Request a Free Assessment
A Psychiatric/PTSD service animal will be able to go anywhere with their handler and assist them in times of high anxiety and stress. A service dog will provide emotional support, reintegration into society, reduce depression, reduce the frequency and severity of flashbacks, anchor handler to the present, and reduce suicidal ideation.
Individuals with PTSD often feel unsafe and unsure of reality, especially in public settings. Service dogs for PTSD can help ground their handler to reality, prevent people from crowding or rushing up to them and provide the emotional support needed to de-escalate anxieties. They can be trained to recognize the signs of a panic attack, wake individuals experiencing night terrors and regulate emotional responses through pressure.
Se habla español!
Not all training packages may be available at our Dog Training Elite in Boston location, please reference our pricing page for complete information on services offered.
Psychiatric Service Dog
$3,945
A Psychiatric service dog will be able to go anywhere with their handler and assist them in times of high stress and provide a sense of security. A service dog will provide emotional support, reintegration into society, reduce depression, help cope with anxiety, reduce the frequency and severity of flashbacks, anchor handler to the present, and reduce suicidal ideation. Psychiatric service dog will learn basic obedience and advanced tasks that are customizable, such as:
- Grounding
- Deep Pressure Therapy
- Panic Response
- Create a Physical Buffer
- Interrupt Repetitive Behaviors
- Watch Rear Blind Spot
Psychiatric / PTSD Support Dog
12 One-on-One Sessions & 32 Group Sessions
$5,500
A Psychiatric/PTSD service dog will be able to go anywhere with their handler and assist them in times of high stress and provide a sense of security. A service dog will provide emotional support, reintegration into society, reduce depression, help cope with anxiety, reduce the frequency and severity of flashbacks, anchor handler to the present, and reduce suicidal ideation. Psychiatric service dogs will learn basic obedience and tasks that are customizable such as:
- Grounding
- Deep Pressure Therapy
- Panic Response
- Create a Physical Buffer
- Interrupt Repetitive Behaviors
Benefits of Psychiatric/PTSD Service Dog Training:
- Increase activity and integration into society: Dogs are active and need to be exercised regularly, the responsibility of caring for a service animal will force their handler to get out and exercise. A routine is established and ties to the future are forged again.
- Create a sense of safety: Public settings and crowds are an enormous trigger for most individuals suffering from PTSD. Psychiatric service dogs are trained to create a physical barrier between their handler and crowds of people.
- Ground in reality, redirect hyper-vigilance: Hyper-vigilance is a symptom of PTSD and creates constant tension and paranoia within sufferers. Service dogs are trained to recognize their handler’s warning signs for anxiety, hyper-vigilance, and panic attacks and redirect that energy into positive coping skills and grounding techniques such as petting the dog.
- Reduce nightmares and flashbacks: One of the most emotionally challenging situations for individuals with PTSD to deal with are flashbacks and nightmares. They can transport an individual back to a terrifying time in their life where they have felt unsafe, threatened, and traumatized. A PTSD service animal is trained to bring their handler back to reality quickly and calmly, ground the individual, and help them to feel safe in their environment again.
Se habla español!
Our Balanced Theory
We base our training around the "Classical Conditioning" model (a.k.a. "Pavlovian" or "respondent conditioning"). This includes developing conditioned or automatic reflexes to commands. In its simplest form (after proper conditioning), when the owner says "sit," the dog automatically sits without thinking about it. Our unique techniques ensure our program is a success no matter what behavior we encounter.
-
Empowering Owners
We empower Owners to train so their dog knows who to obey at all times. -
Personalized
We deal with problem behaviors on a personal basis. -
Environment Specific
We train wherever issues tend to arise (i.e. jogging, park, home).
-
Supportive
We support Owners in the off-hours (when training is "not in session"). -
Involved
We work with all members of the household. -
Simplified & Customized
We plan training around the owner's schedule and require only 20 min/day follow-up practice.
-
Continued Training
Additional programs / group sessions offered after in-home training. -
Lifetime Investment
We follow up & are invested in the owner's success long-term. -
Satisfaction Ratings
Our high client satisfaction rating sets us apart from competitors.
clas·si·cal con·di·tion·ing
PSYCHOLOGY
noun
A learning process that occurs when two stimuli are repeatedly paired; a response that is at first elicited by the second stimulus and is eventually elicited by the first stimulus alone.
We help your dog become a valued companion and beloved member of the family. Read what our customers have to say and then give us a call!
