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Service Dog Training Near You
What makes a dog a service dog? Who can have a service dog, and why? We answer all these questions and more, as well as explain what sets Dog Training Elite Grand Strand apart from any other dog training service.
Not all training packages may be available at our Dog Training Elite Grand Strand location, please reference our pricing page for complete information on services offered.
Service Dog Training FAQs
What makes a dog a service dog?
Service dogs are dogs that have been specially trained to assist their handler or owner with specific tasks. Dog Training Elite Grand Strand trains dogs to assist people with epilepsy, diabetes, PTSD, autism, and various mental illnesses.
Who are service dogs for?
Service dogs are for any individual dealing with a disability that lowers their quality of life. For example, someone who suffers from epilepsy may avoid going out in public due to a fear of falling or other consequences related to seizures. This may inhibit their independence and sense of well-being.
In addition to improving the lives of individuals, service dogs can bring a sense of security to families, such as families with autistic children. Children with autism can often feel isolated and a service dog becomes a 24/7 companion to share experiences with, connect with and love. They can also help children reintegrate into society and connect with others.
Families who have children with autism experience a decrease in stress as they are more able to engage socially in public settings and experience less anxiety at home. A service dog increases safety and has a calming presence that can minimize emotional outbursts, allowing the family to feel more secure and a child with autism to better participate in family activities.
Service dogs are for all individuals or families that are experiencing a decrease in quality of life due to disability.
What kind of training does a service dog need?
Service dog training begins with puppies. Dog Training Elite Grand Strand’s service puppy training program works with breeders to adopt puppies that are fully obedience trained by six months and are ready to undergo extensive socialization and additional training to ensure they are well-suited for service and therapy needs.
Then, Dog Training Elite Grand Strand places puppies with families or individuals. Further specialized service training takes place alongside the new handler. It generally takes 1-2 years for a service dog to become fully trained.
Service dog training focuses on two main areas: public access behaviors, and how to “do work or perform tasks” that assist with a disability.
Public access behaviors refer to how a service dog acts in public - well-trained service dogs remain calm in public situations and in turn help their handlers to stay calm, and are attuned to any other handler needs.
As for “do work or perform tasks,” the ADA requires that service dogs be trained to take a specific action when needed to assist the person with a disability.
For example, to assist handlers with PTSD, Dog Training Elite Grand Strand trains dogs to de-escalate anxiety, wake handlers experiencing night terrors, and so on.
Do service dogs require special certification?
The ADA does not require special certification for service animals. State and local government agencies, businesses and non-profit organizations may not require documentation, such as proof that the animal has been certified, trained or licensed as a service animal, as a condition for entry. Mandatory registration of service animals in the city of residence is also not permissible under the ADA.
However, service animals are not exempt from local animal control or public health requirements, such as vaccinations, or local dog licensing and registration requirements.
Why should I train my service dog with Dog Training Elite Grand Strand?
Dog Training Elite Grand Strand sets itself apart from other dog training methods by focusing on positive reinforcement with a personalized, in-home approach. This method empowers owners and handlers to be an integral part of the process for sustained dog obedience and service training. For service dogs especially, it is important that handlers be present and involved every step of the way.
The positive reinforcement approach, also referred to as “Classical Conditioning” or the “Pavlovian” model has shown to be more effective with longer lasting results than any other training method.
Dog Training Elite Grand Strand does not use punishments or shock collars to break bad habits. Instead, Dog Training Elite Grand Strand pairs positive reinforcement training with a vibration electronic collar. An electronic collar is not a shock collar and does not harm the dog. It is used to gain the dog’s attention, similar to a tug on a leash. It is never used as a punishment for bad behavior.
Another unique aspect of training with Dog Training Elite Grand Strand is that while most dog training programs train dogs at their own facilities, Dog Training Elite Grand Strand specializes in in-home training, customizing training to the dog, its owners and its environment for long-lasting success.
Positive Reinforcement Training
Training takes time, commitment and balance and Dog Training Elite Grand Strand is there every step of the way. With Dog Training Elite Grand Strand, dogs will learn the highest level of obedience, even in the face of the toughest level of distractions. The positive-reinforcement method focuses on encouraging good behavior through ongoing praise, creating a dog that wants to please from the inside out and creating deep-rooted, sustained obedience as well as a strong bond between dog and owner.
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!
