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

Service Dog Training in Louisville, KY

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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 Louisville

Service Dog Training in Louisville, KY

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 Louisville, KY, 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

  • Steven Jeffries
    Nov. 17, 2025
    We have been working with Tom at dog training elite central Kentucky and have had nothing but a positive experience so far. Tom is very knowledgeable when it comes to understand our dogs behavior and giving us the tools to correct them. I look forward to the rest of the program and the endless group opportunities that are available with the package we choose. I would highly recommend Tom if you have a highly reactive pup.
  • Lisa Morris
    Sep. 25, 2025
    Tom has been incredible with our new rescue and with us! He’s calm, patient, and tailors each 1:1 in-home session to our dog’s needs. He always checks in, gives clear next steps that aren’t overwhelming, and follows up during the week. We’ve already seen big improvements in obedience and behavior, both at home and on walks in our neighborhood. Excited for the upcoming group classes and all the next steps— We highly recommend!
  • Kara Eastridge
    Sep. 18, 2025
    So far we've only worked with Tom, and have had a couple of training sessions, but we can already see a huge improvement with our fur baby, including excessive barking, which has been a huge problem for us. Not only is he training our girl, but he's training us as well and we're looking forward to future training at home and out in public. I would highly recommend Tom and his company!
  • Ashley Engler
    Jul. 30, 2025
    Very pleased and only on the second lesson with Tom. He brings great knowledge and a calm approach to training with easy ways to understand and carry it out for your pup to become confident and well behaved! The group classes are also really helpful!
  • Jodey Johnson Lowber
    May. 21, 2025
    Tom from Elite Dog Training is a magician! He instills confidence in you & your dog the second he walks on the scene. His experience & professionalism will guide you to achieve your goals & create an unbreakable bond between you & your pet. We are looking forward to the future & continuing learning from his limitless expertise! Thank you Tom!
  • dorene burke
    May. 4, 2025
    We are thankful to have found Tom, with Dog Training Elite. We were beginning to feel overwhelmed with our Bernedoodle puppy. Tom is so calm and patient. Our Tilly warmed up to him immediately. Working together we have a much better behaved puppy. We will continue to work with Tom in group classes to learn more from his expertise. We highly recommend Dog Training Elite.
  • Lee Anne Ater
    Mar. 22, 2025
    “I have had a great experience with Dog Training Elite Louisville! The trainers are professional, knowledgeable, and patient with me, my husband, and my dog. The in-home training sessions were especially helpful, allowing Cole to learn in a familiar environment. Within just a few sessions, I saw a noticeable improvement in obedience and leash manners. If you’re considering professional training, I’d definitely recommend Dog Training Elite Louisville“
  • Rhonda Clyde
    Mar. 9, 2025
    Tom has been amazing with my crazy pup, displaying incredible patience and compassion. He truly listens to me and my dog. She has made more progress than I could’ve imagined. Tom is very supportive and knowledgeable.
  • Chuck Karasinski
    Mar. 8, 2025
    Tom has been great. Our dog was a drop off rescue that showed that social interaction with other people and dogs had been minimal. The training method appears to suit her well. The at home instruction has been really convenient. The group sessions have been really helpful for her fear and anxiety issues. Today was her second group session and I could sense a noticeable difference. Highly recommend.
  • Joella Mosley
    Feb. 24, 2025
    The patience, kindness, and clear guidance of the trainers at Dog Training Elite Louisville was outstanding, especially during our Service dog training experience, which instantly boosted our dog's confidence and obedience! Highly recommend
  • Krista Johnson
    Feb. 23, 2025
    The staff at Dog Training Elite Louisville demonstrated exceptional patience, kindness, understanding, and provided clear instructions that put us at ease throughout the training process, and we're delighted with the progress our dogs are making. Their encouraging approach made the experience enjoyable and left us feeling confident in our newfound skills as we pursued service dog training for one of our dogs and therapy dog training for the other. The group lessons are an effective way to gain confidence using the training skills we learn in individual sessions. Safety is a main priority in group classes with the leaders demonstrating patience and understanding for any dogs and owners who may be struggling with anxiety around other dogs. We are very happy with DTE training and am glad we chose it for our two dogs.
  • jason kayla
    Feb. 20, 2025
    Our experience with Dog Training Elite Louisville was exceptional, with trainers who demonstrated kindness, patience, clarity, and professionalism as they guided our dogs at all levels of obedience training, and even provided valuable insight into Service dog training making a noticeable difference in their behavior.
  • Edward Delk
    Feb. 20, 2025
