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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 Shreveport apart from any other dog training service.
Not all training packages may be available at our Dog Training Elite Shreveport 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 Shreveport 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 Shreveport’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 Shreveport 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 Shreveport 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 Shreveport?
Dog Training Elite Shreveport 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 Shreveport does not use punishments or shock collars to break bad habits. Instead, Dog Training Elite Shreveport 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 Shreveport is that while most dog training programs train dogs at their own facilities, Dog Training Elite Shreveport 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 Shreveport is there every step of the way. With Dog Training Elite Shreveport, 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!
Jennifer is an amazing trainer! My dog, Max and I looked forward to the time we spent with her every week. I couldn’t believe what she was able to teach my dog to do. She truly is the best in every way!— Marian Benton
Posted February 23rd 2024
Jennifer has been amazing with my dog! She is knowledgeable and kind with my pet. She has been able to move around appointments to accommodate my travel schedule as well. Thankful I found her!!!!— Brooke Ainsworth
Posted February 1st 2024
Buddy loves them and is doing really good learning to behave.. very nice people who love animals— Suzan Azlin
Posted January 7th 2024
Jen has been fantastic! She has been patient with me and all my questions. She is gentle with my puppy and really seems to enjoy him!— Samantha Legg
Posted December 7th 2023
In just a couple months, Jen had my 8mo old retriever mix behaving beautifully. And as she continues to work on service dog training, I'm amazed at the new things Sadie is learning weekly.— Laura Kelly
Posted December 5th 2023
We love love Jennifer! She’s so good with Zadi and gives us easy instructions to follow every week to help train her! She makes the whole process stress free and really takes your goals into account for her training. And Zadi loves her!!!!!!! Highly recommend!!!!!!!— Jaya McSharma
Posted November 29th 2023
Jennifer is a great trainer! My dog Lucy used to bark ALL THE TIME. Jennifer worked with us to teach Lucy “quiet”. We are so happy with our newly quiet dog. 5 stars!— Linnie Emmons
Posted November 27th 2023
I’m so grateful to Jen and Mattie for their help training our dog Suki. She’s come SO far in just a matter of weeks, which is impressive for an 10-year-old dog, and I’m excited to see how she’ll continue to improve. I highly recommend Dog Training Elite to anyone in need of training services!— Emily Price
Posted April 20th 2023
Dog Training Elite has worked wonders with us and our adopted pound puppy. We were a bit overwhelmed with getting her to listen to us and our daughter. The training was tailored to what we needed, started at a base level and built up on the lessons from the prior session. The one-on-one lessons were very helpful and we are looking forward to the group sessions to continue building upon the baseline. Our pup is definitely a part of the family.— JoLynn Kari
Posted March 30th 2023
With the help of Jen and Matti, Carlton has turned into an incredible service dog. They are extremely good at what they do. I can now leave my house without having to worry about passing out, because I know I can rely on my dog. They care for every single pup they meet and treat them with care, no matter the issues. It's hard not to love them immediately. Being a part of their team has been an amazing experience. They aren't just friends, they're family! There are no other dog trainers I would recommend more than them!— Lilyana R.
Posted March 27th 2023
Jennifer at the Bossier City location is the best! She worked with our 1 year old female Shiba Inu on her resource guarding (along with many other issues) and it has literally changed our lives. I highly recommend DTE to anyone who has a fur baby! Thank you Jennifer for being the awesome trainer that you are!— Pamela Haydel
Posted March 7th 2023
Jen and Mattie have literally changed the life of my family. Jen helped pick Kira from the pound and through Jen's patient training, she is becoming an amazing service dog! They are not just trainers, they are a part of our family.— Erica Hussey
Posted February 22nd 2023
I reached out to Jen and Matti when my Doberman puppy was 6 months old, and they were amazing from the get-go. The first time I talked with them on the phone they asked great questions about my puppy and made me feel like they were on my team already. I felt immediately at ease and confident that these ladies would help me learn how to train my puppy and create a better relationship with her. At first I was mainly seeking help with my puppy’s intense and incessant biting problem. I was feeling overwhelmed and hopeless about the situation. After visiting my home to assess the situation, Jen told me that the biting problem would be the first issue to go! I’ll admit I didn’t think that was possible at the time. But she was right!! Within the first training session, Jen addressed the biting problem and my puppy has stopped nipping and biting entirely. It was a huge relief to see such quick progress and it has only gotten better from that point on! My now 9 month puppy has accomplished commands (off-leash and on-leash heel, running in heel position, 100% recall, speak, load-up, quiet, place, & even property boundaries) that I thought would take YEARS to teach her. I could not be happier with the training I have received and if you’re considering someone else in town, don’t even bother. Matti and Jen truly love and understand animals, plus they are so respectful and empathetic when it comes to people! I NEVER felt like I was being bossed around or shamed for not understanding something. They are patient with both pets and people, and I have no doubt they will get you and your pet where you want to be!!— Laura
Posted September 8th 2022
I have seen the effectiveness of DTE Shreveport's training methods and the positive transformation in the behavior of the dogs they train. Jenn and Matti are driven to develop the best possible relationship between each owner and their dog so that they can experience all the fun activities and joy that dogs bring to our lives. If you would like to make your dog a bigger part of your lifestyle, I encourage you to contact the dynamic duo at DTE Shreveport.— Vince Conrad
Posted July 28th 2022
Jen and Matti are fantastic trainers. They are dedicated and truly passionate about improving the bond between dogs and their owners. I highly recommend using them for all training needs!— craig fizer
Posted June 14th 2022
Jen and Matti are driven women who have hearts of gold. Their dogs Tink and Mabel have progressed tremendously going through the Dog Training Elite training program and I have no doubt these ladies will be helping many dogs in the Shreveport area.— George Rehbein
Posted June 1st 2022
Matti and Jen are such amazing women and they love their dogs so much. Mabel and Tink are such awesome dogs. These ladies work so hard and their animals are all the better for it!— Valerie de Armas
Posted May 24th 2022
Jen and Matti are amazing dogs trainers and their love of dogs is so obvious in all that they do!— Kelley Rosequist
Posted May 24th 2022