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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 Rhode Island can help.
Not all training packages may be available at our Dog Training Elite Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island trains dogs to serve individuals with autism, diabetes and PTSD.
Dog Training Elite Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island has you covered.
The professional dog trainers of Dog Training Elite Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island.
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 Rhode Island 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!
Danielle was great. We have a 10 month old bully mix who is very energetic we also have a child on the way and knew we needed help before she arrives. She helped us to get him to listen to us and follow directions both around the house and while out on walks. We have seen steady improvement with our dog as his training progresses.— Benjamin Phillips
Posted April 23rd 2024
I am a student at Roger Williams University working on a dog scent project. I couldn’t have been happier with picking Dog Training Elite to help me out. Kona was very well trained puppy who showed great work doing her smell training. I would highly recommended this company for all type of training. Danel greatly helped me out answering any and all questions I had. And she did it with a smile on her face the entire time.— Seth Jablonki
Posted April 23rd 2024
In Dec 2022 I brought home an 8 week old, highly energetic, husky malamute shepherd mix. It was immediately clear that I needed more training than I knew at the time and I enlisted the help and expertise of Danielle at Dog Training Elite. I started with the puppy training package which provided the fundamentals. I then followed that with Advanced Training, which built on the fundamentals and included e-collar training and group classes. The group classes are where the rubber meets the road and the practice of all the training you’ve done comes together in practical application. Danielle excels at providing patient instruction to the dog and the owner. She offers solutions to problems that aren’t a one size fits all solution. I chose Danille because I highly valued a balanced training approach that came by way of treats and praise, as well as using the modern tools at our disposal including prong collars and e-collars. The e-collar is an invaluable communication tool and I knew it would be the right method for my dog. I highly recommend Danielle, her approach, and her training.— John Babb
Posted March 30th 2024
I would definitely recommend Dog Training Elite!! The amount of care and one on one experience is worth the money! I've seen such improvement in my pup since we started!— Kimberly Thompson
Posted February 26th 2024
We recently got a puppy to be little sister to our 6-year old lab mix, and looked into training for them both. We couldn’t be happier to have found Danielle at Dog Training Elite RI. They have both come so far with their obedience training, and we will also be doing service animal training. Danielle’s love of dogs shines through in all of her classes. This was the best decision for the happiness of our fur babies!!— Robert Bolt
Posted December 2nd 2023
Daniel is the best, From the initial training to the followup classes we have been very happy.— gary chiasson
Posted November 22nd 2023
Danielle and her team are fabulous! My dog, Phil, is very before and she work with him with such patience and care. He has built up his confidence and training skills so much with Danielle’s help. Highly highly recommend— Caroline Barr
Posted November 19th 2023
Owen has come a long way since starting training with Elite. He has improved with listening and understanding commands , as well as leash behavior. Highly recommended— Jeff Palumbo
Posted October 21st 2023
Danielle was great! Extremely easy to work with and made you feel comfortable right away. She really listened to your concerns and helped recreate the situation so that you can work through it in real time. My dog is extremely reactive and she worked with me to give me the tools and confidence I need to help my dog. I am grateful for the training and would recommend her to those whether you are just starting off or need help on problematic behaviors such as reactivity!— Jessica Contois
Posted October 6th 2023
My boyfriend and I have had such a positive experience with them. Our trainer is so patient and attentive to our dog, Skye, and he loves her. She is super helpful with any advice that we may need to better work with him. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a dog trainer.— Jamila Coulter
Posted October 3rd 2023
We highly recommend Danielle from Dog Training Elite Rhode Island. Our dog was experiencing aggression through his anxiety and Danielle was able to turn our dog into a confident and proud boy! She was knowledgeable in her practice and beyond patient while training our dog. We cannot thank her enough!— Miriam Eble
Posted September 30th 2023
We are so impressed with Danielle and Dog Training Elite! Aggie Rose, our Jack Russell, has really benefited from the private and group classes offered by Danielle. Aggie’s behavior around other dogs and humans has improved beyond our expectations – no more barking at other dogs, jumping on guests or pulling on her leash. Danielle has an approach that combines patience & knowledge into successful training sessions. The real bonus was Danielle’s ability to customize the training to address Aggie’s unique quirks. She helped Aggie to stop attacking the shovel and rake, making it possible to have her outside while working in the yard. After a few sessions, we were able to garden again with Aggie tagging along and only digging when we asked her too! Aggie Rose is a calmer and happier family member and we owe it to Danielle and Dog Training Elite. Thank you so much, Danielle!— Jeffrey Coolidge
Posted September 22nd 2023
I 100% recommend hiring Danielle to train your pup! She deals with all types of dogs with various training needs. Our 10 month old mini Australian shepherd puppy has completely transformed her behavior after just 5 private sessions. She still has to attend group classes and I can’t wait to see her progress even further. Thank you so much Danielle!— Kelly Compton
Posted September 1st 2023
Danielle knows what she’s doing with dogs. She is very patient, she goes out of her way to help dog owners train their own dogs, and she’s very accommodating. My dog has become much less reactive, and much more obedient.— Diana Oehrli
Posted August 12th 2023
It has been a great experience for me as a new dog owner and for my dog to learn so quickly the few commands. My dog knows all the commands to be around small children, busy public spaces and to stay within boundaries in big open spaces.— caroline murphy
Posted August 6th 2023
We love Danielle- she was fantastic and did such an excellent job with our pup Remy! We have seen such a positive difference in his behavior since training with Danielle. We would highly recommend Dog Training Elite to anyone looking for one on one training. Thank you Danielle- and Scruffy and Kona too! It's been a pleasure working with you and we look forward to Group Classes.— Cathy M
Posted July 12th 2023
Zappa is the best dog, so good natured and loving. He is, however 86 pounds and full of energy not knowing his own strength. We contacted Elite and Danielle responded right away. We talked for a while and she answered all my questions. I set up an appointment and after meeting Danielle, we knew she was right for us and Zappa. With Danielle’s patience & kindness Zappa has come a long way. He is no longer jumping when company comes to the house, which is huge! We can’t thank Danielle enough for all she’s done and continues to do for Zappa. He adores her!— Teresa Letourneau
Posted July 1st 2023
Danielle is amazing! She did a puppy consultation on our puppy and had him following new commands within minutes. I would highly recommend her to anyone needing puppy or older dog training. Thank you Danielle!— Cynthia MacDonald
Posted June 29th 2023
Proud Sponsor of The Malinois Foundation
At Dog Training Elite Rhode Island, 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 Rhode Island 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.