A service dog and their owner outside - find elite service dog training in Atlanta, GA with Dog Training Elite.
Dog Training Elite

Service Dog Training in Atlanta, GA

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Our Service Dog Training Could Help:
Veterans or civilians with PTSD, anxiety, or depression
Children or adults with autism
Individuals with epilepsy
(participating locations)
Advanced medical training (participating locations)

Dog Training Elite in Atlanta

Service Dog Training in Atlanta, GA

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a service dog as “a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.” Disabilities include mental or physical impairments that affect an individual’s ability to perform one or more major life activities (walking, seeing, etc.).

Because service dogs play such a key role in the life of disabled individuals, they are protected by the law. Places of residence, employment, and commercial facilities cannot discriminate against disabled individuals with service animals. If you are wondering how to get a service dog, you can either purchase a fully trained dog or purchase a service puppy and train it.

With our service dog training in Atlanta, GA, we ensure that your dog is trained to meet the specific needs of your disability, providing personalized support and empowering both dog and handler for long-term success.

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A man and his support service dog - learn more about our positive training methods at Dog Training Elite.

Our Positive Approach to Service Dog Training


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At Dog Training Elite, we believe that successful dog training requires dedication, patience, and balance. That’s why we are committed to using positive reinforcement techniques in all of our training programs.

Through balanced training, our team helps owners build trust with their dogs. This approach is especially important for service dog training because strong relationships and communication are essential for dogs to reliably assist their handler.

By focusing on encouragement rather than punishment, we created confident, well-behaved dogs that are eager to perform their best and impress their owners.

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You and your canine companion really can have it all. See how easy it can be to become a member of the elite pup society by requesting a free consultation today!