Matt k did a great job. Couldn’t be happier with the whole staff.— Russ Morris
Posted September 13th 2024
I am very happy with my experience! My dog Petey is a different dog compared to who he was in the beginning. We are much happier together !— Michelle Grajeda
Posted September 12th 2024
Marcus and Patrick were fantastic. They helped us train our yellow lab puppy who had a lot of energy and sass shall we say. The trainers are very knowledgeable and helpful. Whenever we had a question about a behavior that was a challenge in between sessions with our puppy, we could just reach out and they were willing to help and guide us on what to do. Everyone was super friendly. They even accommodated my work schedule which was very helpful. Also, the group classes that we have had after the one on one sessions were a bit far for us and we were able to attend another group's classes that were closer which was really nice. It works because they use the same methods. Overall, great experience, worth the money. We highly recommend them!— Courtney Tompkins
Posted September 4th 2024
It’s been nothing but great working with the trainers here. My biggest struggle was the confidence to be able to train my dog and just a couple months later I feel much more confident already and I’m amazed how far we’ve gotten in training. All the trainers we’ve had have given us great advice that’s helped us go even farther with training. I would recommend this place in a heartbeat to anyone looking for training!— Shanna Moores
Posted July 17th 2024
The professional and courteous trainer Matt showed me exactly how to train my dog to get the results I expected. I will continue to train my dog using the skills I learned.— John Serafino
Posted July 11th 2024
Thanks so much for your help! Frankie is still a spicy girl, but I understand how to manage it, and it's restored my confidence. And she's happier as a result. Couldn't have gotten here without the insight and encouragement of Matt Fennell -- thank you, and thanks to Echo and Nova, too!— Emily green
Posted July 3rd 2024
Great people to do business with.They arrive when they say they will and the trainers are very knowledgeable and professional. They explain what the dog needs and how to train them .— Michael Bouvier
Posted May 30th 2024
When it came to sessions for training. They always made themselves available for what time worked for me!! Which was very important with my schedule. They offer group sessions in multiple locations, which made it easy to find one on a weekend to attend. All the trainers are very knowledgeable and I felt like they all love what they do. The amount of attention given in each and every session (private or group) was amazing. Definitely would recommend them to anyone who may be struggling with obedience with their friend.— Cedric Crawford
Posted May 25th 2024
Dog Training Elite of Central Massachusetts is amazing. The office staff is highly professional, organized, and kind. Whenever I call in, they are always so personable and helpful. Our trainer Matt was a godsend. We have a highly reactive german shepherd. We have tried other training facilities and private trainers that allegedly specialize in german shepherds with no results other than wasting our time and money. Within 30 minutes of meeting our dog, Matt had her full attention and obedience. We were awestruck. No one had ever been able to take control of her like that or coherently explain to us what my dog needed. In all reality, he trained us to be better pet parents and provided us with the tools and knowledge necessary to better serve our dog. We are a lot more confident in interacting with our pup and bringing her out into public. We could not be more grateful to the whole Dog Training Elite team!— Deanna Greco
Posted May 9th 2024
We and Happy have really appreciated and enjoyed the dog training at our home. The teachers have each been so helpful with plenty of techniques, strategies and answers for our questions. We are excited to pass the test and move toward having Happy become our therapy dog. All our thanks! DK & MS— Diana Kierein, LICSW
Posted May 4th 2024
From the scheduling to the personal service, the attention to detail with our dog. The way that Marcus is not only educating the dog, but educating us as a family. We can’t say enough!!!!— Cassandra Cuddy
Posted May 1st 2024
Amazing. I have a 2 year old pitbull mix that is wild. I was thinking about giving her up. Matt came in and taught me how to trainer her. He showed up every week and held us accountable, gave us homework and praised us on what we did right. Even after she bit him…… I thought there was no hope. I glad we got this training done. I am beyond grateful for him. Worth every single penny!— Sila Rosario
Posted April 30th 2024
Awesome team! Very kind and assertive. Always on time and very effective training. Very knowledgeable.— shannon guimaraes
Posted March 23rd 2024
The team at Dog Training Elite has been nothing short of amazing with my 6 month old lab puppy. We are training him to be a service dog and the week to week improvements based on Dog Training Elite’s curriculum have been immense. The team of Marcus, Jamie, and Barbara have given me and my puppy the time, guidance, and confidence to progress each step on the way to our goal. I would highly recommend Dog Training Elite for any level of training for your dog.— Matt Parr
Posted January 15th 2024
I have been very pleased with the training from Elite. The trainer has been effective and it’s making a difference for our very spirited Boston Terrier.— Thomas McIsaac
Posted January 23rd 2024
We had a wonderful experience with Dog Training Elite! Marcus is so knowledgeable and caring about the dogs he works with. He helped us train our German Shepherd rescue and the results were almost immediate. Using his techniques, our pup has become less reactive and a better listener. He also teaches some pretty cool tricks! Overall, this company is outstanding and we have enjoyed every moment!— Maya Dube
Posted January 20th 2024
Professional dog trainers who know what they are doing. So glad we chose Elite. Our rescue dog was extremely fearful and difficult to train. Marcus and Matt are dog whisperers!— Andrea Adams
Posted January 11th 2024
The training provided was exactly what we needed. Everyone we dealt with was amazing! Highly recommend Dog training Elite Boston!— Rita-Marie Auble
Posted January 4th 2024
Great results with our dog as a result of the professional training we received.— John Casey
Posted January 10th 2024