Follow up 6 months later-Reggie had some continued training to learn to fetch things for his girl, and is absolutely incredible at it thanks to Evan and his team!..We also took a trip to Florida with Reggie. First flight with him, Disney World, and Universal Studios for ten days straight. He did absolutely remarkable, and most people didn’t even realize we had a dog with us until they noticed his Minnie ears. He was able to ride several rides with his girl, and did incredible! Elite dog training is the absolute best of the best!!! We have a service dog for my 9 year old, and between Evan, and Kaycee I couldn’t ask for better people to work with! They have gone absolutely above and beyond to help our pup do any, and everything possible to help our daughter live the most independent life despite her chronic health problems. The amount of time, and work they have put into Reggie these last two years is astounding. Because of them Reggie is able to spend countless weeks in the hospital with my 9 year old, he goes to school with her everyday, and goes everywhere she goes. He is by far the best dog ever because of the incredible people at Elite. You can absolutely tell the people at Elite love what they do! 5 stars is not enough to describe what an incredible company this is!! We LOVE Utah County Elite dog trainers!!— Karissa Illu
Posted April 1st 2024
Very professional and listens to your concerns. Their work is amazing!— Diane Foster
Posted October 20th 2024
Worth every penny, and I should have signed up for dog training sooner. The whole crew at DTE are knowledgable, kind, and took the time to customize a training program for my unique situation and even individualized between my two dogs. I am so pleased! Thanks Jeff, Dallin, McCall & Oakley! You have been a game changer in my releationship with my dogs.— Heather Martinez
Posted October 20th 2024
Always great to work with Dallin! He gives great advice and is good at demonstrating how to train your pup. Dallin’s the best!— Rebecca Williams
Posted October 18th 2024
We did the platinum package that included 2 weeks of day camp, along with private lessons and group classes. We’ve been impressed with all of the individualized advice and direction we’ve gotten from DTE. And all the trainers are extremely enthusiastic and knowledgeable. I was pretty blown away by the change we saw after just the first week. Our girl Stevie still has some growing to do, but I feel that we have the tools to meet our goals. Stevie was a reactive shelter dog that is quickly growing into a confident, playful, well-adjusted girl.— Ally Cirenza
Posted October 15th 2024
Dallin is amazing! Giveg my family and I many different ways of handling our dog. It is amazing 👏— Ronald Taylor
Posted October 1st 2024
All of the staff are amazing! I have been working mostly with Jeff and Oakley, but everyone there knows about my dog and his progress, and are always ready and willing to answer my questions and help us on our training journey. They offer a wide variety of in home and studio classes, and personalize your training to fit your dog’s needs. I highly recommend them.— Marial Clark
Posted October 14th 2024
My experience so far has been amazing. I’m beyond happy with Deidre Wilson! She has been amazing with my Doberman and has such a natural connection with my entire pack. Deidre is not only talented but also takes the time to explain everything, educating me and giving me the confidence to succeed with my Doberman. I couldn’t ask for a better dog trainer! Kaycee is also fantastic, always patient and flexible with our schedule, making the entire experience seamless. I highly recommend them both and their staff.— Karen Delgado
Posted October 11th 2024
Dallin was great! He was on time and has awesome energy. My puppy loves him! He gave me some very useful tips on correcting jumping and button training my puppy. He is also very knowledgeable and explains behaviors in a very easy to understand way.— Sondra Fern
Posted October 6th 2024
Deidre showed up for our initial consultation and immediately made me feel confident in her, and DTE’s, training and knowledge! She is kind, calm, educated, and very patient! We cannot wait to have her start training our puppy!— Gabe N
Posted October 9th 2024
Jeff & Dallin are absolutely awesome!!! McCall is great too. We really loved all of the training for both of our girls and they are sk well behaved now. Always we recommend dog training elite. 💪❤️🐶🐕— Benjamin Dara
Posted October 9th 2024
I have had a great time working with DTE-NU and looking forward to continue working with them. Not only have they done amazing with training and service, they also are very understanding and flexible. I went through a rough financial situation and they were kind enough to work with me with no penalties. It literally made a WORLD of difference in a very stressful part of my life. I have a very well trained service pup all thanks to them.— McKell Rushton
Posted October 8th 2024
Gosia and Michael Billedo of Dog Training Elite-Northeast clearly love dogs and love what they do. They are patient and disciplined trainers who know how to read both the dog and the dog owner to suggest what will help the dog to master all the commands. I recommend them without qualification to anyone who wants to enjoy the peace of mind of having your dog comply with commands.— Jane Fahey
Posted October 8th 2024
Absolutely amazing dog trainers who gave our havanese puppy, Tucker, and our family a wonderful training experience! I can truly say it has been life changing for us!— Allison Miller
Posted October 7th 2024
This has been the absolute best experience. Deidre was incredible. She made me and my dog feel do comfortable.— Samantha Rasmussen
Posted September 18th 2024
Excellent personalized training. We loved working with this team, and our dog made great progress.— Kristen Jensen
Posted October 5th 2024
Deidre is knowledgeable, patient and kind. She is a professional and one who certainly knows her craft. Our dog took to her guidance and direction, with little complaint. Deidre is confident; it is obvious that she likes what she does. It shows in her enthusiasm and her ability to teach.— Lucy Herrera
Posted October 4th 2024
Dallin was amazing AGAIN. He explains things, encourages good work, and always works at my pace. So helpful for me as a mobility challenged human and my service dog in training. I absolutely LOVE Elite Dog Training and the fine outstanding trainers. 10 stars every time.— Meggie Thiessens
Posted October 4th 2024