Hear From Our Customers

Learn Why Dog owners choose Dog Training Elite

  • Aaron Cox
    Oct. 30, 2025
    Natalie with Dog Training Elite did a great job helping me train my puppy, Lulu. She did the initial basic training with Lulu at my house. Natalie modeled how to train Lulu, gave me plenty of practice, and patiently answered all my questions. Lulu is training to be a therapy dog. Charmone has done all our public access training. She constantly challenges Lulu to make sure she is able to meet therapy dog expectations. Lulu had to walk around different dog bones without trying to eat them. Charmaine’s dog Shadow helped prepare Lulu for her AKC Canine Good Citizen test, which she just passed. Group classes with Sophie and her puppy, Evie, has been very helpful. Having other dogs model appropriate behavior makes a big difference. Group training sessions are often tailored to your specific dog needs and the people in the group support each other. I am thankful for all Dog Training Elite has done for us. I appreciate their continued support.
  • Randy Thomas
    Oct. 9, 2025
    Dog Training Elite is really THE elite training available for you dog! I have two German Shepard dogs….one 11 and one 1 1/2. The one on one training provided by Mike and Gosia provided exactly what both pups needed to “nudge” them into learning commands designed to enhance their safety as well as make our afternoon walks, outings, and social trips enjoyable and worry-free for them and me. I can’t recommend them enough!
  • Mike Redden
    Sep. 22, 2025
    Our dog Pixie just graduated on 10-1-25! This training is worth every penny. We had a dog out of control, now we are in control. The key is consistency. Work with your dog daily. Michael and his wife Gosia are the consummate professionals. We wholeheartedly recommend their training services!
  • Heather Redden
    Sep. 22, 2025
    Our “owner surrendered shelter. dog” was extremely reactive.( That’s why she was turned in.) I’m sure she had a lot of childhood trauma. She was reactive to people as well as other dogs, and I actually pried her jaws open to release a small dog from her mouth. She was great with us, but we lived in a constant state of trepidation with her behavior around other living things. I hesitated more than once spending money on the Platinum Program but after just nine private training sessions, we have a new dog. It was worth every penny and we’re not done, but the change has been jaw- dropping. We never could’ve done this on our own, even with many YouTube videos🤣Mike and Gosia were always on time , consistent , patient and always willing to help immediately. We are grateful for their Professionalism and kindness
  • Hannah Johnson
    Aug. 25, 2025
    We started our rescue German shepherd, Kira, with Dog Training Elite just a few months ago after her first birthday. She is such a sweet pup but would never listen when she was excited (so 90% of the time). It was stressful to take her anywhere because we never knew how she would behave. We tried training her ourselves but progress was slow and not always in the right direction. Through this training we discovered the importance of consistency. My husband and I had the same goals for Kira, but unintentionally approached it in different ways. These lessons are more for you than the dog because they make sure everyone is aligned with commands, timing, inflection, and more. This program is great because it teaches YOU how to train your dog. We worked with Kira daily for about 15-20 minutes between the weekly lessons and that’s why we saw so much progress so quickly. We purchased the platinum package and have been so grateful we did ever since. The convenience of a trainer coming to our house every week was wonderful since my husband and I work different schedules. The lessons were practical and enjoyable for both us and the dog. Kira has since graduated and we are able to take her places we never could have before. She behaves like an entirely different dog. In fact, we get compliments from strangers on how well behaved she is! Recently we were able to have dinner at a nice restaurant outside with lots of foot traffic within a few feet of us. Kira stayed under my chair the entire meal until we let her greet the waiter at the end. With our package we get unlimited group classes. These classes are wonderful because it exposes Kira to other dogs and distractions while working on her training. They are fun for all of us and we intend to keep going even though she has since “graduated”. The reason this program is so successful, though, is because of Mike and Gosia. They are so good at what they do and make every lesson/class engaging for the dogs and for us. I will never stop recommending Mike and Gosia to everyone. Before this program my husband had deemed our dog “untrainable” and I can happily say that this program has successfully proven him wrong.
  • Chemeka Watson
    Aug. 19, 2025
    We have an 8 year old Akita. When I tell you I thought an old dog couldn't be taught new tricks, Whit Gray proved me wrong! His techniques are stellar and makes the training process easy and enjoyable. He's always on time, communicates effectively and has great patience! The process of elite training is effective and well worth it!
  • Maria elena Rebollo
    Jul. 28, 2025
    After several years of wanting to train our Pancho, whom we rescued four years ago, when trying to put our expectations on the table versus reality, we realized how important it was for our well-being as a whole, for that reason we began the search, the Dog Elite page was one of the first to appear, after carefully reading the excellent opinions, we decided to contact them, our first interview was with gosia and from the first moment we felt that we were going down the best path, excellent sounds like an understatement when it comes to describing their services, from knowledge, warmth and responsibility to feeling part of this great family, infinite thanks to both of you!
