|
As a certified dog trainer, I learned about how dogs think and learn, and how to understand their body language and communicate with them better. As an SDC, I expanded this knowledge to be able to teach more specialized skills, and work more closely with people with disabilities in training their own Skilled Companions. My philosophy in training and having registered therapy dogs of my own, is that the relationship you develop with your canine in working with them is a huge part of them becoming effective working dogs for you. Learning to understand and communicate with your canine through training and engagement supports your relationship with them and builds a bond that is irreplaceable. |
| I am so excited to offer regular and specialized dog training services, as I incorporate my love of dogs with helping support people, and bettering the human-animal bond. The specialized services involve Skilled Companion Training, Emotional Support Animal Training or Therapy Dog preparation. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Human Animal Intervention Specialist, Certified Dog Trainer and Certified Service Dog Coach. I realized long ago that just having a registered therapy dog in my office was not enough. I needed to be able to advocate, understand and have him work alongside me as a partner, not just a canine for people to pet. My CHAIS certification gave me knowledge about specific animal-assisted therapy techniques. |
|
REGULAR TRAINING
Regular training services involve basic obedience, such as sits, come when called, leash walking and other trained exercises of your choice. This also can include support with housebreaking, socialization, teaching your dog better self-control and general consultation on ways to improve the relationship between you and your canine. I believe training should be fun and can be easily incorporated into your daily routine. Your canine will love to train with you, and why shouldn't they? They are bonding and communicating with you, so of course it's fun to them!
SKILLED COMPANION TRAINING
A Skilled Companion is an at-home-only service dog and does not have public access, but can assist a person with disabilities at home or other places that pets are allowed. There seems to be a growing need for people to train their own animals or acquire an animal that can help them do daily tasks, but they are not in need of a fully registered service dog. There is also a great need for people with existing disabilities to teach their own pets these skills, as they already have a close loving relationship with them. This is where my services can be helpful. I do not register or train service dogs for public access, nor am I affiliated with an organization that does. I can work with you to train your animal to do service dog tasks, such as retrieving dropped objects, opening drawers/doors and alerting a caregiver that assistance is needed. A registered service dog can cost thousands of dollars and the wait can be years for people that are eligible for them. This is because legitimate service dog agencies are few and the training starts from birth to 24 months and encompasses all aspects of the puppy's life. The failure rate for these animals when finished with their initial training can still be up to 60%, hence the wait time and the expense of acquiring one. Registered service dogs have complete public access as defined by The Americans with Disabilities Act, and are dogs that are specifically trained to help people with disabilities. They receive public access because they are considered a necessity just like a wheelchair or other adaptive equipment a person with disabilities has to help them. I help people with disabilities train their own dogs to assist them in service dog tasks.
EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL TRAINING
Emotional Support Animals are not the same thing as a service animal, they are not registered, and tend to not be specifically trained to help people with disabilities. These animals are not allowed places pets are not permitted, but are currently allowed in the cabin of a plane and in some types of no-pet housing. I can help ESA's be calm for air travel and teach good manners if they are living in no-pet housing. If you are looking for a new ESA pet, I can also assist in temperament testing and helping clients find the 'right' canine for them.
THERAPY DOG PREP
Therapy dogs are registered through organizations such as Pet Partners and have to pass an evaluation to receive this registration. They do not have public access and are not trained to do specific tasks. Most therapy dogs need to have a calm demeanor and enjoy working with people. These therapy teams are able to volunteer in several different venues, including hospitals, schools and libraries. I can help assess whether your dog would be a good therapy dog, help you find the 'right' canine to do this work and prepare you and your dog to pass the evaluation so that you can become a therapy pet team.
