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A Psychiatric/PTSD service animal will be able to go anywhere with their handler and assist them in times of high anxiety and stress. A service dog will provide emotional support, reintegration into society, reduce depression, reduce the frequency and severity of flashbacks, anchor handler to the present, and reduce suicidal ideation.
Individuals with PTSD often feel unsafe and unsure of reality, especially in public settings. Service dogs for PTSD can help ground their handler to reality, prevent people from crowding or rushing up to them and provide the emotional support needed to de-escalate anxieties. They can be trained to recognize the signs of a panic attack, wake individuals experiencing night terrors and regulate emotional responses through pressure.
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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.
Psychiatric / PTSD Support Dog
$4,495
Training Equipment Included: Flexi Leash, E-Collar (utilized after 14 weeks of age)
A Psychiatric/PTSD service dog will be able to go anywhere with their handler and assist them in times of high stress and provide a sense of security. A service dog will provide emotional support, reintegration into society, reduce depression, help cope with anxiety, reduce the frequency and severity of flashbacks, anchor handler to the present, and reduce suicidal ideation. Psychiatric service dogs will learn basic obedience and advanced tasks that are customizable, such as:
- Grounding
- Deep Pressure Therapy
- Panic Response
- Create a Physical Buffer
- Interrupt Repetitive Behaviors
- Watch Rear Blindspot
- Additional tasks as needed, must be approved by trainer
Benefits of Psychiatric/PTSD Service Dog Training:
- Increase activity and integration into society: Dogs are active and need to be exercised regularly, the responsibility of caring for a service animal will force their handler to get out and exercise. A routine is established and ties to the future are forged again.
- Create a sense of safety: Public settings and crowds are an enormous trigger for most individuals suffering from PTSD. Psychiatric service dogs are trained to create a physical barrier between their handler and crowds of people.
- Ground in reality, redirect hyper-vigilance: Hyper-vigilance is a symptom of PTSD and creates constant tension and paranoia within sufferers. Service dogs are trained to recognize their handler’s warning signs for anxiety, hyper-vigilance, and panic attacks and redirect that energy into positive coping skills and grounding techniques such as petting the dog.
- Reduce nightmares and flashbacks: One of the most emotionally challenging situations for individuals with PTSD to deal with are flashbacks and nightmares. They can transport an individual back to a terrifying time in their life where they have felt unsafe, threatened, and traumatized. A PTSD service animal is trained to bring their handler back to reality quickly and calmly, ground the individual, and help them to feel safe in their environment again.
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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.
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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).
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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.
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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!
Absolutely loved Shawn and so glad we chose Dog Training Elite. Loved that he was able to come to our house for the training. He was very professional, knowledgeable and patient, but most importantly cared about the dogs and making sure we also had the skills to train them. We saw an immediate difference in their behavior after just 1 lesson. Would highly recommend.— Jafet R Nunez
Posted November 29th 2023
DTE is a great place to have your dog trained professionally and effectively. I am so happy with Shawn and Angela’s work with my therapy dog. I don’t hesitate to recommend anyone to them for dog training.— Lorena Gonzalez
Posted November 18th 2023
Dog Elite Training is incredible, and I highly recommend their team and services to all! Sharon is so great to walk you through their program options based on what will fit your dog, and family needs. She is also always quick to respond. Shawn and Angela are VERY knowledgeable and helpful. We never imagined we would see results as quickly as our first training, but we did! We are very impressed by their professionalism and how they were able to work with/train our dog. Highly recommended and could not say enough!!!— lacie lares
Posted November 8th 2023
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 110% recommend Dog Training Elite Charlotte! They have helped me learn to be the best handler and helped my dog with obedience so much. We completed Service Dog training with them, they give you all the tools to be successful. Even after we moved out of state their continued support is unmatched!— Vicky Reed
Posted November 2nd 2023
I can’t thank Shawn enough for all that he did to help me hone in on my dog's training. She is a service dog and we just needed some things tweaked and we got it done! Thank you Shawn!— Terry L
Posted October 20th 2023
Sassy (labradoodle) responded really well to training. She is also very happy when with them, so that says a lot! I gleaned quite a bit of valuable training information from the owners. Thankful for their help and encouragement!— Jeanette Chavez
Posted October 15th 2023
Dog Training Elite deserves a standing ovation, a high-five, and maybe even a doggie treat or two! 🐾 I came to them with a goldendoodle who thought "sit" was a game of musical chairs and "stay" meant "run around like a maniac." But thanks to their magical dog-whispering skills, my mischievous furball now acts like a canine Einstein! The trainers are like the Jedi Masters of the dog world, turning chaos into obedience, one paw at a time. Sunnie now sits, stays, and even knows how to fetch my slippers without eating them although I'm still waiting for my morning coffee. 😄☕ If your dog is more misbehaved than a squirrel at a nut shop, Dog Training Elite is your lifeline. I give them 5 paws out of 5! 🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾— Danielle Mauldin
Posted September 29th 2023
The whole team at Dog Training Elite did an excellent job preparing Lucie and I as we started our partnership as handler and service dog. Their knowledge and skill was an integral part of our training and I would highly recommend them.— Julia Bernanke
Posted September 22nd 2023