  • Mike Morel
    Jul. 27, 2025
    We have had such a great experience working with Gosia and Mike. The training has been exactly what we were looking for to raise our GSP to be a well mannered companion. Highly recommend their professional teaching and guidance.
  • Dave Amster
    Jul. 22, 2025
    We are so happy with the training that we received from Dog Training Elite. Gosia and Michael were fantastic every step of the way, from personal one-on-one training to the group training. Our pup Rocky has been doing so much better since we started training. I highly recommend!
  • Kerry Richardson
    Jul. 21, 2025
    We highly recommend Dog Training Elite if you are in the Woodstock Georgia area. Working with Michael & Gosia improved our pup’s manners, listening & response, and ability to follow directions. It makes taking my 75 lb dog on walks and out in public so much more enjoyable and less stressful. Most importantly, I got training on how to be an excellent dog owner and how to communicate with my dog. Micheal & Gosia provide practical, efficient training strategies and customize the instruction and practice to your dog. They are great with communication and scheduling. They are kind, trustworthy people whom you can be comfortable inviting into your home and whom you will enjoy getting to know. I also highly recommend the group classes to practice what you and your dog are learning in the real world. It’s a lot fun, too!
  • Joshua Palacios
    Jul. 21, 2025
    We just completed the Platinum Program with Michael and Gosia for our Shiba Inu, Daiyo, and we were very pleased with our experience. Mike was our main trainer, and he was fantastic at guiding us through Daiyo’s reactivity issues, giving us practical tools and strategies we can continue using every day. It’s important to understand that this isn’t a “quick fix” — it’s an ongoing training process. But thanks to Mike’s guidance, we now feel much more confident and capable of handling Daiyo, both at home and in challenging public situations. One of the best parts of the Platinum Program is the continued support: they’re just a call away if Daiyo ever needs extra help or if any new problems come up. Michael and Gosia are knowledgeable, patient, and genuinely care about both the dogs and their owners. We’re so grateful for their help and would highly recommend them to anyone looking for effective, long-term training with reliable, supportive trainers!
  • Cody Deal
    Jul. 19, 2025
    We are beyond grateful for the incredible work Gosia and Mike have done with our dogs, Cora and Lyra! Their expertise is truly unmatched. They’ve helped us with everything from general obedience and commands to leash walking and reactivity. Their dedication to both our dogs and us as owners has made all the difference. They’re flexible, communicative, and always go above and beyond. Simply amazing people and phenomenal trainers. We highly, highly recommend them.
  • Erin Rose
    Jul. 19, 2025
    Whit has been amazing working with our older girl. I used to always worry if she broke out of the fence and now we are able to trust her for walks around the neighborhood without a leash. She's learned commands she didn't know before, quickly at that. We've also come to understand her a lot better with his methods of giving her patience in her age. Her health isn't the best anymore, but her mind is staying sharp as a tack and she's enjoyed coming her group classes.
  • Callahan Grier
    Jun. 11, 2025
    They are super nice to my dog and super good at what they do! They are friendly and kind and are very skilled.
  • Megan Rozyskie
    Jun. 10, 2025
    I cannot recommend Mike and Gosia enough! They worked a miracle on our one year old golden retriever.
  • Megan Shulin
    May. 29, 2025
    We are so happy we used this training company for our 4-month old golden retriever. While cute, he was out of control and unpredictable. To be honest, I was a little afraid of him when he would snap at me while trying to pick him up. I called this company and Michael came to the rescue very quickly. After only 3 months of weekly in-home training with Michael and Gosia our puppy did a near-180. Our puppy LOVED their visits and I looked forward to them, too. It was amazing to see that our dog was actually capable being obedient when they trained him (and us!). You have to keep up the work but our now 1-year old golden is a pretty good dog and we are grateful we found Dog Training Elite Northeast Atlanta.
  • Ryann Imhulse
    May. 2, 2025
    100% would recommend Dog Training Elite Northwest Atlanta! We reached out to Michael and Gosia in desperation after our overprotective black lab tried to chew through the basement door when we had a babysitter. We had resigned ourselves to the fact that we just couldn't have anyone in our home when we weren't there. They came over to assess Charlie and explained his behavior in a way that gave us hope. Their expertise and patience with Charlie (and us) has decreased Charlie's anxiety and has brought out the best sides of him. We are so grateful for their expertise! Their one on one training sessions have been game changers, and we are excited to have the continued support through group sessions going forward.
  • Rocky Brown
    Apr. 23, 2025
    Great people who do an amazing job helping my puppy turn into a well trained dog!
  • Floyd Dickens III
    Apr. 22, 2025
    Highly recommended - sought out a trainer for our 6 month old pup, and after extensive research, we decided to go with Dog Training Elite. They did not disappoint! Michael (our lead trainer) was knowledgeable, detailed, informative, flexible and most of all PATIENT! If you are looking for in-home training, this is it!
  • Lenice Dower
    Apr. 11, 2025
    Dog Training Elite was amazing!!! They helped us so much with our French Bulldog Poppy. I would 10/10 recommend them for dog training and would use them in the future again.
A Dog Training Elite in Atlanta owner smiling with his dog in Atlanta, GA.

