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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 in Cleveland apart from any other dog training service.
Not all training packages may be available at our Dog Training Elite in Cleveland 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 in Cleveland 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 in Cleveland’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 in Cleveland 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 in Cleveland 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 in Cleveland?
Dog Training Elite in Cleveland 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 in Cleveland does not use punishments or shock collars to break bad habits. Instead, Dog Training Elite in Cleveland 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 in Cleveland is that while most dog training programs train dogs at their own facilities, Dog Training Elite in Cleveland 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 in Cleveland is there every step of the way. With Dog Training Elite in Cleveland, 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!
Josh and Lexi have been in my home for multiple sessions and not only are the professional and knowledgable, but they are really personable as well. We have a great time each session and my 7 year old dog has made tremendous progress in just 3 sessions. I can't rave enough about these guys, you will not be sorry if you choose them for your canine family!— Agata Stasiak
Posted April 13th 2024
I have so much more confidence in my dogs obedience thanks to elite dog training. Worth every penny.— Meredith Mazza
Posted April 10th 2024
The Puppy Package was just what I needed to set my little guy up for success! Even with all of my research, I still needed some help! Josh was awesome and patient and gave me the tools to train my puppy. I plan to continue my training with Josh to help build on Winston’s (and my) skills! I would recommend this for any dog owner!— Christy Gearo
Posted March 25th 2024
I can honestly wish I could give more than 5 stars. As Josh and Lexi are amazing. I couldn’t ask for a better set of training. Josh is absolutely incredible and I am proud to support him and anyone who works with or for him. I admit if I wanted to stop what I’m doing and become a dog trading this is certainly the organization that I would be part of. By far this has been the greatest training I have ever been a part of. I am motivated and so is my pup as we look forward to our next class every week.— Josh Pallardy
Posted March 25th 2024
Josh helped our dog, Rossi, learn so much! He was very experienced, knowledgeable, and answered all our questions and assisted with all our concerns. Would absolutely recommend him for any training!— Alarra Jordan
Posted February 24th 2024
Josh from Dog Training Elite is a fantastic trainer. Josh has helped us with the whole process of training our dog. From helping us select the best puppy to all of the training we have needed. With all of the hands on in depth training our dog has learned so fast and is excelling at public access and the group training. Josh has answered every question we have had and is training our dog to be a service dog and helping us through the whole process. I would 100% recommend Josh and Dog Training Elite Greater Cleveland for anyone who wants their dog trained.— thomas hartline
Posted February 22nd 2024
We rescued a 6mo aussiedoodle while having a 6mo baby, 3yo and 8yo. We were immediately overwhelmed and knew we needed support to have the family dog we dreamt of. Josh and his team are amazing. They are so professional, calm and collected. Their attitude toward our dog is that she can do it. She wants to know the ropes and to be a good dog. In just a few sessions, we noticed improvement in her obedience. Two months ago, we could hardly walk her on a leash as she pulled and chewed the line. Now, I can walk her and my double stroller with ease. I cannot recommend this team enough! She can hangout on our porch while the kids play and other dogs walk by, no problem at all. It is money SO well spent to invest in this training.— Mary Breslin
Posted February 22nd 2024
Andrea has helped us train our golden retriever to be a service dog for my child. She and her team are incredibly phenomenal and I would highly recommend them. Kiddo was admitted to hospital and Andrea even met us there to work with him on some hospital specific skills. They’ve become part of our family!— Tonya Knowles
Posted February 13th 2024
Josh and his crew are some great trainers. I appreciate everything they did with my dog Rhys, I’ve seen a dramatic change in Rhys’s behavior since working with them. Highly recommend working with them, make it easy to learn with them by breaking everything down and explaining what we did and how we did it. I can’t thank them enough.— Colin Ransom
