phase is essential before moving on to task-specific training.
6. Specialized Task Training
Once public access is mastered, we focus on task-specific training. This includes training your dog to assist with the tasks that will support your unique needs, whether that’s medical alerts, mobility support, or psychiatric assistance. Task training is customized to fit your goals and is the final step in ensuring your dog can provide the help you need in daily life.
7. Handler Training & Ongoing Support
Training doesn’t stop once your dog has completed their training. As your dog’s handler, you will learn how to reinforce behaviors, manage tasks, and maintain your dog’s training. We provide ongoing support to ensure that you’re equipped to handle any challenges that arise. Whether it’s follow-up sessions or additional guidance, we’re here to support you throughout your journey.