Dog Training Elite in Atlanta

Is a Service Dog The Same As a Therapy Dog?

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Many types of working dogs increase the quality of life for their handlers. The three main categories of working dogs are service animal, therapy animal, and emotional support animal. Each category covers different areas of support and different levels of protection under the law.

  1. Service Animal
  2. As mentioned above, service animals assist individuals with disabilities. Depending on the person’s needs, the service animal learns how to perform certain tasks. Guide dogs, for example, help blind individuals safely navigate their environment. Seizure response dogs respond to their handlers when the individual is having a seizure. Service animals are highly trained and specialized, and they are also offered the most protection under the law compared to therapy or emotional support animals.

    Dogs are not the only kinds of service animals - miniature horses are often trained to support individuals with disabilities!

  3. Therapy Animal
  4. Therapy dogs provide comfort and improve the mental well-being of individuals in hospitals, hospice care, retirement homes, nursing homes, schools, and more. These dogs must have a friendly, calm demeanor and be comfortable when handled by strangers.

    Therapy dogs are not trained to perform specific tasks, but they must be obedient and well-mannered. Therapy animals are permitted in some areas where pets are not, but they have fewer protections than service animals. All therapy dogs must be certified before they can offer their services to the community.

  5. Emotional Support Animal
  6. Emotional support dogs relieve loneliness, anxiety, depression, and other symptoms of mental health disorders. They provide comfort to their handlers, but they are not trained to perform specific tasks. Most emotional support animals are sensitive to the emotional changes of their handler and will remain close by at all times. Emotional support animals are not protected by the ADA, but residential buildings must permit emotional support animals.

Dog Training Elite in Atlanta

What Can Service Dogs Do?

Service dogs are crucial in assisting individuals with various disabilities and conditions, providing them with support, independence, and companionship. These highly trained dogs can perform specific tasks tailored to the needs of their handlers. Learn about breeds that make great service dogs, who can benefit from a service dog and the training that will help these pups meet their handler's needs.

Service dogs are a great help to disabled individuals thanks to their incredible ability to perform highly specialized tasks, like opening doors, switching lights on and off, assisting with balance and stability, guiding, pulling wheelchairs, answering phones and making calls, finding objects or places, unloading and loading items, clearing rooms, finding help, and many more. Service dogs improve the lives of disabled individuals by increasing their autonomy.
Individuals with certain diseases and disorders can benefit from a highly trained service dog. Dogs have an incredible sense of smell and they can detect the chemical changes associated with oncoming seizures and increases in blood pressure. Alert service dogs alert their handler to these situations to prevent a life-threatening emergency. Alert dogs also help those with extreme allergies detect potential allergens in food.
Disabled or epileptic individuals are more prone to emergencies than the average person. Service dogs are trained to alert their handler to a potential emergency, and alert surrounding individuals to an active emergency. Service dogs can also call for help on pre-programmed phones.

Additional Service Training Info

Dog Training Elite in Atlanta - PTSD Service Dog Training in Atlanta, GA. DTE

PTSD Service Dog

If you're looking to train a PTSD service dog in Atlanta, GA, Dog Training Elite is here to help. Our service dogs are trained to assist with symptoms such as anxiety, hyper-vigilance, and panic attacks, providing grounding emotional support.

Dog Training Elite in Atlanta - Psychiatric Service Dog Training in Atlanta, GA

Psychiatric Service Dog Training

Our psychiatric service dog training in Atlanta, GA helps individuals with PTSD, anxiety, and depression. We'll help train your dog to mitigate symptoms by offering emotional grounding and support during stressful situations.

Dog Training Elite in Atlanta - Mobility Service Dog Training in Atlanta, GA

Mobility Support Service Dog

Enhance your independence or help a loved one with specialized mobility service dog training in Atlanta, GA from Dog Training Elite. Our expert trainers teach dogs the skills they need to support their owners with mobility challenges.