My wife wanted a puppy. I didn’t want a puppy. We got a puppy. A little floofy doodleish thing. I named her Winnie Pooper. She had soon earned the nickname “Sh!t Weasel”. We tried training her with food and treats. She soon learned that when we didn’t have treats - she didn’t need to listen. Her rampage through our lives continued unabated. I was ready to give her away to the first person who would take her. Then we called Dog Training Elite. Shawn came to the house for lesson #1. He had a calm, serious way about him. Winnie was outmatched and she knew it. Her capitulation was rapid and complete. Shawn demonstrated the e-collar by placing the prongs into the palm of his hand and turning the dial all the way up to show that it would cause no harm. Then he placed the collar on Winnie and in no time had Winnie sitting on command, and coming on command, and being a very good dog. Lessons 2 through 6 were with Angela. She showed us what to do and demonstrated that Winnie could learn commands very quickly. I nearly burst with pride when Winnie learned “place” and proved it by hopping on and riding a skateboard Angela had brought with her on our driveway. I ordered Winnie a skateboard of her own that very day. Today was our first group lesson with Winnie at the park. It was very organized and serious. Winnie was distracted by the other dogs and people, but with Shawn there helping we made it through some early drama. Now the dog I would have given away goes with me on a morning walk to start each day. She is still playful and full of joy, and now confident and poised, too. And I rarely have occasion to call her “Sh!t Weasel”, anymore. But that’s fine with me. Do yourself a favor and call Dog Training Elite today!—
Posted September 10th 2023
DTE Charlotte has been absolutely amazing with helping me train Lupin to be a service dog. Shawn walked through the whole process and the initial consultation was super thorough and explained every step of the process including how they make sure the dog's temperament fits for service work through the the initial obedience at home classes and group work. Each training session is super involved and Shawn and Angela showed me how to work with him and made each training session fun for him. They came with several tools to help him master the commands. The group classes were something I have never experienced with dog training but they were so helpful! We were able to practice our newly learned skills with people doing the same thing and have plenty of distractions to help build on the commands. Shawn and Sharon were always nearby to help if a dog struggled. Lupin even learned how to skateboard! They truly love dogs and helping people build a better bond with their puppers. 🐶— Jessika Lawrence
Posted September 10th 2023
Shawn, Sharon and Angela are beyond amazing! They are kind, knowledgeable and encouraging! After doing a ton of research we decided to go with DTE Charlotte and we are so glad we did. Our puppy Goose started with advanced obedience and is currently in service training to be our sons autism service pup. DTE Charlotte has helped us learn so much and I am still amazed at how available they are every time we have a question or need guidance. We can not say enough incredible things about this team of trainers. We are beyond thankful and would 100% recommend them to anybody looking into dog training!— s c
Posted September 5th 2023
Thank you so much to Dog Training Elite for working with my maltipoo Dakota! They did an incredible job and I couldn't be happier with the results. Dakota is now well-behaved, obedient, and a joy to be around. The trainer's expertise and patience truly made all the difference. I am so grateful for their dedication and commitment to helping my puppy become the best version of himself. Thank you, thank you, thank you!— Christy Key
Posted August 26th 2023
Dog Training Elite has shown my daughter and her service dog how to be a great team. They took the time to give us great tips to reach our goals! They were always available to any help we needed. We are so thankful to have met this beautiful family and be a part of their DTE team! 💙👩🏻🦱🦮— Christina Reyes
Posted August 25th 2023
Shawn is a skilled highly professional dog trainer. We cannot thank him enough for his patience and expertise. He helped us with not one but both of our dogs, one being a puppy one being nine years old. In addition, they are always quick to respond with any questions we have following a session. If you are on the fence, pull the trigger and sign up trust me it’s worth the money.!!—
Posted August 25th 2023
Shawn is a skilled highly professional dog trainer. We cannot thank him enough for his patience and expertise. He helped us with not one but both of our dogs, one being a puppy one being nine years old. In addition, they are always quick to respond with any questions we have following a session. If you are on the fence, pull the trigger and sign up trust me it’s worth the money.!!— Julie Swanson
Posted March 16th 2023
Shawn was wonderful trainer. Highly recommend him— madhankumar sathyamoorthy
Posted August 23rd 2023
Best trainer in the Charlotte area!! Our 5 year old dog, Leo, was very reactive towards strangers and dogs but with just the first couple in-home sessions, we felt more confident in ourselves and Leo trusting us as his owner. Shawn taught us how to think and understand our dog better and now we are able to take him out to parks and trails and advocate for Leo. Shawn and Sharon are amazing in communicating and are such genuine dog lovers!— Juablai Yang
Posted August 20th 2023
Shawn, Sharon, and Angela are absolutely phenomenal. I cannot recommend them enough! From the moment we met, their passion for dogs was evident, and it truly reflected in their training methods. We signed up for the 5 in home sessions & 12 group classes. We have a Rottweiler who is a bit of a handful, but thanks to the trainer's expertise, patience, and positive reinforcement techniques, they have been transforming my very large (100lbs) 8 month old puppy Blitz into a well-behaved and obedient companion. They have took the time to understand my dog's personality and tailoring the training recommendations to address specific behaviors and challenges. I really appreciate the trainer's ability to not only work with Blitz but also educate us on how to continue reinforcing the training at home without their presence. Their knowledge and guidance is invaluable in ensuring that the lessons we learned during the sessions were effectively applied in our daily routines. All 3 trainers are always punctual, professional, and easy to communicate with for scheduling at home sessions and group classes on Saturdays. They have genuinely been invested in our dog's progress, and their genuine care and passion has been evident throughout our training journey. If you're looking for a dog trainer who can make a real difference in your dog’s behavior and your relationship with them, look no further. I wholeheartedly endorse Dog Training Elite Charlotte and give them a well-deserved 5-star rating!!! Thank you sooo much Shawn, Sharon, and Angela!! We truly appreciate you all!— Lauren Smith
Posted August 6th 2023
I really enjoyed working 1:1 with Shaun training my feisty Cane corso. Looking forward to attending group classes next.— Rick Burke
Posted July 24th 2023
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