Posted January 28th 2024
We have been working with Josh since our dog was a puppy. We started with the puppy training and transitioned into the adult program. Josh has been amazing! We have tried other trainers with previous dogs (including board and train) and this has been by far the best experience we’ve had. Josh teaches you and your dog at the same time. Not only do you learn the fundamentals but he teaches you so that you can teach your dog anything outside the scope of the class. I would recommend Josh to anyone!— Tony Sileo
Posted January 7th 2024
We are completely blown away with the "magic" that Josh brings to the training sessions. He is articulate and knowledgeable and shares that knowledge in a way that makes it easy to understand and follow. We saw an immediate change in our weimaraner after just the first session. It's made visiting friends and family so much easier.— Jeff Harbin
Posted December 23rd 2023
After going through 5 other trainers, we are super-grateful to have found Josh Lopez and DTE. He’s experienced, creative, dependable and committed to helping us resolve all our dog-training challenges. Having an older dog with established long-standing issues makes it more challenging, but he doesn’t give up. We’ve seen great success in several areas (dog aggression, not coming when called) and anticipate a long-term ongoing relationship with Josh. I recommend DTE highly— Beth Schuster
Posted December 23rd 2023
Josh has been fantastic at helping us get our puppy Nugget to a place where he is much better behaved. We went from a mindset of, "oh no we might have to rehome this new puppy that won't stop chasing our cats and kid," to a point where he listens to basic commands and is now a happy, welcome part of our household. Thank you so much, Josh, you're appreciated more than you know!— Sonya Acosta
Posted December 23rd 2023
Josh is awesome to work with and gave us all the tools to train our Bernese puppy to be better behaved. By far the best trainer I've used!— Andrew dutt
Posted December 23rd 2023
Josh has been training my shepard Emma, ( and myself) for a while now. His training techniques and attitude before, during and after classes FAR exceeds any and all expectations that I had. Emma is a very stubborn dog at times and he will give tips and tricks to help me. I really enjoy the group classes. Emma and I have both learned a lot and also made a couple of friends along the way.— Bill Pawloski
Posted December 23rd 2023
Training is amazing, Josh has worked with our dog and it is amazing how well behaved our dog is now.— Michael Hogan
Posted December 23rd 2023
My wife and I have a new puppy who was causing tons of stress in the home. Dog Training Elite has helped tremendously. Our dog, Nugget has improved a lot since we started the training. He is more obedient and confident. He also enjoys the training sessions. We highly recommend Dog Training Elite to anyone who wants to have a well-behaved and happy dog.— Jaime Acosta
Posted December 23rd 2023
Josh is an amazing trainer and makes you feel heard and helps with any question you have regardless of the time. He makes all the time for you and takes the time to get to know each person and dog individually. I highly recommend.— Olga Pierce
Posted September 5th 2023
I love my dog but he is a wild boy. One giant puppy. I have been trying to find the right trainer to get him started on his road to being a service (PSA) dog. We started with the Gold Obedience package and the difference the 5 weeks of training have made are night and day. Josh was a joy to work with. Kratos really liked him and worked well with him. I would recommend Josh to anyone looking for a experienced good trainer that cares. We look forward to group sessions and the continuing training over the next few months! Update: Kratos is now a fully trained (PSA) service dog. His obedience is amazing and lots of times even anticipates my next command or what I need him to do. He has learned behavior interruption, watch my six (we use this one a lot), and orbit. I couldn't be more pleased and would recommend Josh to anyone.— David Gilham
Posted May 13th 2023
Dog training elite did a great job with my Zeus! He listens now, understands his commands and much easier to walk now. Josh is great at what he does and I noticed a difference after our first class. He not only trains your dog he trains you to do exactly what you need to do to get results.— Stephanie Mackey
Posted December 6th 2023
Proud Sponsor of The Malinois Foundation
At Dog Training Elite in Cleveland, 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 in Cleveland works with the Malinois Foundation to heal and empower these individuals with a specialized service animal, a partner in life, and a new best friend.