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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 Charlotte apart from any other dog training service.
Not all training packages may be available at our Dog Training Elite Charlotte 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 Charlotte 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 Charlotte’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 Charlotte 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 Charlotte 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 Charlotte?
Dog Training Elite Charlotte 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 Charlotte does not use punishments or shock collars to break bad habits. Instead, Dog Training Elite Charlotte 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 Charlotte is that while most dog training programs train dogs at their own facilities, Dog Training Elite Charlotte 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 Charlotte is there every step of the way. With Dog Training Elite Charlotte, 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!
Loved everything about this experience with my golden retriever! The staff was incredible - always available to answer any questions, provided me with clear instructions after every training session and they were patient, kind and a pleasure to learn from! My dog is so well behaved ..and I am a more confident dog mom now too! Thank you.— Monica Hoekstra
Posted May 16th 2024
Our puppy Navy is around a year and 2 months and desperately needed some help, she would constantly pull on walks and bark at every person and dog that walked by. She would always jump on people when they came inside and that’s where I started looking for training and I found dog training elite! They have completely transformed my dog into a respectful sweet pup that listens to all the commands I give her! I’m so grateful to have worked with them and it’s been life changing to have a dog who now respects boundaries and who can walk beside me on walks! Definitely recommend them if you need some training!!!— courtney zenger
Posted May 10th 2024
The at home sessions were great! Looking forward to the group sessions!— Michelle Woolard
Posted May 10th 2024
Before the training, my dog was barking at any sound, any movement in the house, never listened to commands. He was already pretty good with walking on the leash but would pull on occasion. Now that he’s completed his training, I almost don’t recognize him, in a good way of course. He is a completely different dog now, he obeys commands in the house and stops barking after the initial alert to someone at the door. I am beyond grateful for Shawn and Sharon for the training provided for me and my dog. I will always recommend them to anyone that has behavior issues. The price for the training is definitely worth what you get in return, the initial in home training as well as the lifetime help with any future issues or questions as well as the group training on the weekends. 100% recommend!!— Michelle Lacey
Posted May 6th 2024
Wonderful service and people! My (formely) crazy dog is a new, obedient girl. Couldn’t be happier, highly recommended!— A.M.C.
Posted May 3rd 2024
Great experience! Big take aways.... 1. Aided with detachment from mom doggie 2. Aided in a nice transition with crate training 3. Aided with excellent transition to have the doggie understand how to be trained 4. supportive, informative and available Note initially I was skeptical and thought the price was high, that said im VERY happy with the outcome and would not blink at the cost a second time around with another doggie. I hope you enjoy the experience as much as I did!!— Michael Rousseau
Posted April 9th 2024
Best decision I could’ve made for my dog! He still has the same lovable personality, but he now understands what I’m communicating.— Jasmine Copeland
Posted April 7th 2024
These guys are incredible! Our Bailey was well behaved except for jumping up and pulling on her leash. After one session with Shawn the walking issue was done and after two sessions she was a different dog. She's such a pleasure to be around and love. Shawn adapted to her mood and was consistent and effective. I highly recommend Dog Training Elite!!— Jeff Kearns
Posted March 24th 2024
Fabulous people to work with. I saw a difference in my puppy’s behavior after the first visit. They are knowledgeable and easy to work with. I highly recommend this company.— Laurie Cherry
Posted March 19th 2024
Our puppy was out of control and made us miserable before we hired DTE to help us out. The results were instantaneous and I’m proud to say he is a great boy now thanks to the help of this organization!— Devin Carter
Posted March 16th 2024
Shawn is the best! We adopted our dog at 7.5 weeks old and he was TERRIBLE! After a lot of research, we decided to go with DTE and chose the Gold Puppy Package. We noticed a difference after our first session. Shawn was very patient with us and our dog and he explained everything very thoroughly. Shawn planned out the sessions in an order that worked best for our dog. Our dog is now 5 months old and doing great. We just completed obedience training and attended our first group class. The group class was great and we can’t wait to attend more. 10/10 recommend DTE Charlotte for any dog training needs!— Haley Carter
Posted March 16th 2024
Excellent training. My puppy went from a wild child who was very dramatic ever time you'd try to train her something new. Dog training elite to the time to improve her obedience leaps and bounds. She is a whole new dog and I can't recommend dog training elite enough to people looking to make a change in their dogs— Lia Knox
Posted March 13th 2024
