Our classes are not ‘train the trainer’. We stopped doing this because we realized that learning to train takes time and you cannot explain a complete concept in a one hour session. Also, dogs and handlers need different skills, and help in different areas. You are in charge. You can work through the basics, or you can stay with us through the whole program.
All students are welcome to the free, zoom group meeting, Monday night.
The Program
Our program is not unique. It was developed over 8 years following the training blueprints of some of the top service dog organizations in North America. This program helps dog and hander teams learn to be confident and reliable giving handler’s peace of mind and trust in their dog.
Our
trainers will help you through training, watching our current ‘service dogs in
training’, peer support, and online workshops and group meetings.
We have helped dog/handler teams across Canada by working at your comfort level, with patience and understanding, in a safe environment. You do not need to train ‘in person’ or ‘in a group’.
We will be with you through each step, from puppy
mental stimulation, to teaching impulse control and calming behaviors to
adolescents, and problem solving and a reliable work ethic to young adults.
Training a service dog can take 2 years. It is very repetitive. Not all puppies will progress at the same speed. Some may need to review specific elements of the program two or three times.
Service Dogs have outstanding obedience – but they are not
obedience trained. They are taught to be responsible for their own actions and
reactions, problem solving, and what is called Intelligent Disobedience:
We meet the current industry standards as well as meet all current legal requirements for each province in Canada, depending on your location. Learn more at ‘Intelligent disobedience’ and ‘ Guide Dog’ – Wikipedia
All dogs must start at this level. You can graduate in as
little as 6 weeks if your dog is over 15 months old and shows the aptitude for
the service dog life. Dogs remain in
this level renewing every 6 weeks until they graduate. To graduate your dog
must pass a ‘calm and tolerance’ test, and attend 2 group outings. Your dog will learn the 5 foundation skills for any service dog task
Level 2 focuses on the service dog application of heeling, stay, and follow. The dog learns to be responsible for holding the heel – not need to be controlled by a leash. The dog learns to stay calm and relaxed amid high distractions – and if you are not able to give commands. The dog also learns skills needed for riding planes, trains, and busses. By the end of this module the dog will have the skills needed for school and work.
Your dog will also ‘fine tune’ their alerts and the tasks that mitigate your disability.’
You and your dog have the skills. Now we are going to take it to the next level. We we will put your dog’s stress coping skills to the test. You will work with dogs that are being professionally trained. By the end of this level your dog will have the same level of training as a dog from an organization and will know how to pass one of the harder service dog Public Access Tests ( P.A.T test )