Dog Training Elite in Atlanta - Seizure Response Dog Training in Atlanta, GA

Medical Response Dog Training

If you are in need of a seizure response dog in Atlanta, GA, Dog Training Elite can help. Our training program is designed to help individuals with epilepsy regain independence and confidence.

Dog Training Elite in Atlanta - Autism Support Dog Training in Atlanta, GA

Autism Support Service Dog

Bring life-changing support to your family with Dog Training Elite's autism support dog training in Atlanta, GA. Our compassionate trainers work closely with your family and dog throughout the entire process, ensuring your pup is fully prepared to provide comfort, safety, and companionship.

A service dog at a ball game with their owner - get professional Atlanta service dog training with Dog Training Elite.

Dog Training Elite in Atlanta

Service Dogs for Anxiety, PTSD, and Autism

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Service dogs trained to assist handlers with severe anxiety or depression perform specific tasks that reduce the potential for panic attacks or self-harm attempts. Such tasks include deep-pressure therapy, tactile stimulation, alerting, clearing rooms, blocking strangers from approaching, and more. Service dogs trained to assist those with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) have greatly improved the lives of many veterans.

Service dogs also make a big impact on the lives of children with autism. Children with autism are often prone to meltdowns, have trouble communicating, and are quick to run off or become easily lost. Service dogs prevent and mediate all of these behaviors to provide a higher quality of life for children with autism and their families.

As autism is a spectrum disorder, each child has varying needs of assistance. Autism service dogs perform the following tasks:

  • Tracking: Children with autism often wander away, and a parent’s worst fear is turning their back for just a moment and discovering their child is gone. Autism service dogs will track the child if this ever happens.
  • Tethering: This task minimizes wandering, which is common in public settings. The child is tethered to the service dog’s leash or harness, preventing him or her from wandering away.
  • Behavior Interruption: Repetitive and ritualistic behaviors are typical of autistic children, as are meltdowns when the child becomes overstimulated. Autism service dogs recognize these negative behaviors and redirect the child’s attention when they start. A simple paw or nudge is all it takes to prevent a meltdown.
A service puppy waiting for their owner - Dog Training Elite in Atlanta.

How Do I Get a Service Dog?

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If you are wondering how to get a service dog, there are a couple of different approaches. Some service dogs are purchased outright, fully trained. Or a compatible dog is selected and trained from an early age. Training a dog from the start is the best option, especially for those with specialized needs.

Training a dog to perform service responsibilities must start from day one. Only certain breeds are suited to service work, and breeders put a lot of time into raising puppies to be service animals. Once you have purchased a service puppy, additional training is necessary to prepare your puppy for life as a service dog. This is a complicated process that involves various steps. Dog Training Elite makes getting a service dog easier with our service dog training program.

Our talented trainers can help select puppies that are prepared for a life of service from well-respected breeders. When these puppies enter the service dog training program they are closely monitored for behavior and temperament and can be fully obedience trained by the age of six months. These puppies undergo extensive socialization and additional training to ensure they are well-suited for service and therapy needs including specialized service training alongside the new handler.

This program is ideal for handlers who want to take part in the developmental years and extensive training of their service puppy.

A group of dogs being trained by the expert team at Dog Training Elite in Atlanta.
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Educate, Empower, Elevate, Elite

Victory Begins With Elite Education

A trainer, a man and his service dog - find the best service dog training in Atlanta, GA with Dog Training Elite.

We Are Committed to Making a Difference

Choose DTE for Atlanta Service Dog Training

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At Dog Training Elite, we are passionate about transforming lives through Atlanta service dog training. Our proven, balanced training methods help create highly skilled, dependable service dogs that are both obedient and loyal to their handlers.

From mobility support and physical assistance to emotional well-being and more, Dog Training Elite is committed to providing personalized, high-quality training that makes a lasting impact.

Choose Dog Training Elite in Atlanta and experience the difference that elite training and compassionate care can make.