Amazing! Dog Training Elite Charlotte has been working with my Doberman since she was 8 weeks old. We picked up our sweet girl on Saturday and they were at my house on Monday helping. They are available 24/7 to help with any questions you may have. I could not imagine going through this without their help. My Doberman is going on 5 months and she is calm and listens very well. She does not react to dogs or people. They truly care of about dogs and VERY knowledgeable. I am so grateful for them!!!— Amanda King
Posted March 2nd 2024
Very good experience, they did an amazing job with my dog and would recommend this to any dog owner.— slenderman 4558
Posted November 6th 2023
I could not be more happy and pleased with Dog Training Elite! From the first home visit, I saw my dog’s obedience improve tremendously. I had the pleasure of getting to work with Shawn and Angela and both were outstanding! I would highly recommend DTE Charlotte to any and everyone!— Brice Talley
Posted February 26th 2024
We found Dog Training Elite Charlotte to be an excellent team to train our daughter’s dog to become a service dog. Our daughter has some learning disabilities and needed a therapy dog to help her cope with some of the challenges she faces. Shawn began our process with an introduction to the program and explained how things would proceed. He conducted the first session and then Angela took over the program. She developed an excellent relationship with our daughter and earned the trust and confidence of our daughter and her dog. Obedience training went very well and prepared Lilly for the next steps of group training and public access training. Any time we had questions, all we had to do was call or send a text and got a response almost immediately. Sharon worked with us on our scheduling of classes and the overall coordination of the program throughout the timeframe to keep things moving smoothly. We could not have asked for them to do anything better. Communications, quality of the program, expertise of the staff, customer service, and focus on success of our daughter’s dog were superb.— Steve Froneberger
Posted February 21st 2024
We found Dog Training Elite Charlotte to be an excellent team to train our daughter’s dog to become a service dog. Our daughter has some learning disabilities and needed a therapy dog to help her cope with some of the challenges she faces. Shawn began our process with an introduction to the program and explained how things would proceed. He conducted the first session and then Angela took over the program. She developed an excellent relationship with our daughter and earned the trust and confidence of our daughter and her dog. Obedience training went very well and prepared Lilly for the next steps of group training and public access training. Any time we had questions, all we had to do was call or send a text and got a response almost immediately. Sharon worked with us on our scheduling of classes and the overall coordination of the program throughout the timeframe to keep things moving smoothly. We could not have asked for them to do anything better. Communications, quality of the program, expertise of the staff, customer service, focus on success of our daughter’s dog were all superb.— Steve Froneberger
Posted February 21st 2024
I have a 4 year old dog who used to be reactive, pulled on the leash, barked a lot, and was very hesitant towards new people. After day 1 of working with Shawn and DTE her behavior completely shifted. She is now so well behaved, more confident, and more relaxed walking around. DTE has been amazing to work with - they are extremely kind, patient, organized, and very knowledgeable about dog training and what each unique dog need to thrive. I am so thankful for DTE and recommend them to anyone who is looking to better their dogs behavior and their relationship. Thank you DTE!— Karenna Heighton
Posted February 11th 2024
I have a 4 year old dog who used to be reactive, pulled on the leash, barked a lot, and was very hesitant towards new people. After day 1 of working with Shawn and DTE her behavior completely shifted. She is now so well behaved, more confident, and more relaxed walking around. DTE has been amazing to work with - they are extremely kind, patient, organized, and very knowledgeable about dog training and what each unique dog need to thrive. I am so thankful for DTE and recommend them to anyone who is looking to better their dogs behavior and their relationship. Thank you DTE!— Karenna Heighton
Posted February 11th 2024
5 stars just isn’t enough. I have a 10 year old mini Australian shepherd who through the course of her life has picked up horrible habits and aggression through lack of knowledge on my part. After finding out I was pregnant I sought for help and with Shawn and Sharon my prayers were TRULY answered. The professionalism, knowledge and skill set they provided me with has instilled confidence and security in my dog with my family. The gratitude I have for DTE can’t be expressed in words or stars. From the bottom of our hearts THANK YOU ❤️- Julia, Justin, Henry, & Jamie 🐾— Julia Thompson
Posted February 10th 2024
Proud Sponsor of The Malinois Foundation
At Dog Training Elite Charlotte, we believe that Service Dogs save lives. It is our mission to make these life-saving companions available to our Veterans, First Responders, Women Survivors, and Children with Medical Needs. Whether it be for PTSD, Mobility Support, or Special Needs, Dog Training Elite Charlotte work's with the Malinois Foundation to heal and empower these individuals with a specialized service animal, a partner in life, and a new best friend.
Dog Training Elite Charlotte is Proud to partner with quality breeders:
At Dog Training Elite Charlotte we trust experienced breeders who focus on breeding healthy, well tempered pups in a safe, ethical environments. Check out the breeders below for more information.
Darlin' Doggies
Carolina Dapper Doodles
Barefoot Kennels
Dog Training Elite Charlotte Partners
