Training and Services

Do you or a loved one require the assistance of a service dog? I can train your dog to perform specific tasks and behaviors that will make a positive impact on your daily life.

Upon successful testing, I will provide full documentation.

A  service dog helps a person with a disability to lead a more independent life. A service dog is “a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.” 

“Disability” is defined as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, including people with history of such an impairment, and people perceived by others as having such an impairment. Discrimination is prohibited on the basis of disability in employment, federal and provincial government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation, and telecommunications. 

A service dog is trained to take a specific action that helps an individual with a disability participate in daily life more fully. The task the dog performs is directly related to the person’s disability. For example, guide dogs help blind and visually impaired individuals navigate their environments. 

Hearing Dogs help alert deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals to important sounds. Mobility Dogs assist individuals who use wheelchairs or walking devices or who have balance issues. Medical Alert Dogs might also signal the onset of a medical issue such as a seizure or low blood sugar, alert the user to the presence of allergens, and serve many other other functions. 

Psychiatric Service Dogs help individuals with disabilities such as obsessive compulsive disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and other conditions. Examples of work performed by psychiatric service dogs could include entering a dark room and turning on a light to help with a stress-inducing condition, interrupting an individual’s

repetitive behaviors, and reminding a person to take medication.

Common Service Dog Breeds

Service dogs can range from very small to very large. The dog must be the right size to comfortably and effectively perform the tasks needed. For example, a Papillon wouldn’t be an appropriate choice to pull a wheelchair, but they could make an excellent hearing dog. On the other hand, larger breeds like Great Danes, Saint Bernards, and Bernese Mountain Dogs have the height and strength necessary to provide mobility assistance.

Poodles, which come in Toy, Miniature, and Standard varieties, are particularly versatile. A Toy Poodle puppy can begin early scent training games in preparation for the work of alerting on blood sugar variations, while a larger Standard Poodle puppy may learn to activate light switches and carry objects. The most common breeds trained as guide dogs are Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and German Shepherds.   

Therapy Dogs play a different helping role than service dogs and emotional support animals. They aren’t trained to live with a specific handler. Rather, these are dogs that — with their human teammate (often the dog’s owner) — volunteer in clinical settings, such as hospitals, mental health institutions, hospices, schools, and nursing homes, where they provide comfort, affection, and even love in the course of their work. Therapy dogs are trained to be comfortable in new environments and to interact with different people. They should have a calm temperament, be unfazed by unfamiliar noises and movements, be comfortable being handled, and love people.

Although they are defined as comfort dogs and often used in therapeutic settings, therapy dogs are not considered service dogs and don’t have the same legal right to access in public spaces. There are no uniform state or national rules that regulate and certify therapy dogs, and different organizations have different guidelines. As a general rule, therapy dogs should be trained, insured, and licensed by the non-profit that’s offering their services.

Can My Dog Be A Therapy Dog?

If you’re interested in volunteering and think your dog may be a great candidate to be a Therapy Dog, I can assess and train your dog, if suitable.

The Canadian Kennel Club Canine Good Neighbour (CGN) program identifies and rewards responsible and caring owners and their canine partners. The purpose of the CGN test is to ensure that one of our most favoured companions, the dog, is accepted as a valued member of the community.

Canine Good Neighbours can be counted on to present good manners at home, in public places, and in the presence of other dogs. CGN training is fun, rewarding, useful, and can enable owners to achieve a better relationship with their dogs.

The objectives of the CKC Canine Good Neighbour program are three-fold:

1. To increase awareness and appreciation of dogs as valued, contributing members of society.
2. To assist in teaching and promoting responsible dog ownership.
3. To certify that dogs conduct themselves in a manner which is reliable and trustworthy in situations encountered in everyday living, be it around people, at home, in public, or in the presence of other dogs.

The program embraces both purebred and mixed-breed dogs and has been created to assist canine owners in combatting anti-dog sentiment which often targets dogs as a whole. Additionally, the program enhances community awareness of responsible pet ownership and the benefits associated with dog ownership.

The test is not a competition calling for precision performance by the handler and dog. Rather, it assesses the handler and dog’s relationship together with the handler’s ability to control the dog. Dogs are evaluated on their ability to perform basic exercises as well as their ability to demonstrate good manners in everyday situations. 

For more information about CGN testing, click here.

My obedience training program is perfect for dogs of all ages and breeds. I'll work with you and your dog to teach them basic obedience commands like sit, stay, and come. My training methods are effective and gentle, so your dog will learn quickly without any stress or frustration.

Puppy Socialization

My puppy training program is designed to help your new furry friend learn the basic commands and socialization skills they need to thrive. I use positive reinforcement techniques that make training fun and rewarding for your puppy. Socializing your puppy early is key to their development. I can help socialize your puppy with other dogs and people in a safe and controlled environment.

Basic Obedience Training

Teach your dog basic commands like sit, stay, come, and heel with my basic obedience training program. I use positive reinforcement techniques to make learning fun for your dog.

Advanced Obedience Training

Take your dog's obedience skills to the next level with my advanced obedience training program. I can teach your dog more complex commands and behaviors, such as off-leash training and recall.

Does your dog have problem behaviors like jumping, barking, digging, anxiety or fear? Does your dog suffer from separation anxiety and display destructive behavior when left alone? Is your dog pulling on the leash during walks and making it difficult for you to enjoy your time together? Is your dog struggling with potty training? If your dog is dealing with any of these behavioral issues, my behavioral training can help. I can help your dog cope with being alone and teach them to feel comfortable and secure when you're away. I'll work with you and your dog to identify the underlying cause of their behavior and develop a plan to address it. My behavior modification training can help address these issues and teach your dog more appropriate behaviors. My goal is to help your dog feel happy and confident in any situation.  

Is your dog displaying signs of aggression towards other dogs or people? I can help address the root cause of the aggression and train your dog to behave appropriately in different situations.