Some commonly asked questions:
HOW MUCH DO YOU CHARGE?
Our private lessons are $60/hr for pet dogs
Doggy Boot Camp (Board & Train) - $600 for pet dogs
All Service Dog training for documented ADA disabilities - Sliding scale pricing
Please note - it is a misdemeanor to misrepresent yourself as disabled or your dog as a service dog!!! We will not tolerate or condone misrepresentation!
Do you have group classes?
Group classes are offered once in the Spring and once in the Fall semesters at Pensacola State College, Continuing Education. We offer classes at the Milton and Warrington campuses. Sign up is through PSC, Continuing Ed. Thses classes are 10- or 6- week long classes, held outside. They are excellent for dogs that need a bit more space than is usually available in indoor venues.
Service Dog Public Access Our Spring and Fall 6 week Dog Obedience II class at the Warrington campus on Saturdays is appropriate for CGC or Public Access training. We can also do private lessons at various locations. Contact us for Public Access testing or prep lessons.
Do you do house training?
We offer FREE house training consultation via phone!
Why would we spend up to 1/2 an hour on the phone with you? Because house training a puppy takes time, no way around it, time and supervision are required. It would be almost pointless for us to take your money, keep your puppy away from you for a long period, only to have it come home and still have accidents. Please see our housetraining advice page.
If, after reading that page, you still have questions, please call us. House training an adult dog requires the same level of care and consistancy, for longer! You must change old, set habits and that takes time, again, no way around it.
So, YES, we can help your puppy or dog get on a schedule, give it a couple weeks on that schedule, give you time to steam clean and de-scent your house, but in the end, you will still need to maintain the schedule, supervise your dog and ensure it has ample opportunity to eliminate in a proper fashion. House training services - $500/week
What are the steps to training my own service dog?
Probably the most important part of training your own dog is selecting the right dog. Please see the navigation buttons above to find questionnaires to complete and tests that can be given dogs.
After you find the right candidate, some obedience training is in order. This can be accomplished in a number of ways: group classes are my favorite to start with, it gets the dog out in public and used to working around other people and dogs while concentrating on you; private lessons are good if public classes are not for you, and you can get your dog out in public in other ways; your dog needs to be exposed to a wide variety of stimuli, sights, smells, experiences, noises, and this is an on-going need; some dogs can be taught service dog tasks at the same time they are learning basic manners, introducing tasks in a play-type manner; when your dog is at a level he/she could pass the AKC Canine Good Citizen test http://www.akc.org/dog-owners/training/canine-good-citizen/about/
you are ready to move from dog-friendly locations to working in the general public.
Although certification isn't required, it is good to have your dog trained and comfortable enough in public that s/he could pass a Public Access Test. An example can be found at
http://www.assistancedogsinternational.org/standards/public-access-test/
You can contact us for a free e-handbook on meeting the public access goals.
