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Over the past decade there has been a rise in the number of people with Emotional Support Animals. This has caused some confusion around what it means to have a service, emotional support or therapy animal . Here, we explain briefly the differences between each of these animals, the training required for each different type, and debunk some common myths. Read on to learn the differences between each type of animal, which one might be right for you or your loved one, and how Dog Training Elite Southeast Michigan can help.
Not all training packages may be available at our Dog Training Elite Southeast Michigan location, please reference our pricing page for complete information on services offered.
ESA vs. Therapy vs. Service Animals: What's the Difference?
Service Animals
Service animals are animals that have been trained to assist individuals with tasks specific to their needs.
- Redirecting attention when an individual is beginning to feel overstimulated
- Reminding owners to take medication
- Waking someone who is having a nightmare
Service dogs are valued in the mental health, health care and disability community and are protected under ADA laws which allow owners to take their service dog with them everywhere they go. Dog Training Elite Southeast Michigan trains dogs to serve individuals with autism, diabetes and PTSD.
Dog Training Elite Southeast Michigan trains autism service dogs to benefit and assist children with autism. Autism service dogs can be trained to track their child in case of wandering and redirect a child’s behavior when they are starting to become overwhelmed.
PTSD service dogs help ground owners to reality, especially in public settings. These service dogs can also be trained to recognize signs of a panic attack and regulate emotional responses through pressure.
Diabetic service dogs can alert their owners to their low blood sugar and provide stability, safety and support.
Visit our individual web pages to understand more about the differences and benefits of autism service dogs, PTSD services dogs and diabetic service dogs.
Emotional Support Animals
Although all dog owners may feel the emotional benefits of owning a dog, the dog needs to be prescribed by a licensed mental health professional to a person with a disabling mental illness such as anxiety or depression to legally be considered an ESA. Emotional Support dogs can be of any age and any breed whereas service dogs usually begin training as puppies.
In addition to being prescribed by a mental health professional, owners may wish for their dog to undergo more specific training. If you are looking for emotional support dog training in your local area, Dog Training Elite Southeast Michigan has you covered.
The professional dog trainers of Dog Training Elite Southeast Michigan are experienced with training various types of therapy animals. Trainers work with a dog’s natural temperament to ensure a strong, loving bond between dog and owner. Training can be personalized to fit the needs of the owner.
It is important to note that Emotional Support Animals are meant for just that - emotional support. Dogs trained to assist with specific tasks that may be associated with a disability are service animals. Training a dog to be an Emotional Support Animal or a therapy dog is less intensive than training to be a service animal.
Therapy Animals
Therapy Animals are very similar to Emotional Support Animals, except that they are often used to bolster the mental health and wellbeing of a community, as opposed to just an individual. Therapy dogs are often seen serving in hospitals, rehabilitation or care centers with their owners.
Owners who feel their dog may be a good fit for this kind of community service can have them receive top-notch training from Dog Training Elite Southeast Michigan.
The most important thing to note as a difference between Emotional Support Animals, Therapy and Service dogs, is service animals are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act which states service animals must be able to accompany their owners wherever they go. Emotional Support and Therapy animals do not have the same protections and public establishments may have their own rules about ESA and therapy dogs.
Whether you’re ready to get a new lease on life with the help of a service dog, or strengthen the existing bond with your dog, Dog Training Elite Southeast Michigan has the experience and resources you need.
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!
Hailey makes dog training so fun. Our puppy loves to see her drive in. Hailey is very professional yet caring and kind. Always on time. Austin did our home assessment. He explained everything in detail and answered all questions.— Teresa Roy
Posted April 27th 2024
Hailey is an exceptional trainer! Emily is a much different/better companion because of her. We're very glad we contacted Elite.— Linda Eaves
Posted April 27th 2024
Hailey has been working with us and our puppy Maple for 7 lessons. She is so patient and knowledgeable. We are making amazing progress. We have been to other places for training in the past with other dogs but the advantages of in home training are so much better. Hailey is always on time and asks if there is anything specific we want to work on as well as scheduled lesson. Austin came out for the initial assessment and explained the program thoroughly. It is everything he said it would be.— Teresa Roy
Posted April 25th 2024
Ryann Reese is the best! She is always patient with me and very helpful! My dog is so much better now since I was taught how to be boss mom! Thank you Ryann!— Dianne Wright
Posted April 19th 2024
We could not have been happier with the training that we got from Dog Training Elite. Austin and Hailey both did an excellent job and worked hand in hand with us through the training. We were able to incorporate our kids and have them involved in the process, with an 85 pound German Shepard we felt like this was important for our dog to listen to the kids as well. The knowledge that DTE was able to give us has allowed us to continue training on our own and have the confidence to take him out in public without concern. I would highly recommend their service, definitely worth the investment. Thanks Austin and Hailey!— Brian Bott
Posted April 17th 2024
Hailey was great!! We learned the tools needed to help train our golden retriever puppy in a fun but effective way. We would highly recommend Hailey!— Robyn Leineke
Posted March 27th 2024
Hailey did a great job training our very active GSP, Diesel!! Looking forward to the group sessions.— Judith Westerberg
Posted March 23rd 2024