    My trainer at Dog Training Elite helped make me feel empowered to train my service dog. I constantly get compliments from people saying that they've never seen a dog behave so well, and it's all thanks to Tom! Even though I'm done with the program, he's still there for me, which means the world! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!
  • Vick N
    Feb. 19, 2025
    Tom is amazing! We started obedience lessons with my Doberman puppy when she was 4 months old, and she has truly turned into the best dog I could’ve ever ask for. She so well behaved thanks to her training, and I feel so confident teaching her new things and taking her out in public thanks to Tom! (She absolutely ADORES Tom too, you should see her wiggle when she sees his Truck pull in for her lessons.) 10/10 recommend Dog Training Elite and Tom!
  • Megan W.
    Feb. 11, 2025
    When I got my puppy, Henry, I was hoping to turn him into a service dog, but had no clue where to even start. Tom has been there every step of the way to help us get to that point. Henry will now alert to me on his own, and I know that wouldn’t have been possible without Tom’s expertise. And I have been so impressed with how well thought out the group classes are! It’s been amazing to watch Henry’s improvement with each outing. Would 1000% recommend this program to anyone!
  • LINDA SEAY
    Feb. 5, 2025
    Odie a mini Sheepadoodle has become a favorite with everyone he meets after finding Tom at DTI. Tom is always patient with Odie and me!! You may think “no way” when he tells you what is possible with your dog, but believe him!! We love the group classes and look forward to them. There are many dog trainers to choose from but I highly recommend Tom and this organization!! Life with your dog will go from ok to fabulous!!
  • Elizabeth Lloyd
    Jan. 25, 2025
    When I adopted my dog from the animal shelter I wasn't sure if she'd ever get along with other dogs or be able to be in a group of dogs without reacting poorly. These classes really helped her learn to be in a group of other dogs without freaking out. Its also helped her learn to listen to me and follow my lead in a situation. She's so much happier and so much more social now!
  • Zoe Hallam
    Jan. 2, 2025
    We work with Tom at Dog Training Elite Louisville and so far he has been amazing! He is very kind, understanding, and knowledgeable. We have a Standard Poodle puppy named Sonny and we have a long road ahead of us, from puppy training to obedience training to hopefully service or therapy dog training. Tom helped me from the very beginning before we even had Sonny, he informed me on what dog breeds would be best for service dogs and what to look for in a puppy, I am very thankful because of him we were able to find our boy Sonny who we absolutely adore (especially our son who we got Sonny for)! I was nervous as this is the most extensive training I have ever done and I have also never worked with an e-collar, Tom has made this experience very smooth and easy. He makes sure to inform me on everything which makes me feel more comfortable with the whole process. We have only been training for a few months as Sonny is only 18weeks old but we have already seen wonderful results from starting training right away! We have enjoyed working with Tom, and look forward to continue working with him. We are a forever client and highly recommend working with Tom for all your dog training needs!
  • Michelle Johnson
    Dec. 26, 2024
    Tom has done an amazing job with our 1 1/2 year old mini golden doodle. She and we have learned so much in just a few sessions! Tom is so patient and consistent with her. Our JoJo is now able to loose leash walk, heel and sit on walks only and come on command only after a few sessions. She is so much calmer and more attentive to us. So very impressed and couldn’t be happier!
  • Robert Dobson
    Nov. 23, 2024
    Tom and Abby have been great working with us and Hank. They’ve walked us through the early steps of our training and kept in touch to make sure everything was going good. We’re now joining the Saturday classes and enjoying learning more from them.
A Dog Training Elite Louisville owner smiling with his dog in Louisville, KY.

Dog Training Elite Louisville

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 Louisville

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 Louisville - PTSD Service Dog Training in Louisville, KY. DTE

PTSD Service Dog

If you're looking to train a PTSD service dog in Louisville, KY, 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 Louisville - Psychiatric Service Dog Training in Louisville, KY

Psychiatric Service Dog Training

Our psychiatric service dog training in Louisville, KY 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 Louisville - Autism Support Dog Training in Louisville, KY

Autism Support Service Dog

Bring life-changing support to your family with Dog Training Elite's autism support dog training in Louisville, KY. 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 Louisville service dog training with Dog Training Elite.

Dog Training Elite Louisville

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 Louisville.

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 Louisville.
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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 Louisville, KY with Dog Training Elite.

We Are Committed to Making a Difference

Choose DTE for Louisville Service Dog Training

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At Dog Training Elite, we are passionate about transforming lives through Louisville 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 Louisville and experience the difference that elite training and compassionate care can make.