Service Dog Breeds


The Best Service Dogs for Veterans & PTSD in Metro Detroit

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Or Call to Schedule FREE In-Home Assessment

810-510-3647


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Service Dog Breeds

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. We've created this brief guide to review 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. Take the first step towards a better future with a trained service dog by contacting Dog Training Elite Southeast Michigan today!

Dog Training Elite offers professional training of service dogs for veterans in Metro Detroit.

Popular Breeds for Service Dogs

While most dogs can be trained to become service dogs, regardless of breed, a few breeds lead the pack in popularity due to their personalities and inherent traits. Here are a few of the most popular service dog breeds.


Labrador retrievers are among the most sought-after breeds to be service dogs for PTSD in Metro Detroit due to their intelligence, versatility, and friendly nature. They excel in various roles, including guide dogs for individuals with visual impairments, service dogs for individuals with mobility issues, and service dogs for veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Labradors are highly trainable and possess a strong desire to please, making them ideal candidates for service work.

Golden retrievers are known for their gentle and patient nature, making them excellent service dog candidates. Their calm temperament, intelligence, and willingness to learn contribute to their success in roles such as mobility assistance, therapy dogs, and service dogs for veterans. Their ability to provide emotional support and comfort makes them particularly well-suited for individuals with PTSD or other mental health conditions.

German shepherds possess a remarkable combination of strength, intelligence, and loyalty, making them an excellent choice as a service dog for veterans. Their versatility allows them to excel in various roles, including mobility assistance, search and rescue, and service dogs for individuals with psychiatric or neurological conditions. With their keen sense of observation and natural protective instincts, German Shepherds can provide physical and emotional support to their handlers.

Poodles are renowned for their intelligence, trainability, and hypoallergenic coats, making them popular for service dog training, especially for individuals with allergies. They excel in roles such as mobility assistance, diabetic alert dogs, and medical alert dogs.

An adorable golden doodle service pup trained by Dog Training Elite Southeast Michigan, ready to help their owner throughout the day!

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.


Dog Training Elite Southeast Michigan is the top company near you that uses professional positive dog training methods.
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.

See Our Pricing

Dog Training Elite trained service dogs for veterans can help them with PTSD and so much more.

Who Are Service Dogs For?

Service dogs offer invaluable support and assistance to individuals facing various challenges. Service dogs are sought after by individuals with conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), mobility limitations, visual or hearing impairments, autism spectrum disorders, anxiety disorders, and more. Service dogs can help provide security, independence, and emotional well-being regardless of the specific condition. If you seek a loyal and capable partner to enhance your daily life, a service dog for PTSD in Metro Detroit can make a remarkable difference.

Training a service dog for disablities like autism, is a Dog Training Elite specialty.

Service Dog Training

Service dogs undergo extensive and specialized training to perform their essential tasks and assist individuals with disabilities. The training process involves a combination of obedience training, task training, and public access training.

  • Obedience Training

    This training focuses on teaching a dog basic commands, such as sit, stay, heel, and come, as well as proper leash manners and socialization skills.

  • Task Training

    Task training tailors to the specific needs of the individual. It involves teaching the dog to perform tasks that mitigate the person's disability, such as retrieving items, opening doors, or providing deep pressure therapy.

  • Public Access Training

    This type of training is crucial to ensure the dog remains calm, well-behaved, and non-disruptive in various public settings. This training includes exposure to different environments, distractions, and social interactions to provide a dog that can confidently navigate public spaces.

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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Hailey did a great job training our very active GSP, Diesel!! Looking forward to the group sessions.
— Judith Westerberg
Posted March 23rd 2024
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Austin and his team are great. Very professional and provides great service. Highly recommend.
— James Griffith Dewling
Posted February 2nd 2024
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
google
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
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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
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Service Dogs for Veterans & PTSDTraining with Dog Training Elite in Metro Detroit

Dog Training Elite offers comprehensive service dog training programs designed to meet your unique needs. With our expertise and personalized approach, we can help your service dog develop the skills and behaviors necessary to fulfill their vital role in enhancing your daily life.

Service dogs are an invaluable resource for individuals with disabilities, providing support, independence, and companionship. Service dogs can benefit individuals with various conditions, including PTSD, mobility limitations, autism, anxiety disorders, and more. At Dog Training Elite Southeast Michigan, we offer comprehensive service dog training programs to ensure your dog has the necessary skills to meet your needs. Our expertise and personalized approach will help you forge a strong bond with your service dog and confidently navigate daily life. Take the first step towards a brighter future by contacting Dog Training Elite today and discovering how a service dog can make a remarkable difference in your life.

Let Dog Training Elite take care of the service dog training so you can have support in your life while in Metro Detroit.

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.

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