Worth every penny! We are first time dog owners and have found this training SO helpful. It has given us the tools to feel like we understand our dog’s behavior and have control over it too. This training has given our family a lot of confidence with our new pet and has made dog ownership more enjoyable as we’ve navigated the behavior of a rescue puppy. Hailey and Austin are awesome! Hailey is communicative, kind and flexible. She put me at ease whenever we had trainings because of her knowledge, patience and kindness. She helped get our whole family involved in the trainings, including our kids. She’s easy to talk with and I looked forward to our trainings each time. She’s super encouraging and always available if something comes up between training sessions. You can tell she really loves dogs! I feel so appreciative of what Dog Training Elite has given our family - Highly recommend!— Krista Mast
Posted March 21st 2024
Austin and Haley have not only been a pleasure to work with—they have helped us transform our dog into a sociable, well-behaved companion. He was already sweet, but was overly protective, barking way too much, pulling on his leash, lunging at strangers. Now we can take him anywhere. Friends and family encourage us to bring him along! We can walk quietly past bikers, strollers, joggers, other dogs. He’s friendly with other dogs and people. Good thing, since he has now been certified as a therapy dog! He’s clearly happier too and more confident. He also LOVES Austin and Haley and is always so happy to see them even though they put him through his paces! I highly recommend Dog Training Elite.— Mary Jo Larson
Posted March 9th 2024
I recommend dog training elite to everyone who needs help with their dog or is interested in having a service dog. From the very beginning they have been wonderful and supportive of my journey to have a trained service dog for myself. They even helped me pick out the perfect puppy and they came out to the dog breeder’s house with me to interview the dogs and help me find the right dog. They have been supportive for every step throughout my dog’s early puppy months and beyond. My dog has passed obedience training and now we are onto the service dog portion. Raising my own service dog has been very therapeutic for me and I feel confident that with my dog at my side I can now get out in the world again. None of this would have been possible without the team at dog training elite. Ryen and Austin are the best. Thank you for everything you have done for me and for my dog Billy.— Kimberly McMurray
Posted February 26th 2024
DTE has provided excellent training for both my dog Louie and me! From the initial in-home assessment throughout the entire training program Austen has been consistent in approach and extraordinarily effective with my dog. Hailey has added to that, reinforcing what we have been taught in an effective and compassionate manner. Louie has become a wonderful therapy dog and we look forward to serving our community. We are truly grateful for DTE!— Diana DiRita
Posted February 16th 2024
I have nothing but great things to say about DTE. Austin and his team were professional and knowledgeable. They were patient with the questions I had and were thorough with responses. Hailey was also great when she ran DTE's group classes on Saturdays. She displayed knowledge and confidence in her ability to communicate and educate the dog owners. Now if only they could get a group class on the Eastside...— Stephanie Falotico
Posted February 15th 2024
Austin and his team are great. Very professional and provides great service. Highly recommend.— James Griffith Dewling
Posted February 2nd 2024
Ryan and Austin both were amazing from start to finish. I started with puppy classes and just finished our 1-on-1’s from advanced obedience. My Doberman responded amazingly and they always were there to answer my many (many lol) questions. I highly suggest starting them with puppy classes because it really built the foundation for the obedience classes to move much smoother.— Alexiss Marie
Posted January 28th 2024
We are so happy with our training from Elite. We have a 5 year old rescue and they proved you CAN teach an old dog new tricks. Very professional, positive and patient. We had a great experience with Holleigh!— Allison Siriani
Posted October 31st 2023
We have 2 Newfoundlands weighing in at 120 pounds each, a six year old and an 18 month pup. The pup is very high energy and was very aggressively friendly towards other dogs and people and has pulled my wife and I down several times resulting in broken bones. In just 6 weeks, the aggressiveness and energy are under control and we can walk both dogs together safely. We even walked through Home Depot without incident. I never thought that would be possible. I can't say enough good things about Austin and his team. Friendly, professional, understanding, flexible, courteous...and unbelievable results. All I can really say is thank you so much!!— David Fitnich
Posted September 13th 2023
Austin and his team are absolutely incredible. Our 3 1/2 yo goldendoodle had 0 training and Austin took her (and us!) all the way through to Service Dog certification. We are thrilled with Sosha's success. Austin's calm demeanor and training approach made the learning curve easy!— MK Merrigan
Posted August 31st 2023
The gratitude and appreciation I have for Austin, both as a professional trainer and as a person, cannot be overstated. His kindness and patience, coupled with detailed knowledge of dog behavior and training best practices have made the puppy months incredibly enjoyable and rewarding (and my pup, Charlie agrees!) I am a first-time owner, so raising a confident, yet obedient and well-mannered dog, has been my primary goal. Notably, I have seen the level of engagement in helping me meet my goal be extended to each owner he works with - a consummate trainer and consultant.— L B S
Posted July 25th 2023
My family and I wanted to thank Austin for an amazing dog training experience. This was our first dog and we got him as a newborn, completely untrained. Austin was soooo very knowledgeable about every aspect of our puppy. On our first session, he predicted all the outcomes and reactions from our puppy before they happened, and he was 100% spot on. Austin had a very gentle way with our puppy and was able to command respect with a soft and loving touch. Austin gave us all the tools we need to continue training our furbaby at our own pace. We use and depend on his techniques everyday. We are so blessed that we found him.— Alka Jain
Posted June 26th 2023
Austin's expertise, experience and patient demeanor have made training easy to follow and fun. My dog is so much calmer now that he knows what I am asking of him. I'm still working the program, but I have so much more confidence in going out in public and testing his new skills. If you want a calm and confident dog that you can take anywhere they are welcome, definitely call Austin and DTE right away. It has changed our lives.— Michelle Hutter
Posted March 11th 2023
Proud Sponsor of The Malinois Foundation
At Dog Training Elite Southeast Michigan, 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 Southeast Michigan 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.