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Military / Retired Vet Programs

Dog Training Elite Southwest Florida

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A military veteran and service dog - Dog Training Elite offers elite veteran service dog training in Sarasota / Venice, FL.

Dog Training Elite

Military Veteran Service Dog Training in Sarasota / Venice, FL

At Dog Training Elite Southwest Florida, we strongly believe in the healing power of service dogs for military veterans. That’s why we dedicate our time and passion to providing veteran service dog training in Sarasota / Venice, FL.

Service dogs can greatly assist with both the mental and physical challenges veterans may face after serving our country. Many veterans experience PTSD, physical disabilities, or other impairments, and our service dogs have been proven to help reduce symptoms and support veterans in returning to their daily routines.

Learn more about our programs designed for veterans and discover why Dog Training Elite is committed to making a difference in the community.

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A service puppy in training - Dog Training Elite offers veteran service dog training in Sarasota / Venice, FL for those who have served our country.

Dog Training Elite Southwest Florida

Why We Offer Service Dog Training for Military Veterans

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At Dog Training Elite Southwest Florida, we are passionate about helping military veterans through the support of service dogs. We offer specialized service dog training options in Sarasota / Venice, backed by scientific research and proven by our own success stories.

In a study conducted by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, veterans paired with service dogs experienced a significant reduction in PTSD symptoms and fewer self-harm ideations. The mental health and medical communities increasingly recognize service dogs’ positive impact on emotional well-being and independence, making them one of the most effective tools for veteran recovery.

At Dog Training Elite, we are dedicated to providing exceptional dog training services that provide the tools and support needed for our veterans and their dogs to thrive, offering a path toward healing and better quality of life.

A beautiful golden retriever service dog - Dog Training Elite Southwest Florida.

Popular Service Dog Breeds


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Finding a service dog that fits your individual needs is important, especially for military veteran support. While most dogs can be trained to become service dogs, a few breeds stand out due to their personalities and inherent traits.

Here are a few of the most popular service dog breeds:

  1. Labrador Retrievers: Labradors are intelligent, versatile, and eager to please, making them ideal for PTSD service dogs. Their trainability allows them to excel in roles like guide dogs, mobility support, and emotional support, making them highly adaptable for veterans.
  2. Golden Retrievers: Golden Retrievers are known for their calm, gentle nature and strong work ethic. They are excellent at providing mobility assistance and emotional support, especially for veterans with PTSD, due to their patient and loving temperament.
  3. German Shepherds: German Shepherds are strong, loyal, and highly intelligent, making them excellent service dogs. Their protective instincts and trainability allow them to assist with mobility, search and rescue, and provide emotional support for veterans.
  4. Malinois: Belgian Malinois are known for their deep loyalty and intelligence. Malinois are not for everyone due to their energy and drive, but for retired veterans who appreciate discipline, structure, and a deep connection, they can be life-changing companions.

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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!

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See An Elite Dog in Action

A service dog and his veteran owner - Dog Training Elite Southwest Florida.

Our Veteran Service Dog Training in Sarasota / Venice, FL

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Service dogs undergo extensive specialized training to perform their tasks and assist their owners. Our 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, down, heel, come, as well as proper leash manners and socialization skills.
  • Task Training: Task training is tailored to fit the needs of each 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.
A beautiful service dog standing outside - Dog Training Elite Southwest Florida.

Service Dogs for Veterans & PTSD

Get Specialized Training with DTE Today

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Training with Dog Training Elite is tailored specifically for military veterans dealing with PTSD and other service-related challenges. Our programs focus on helping veterans regain independence, emotional stability, and confidence through the support of a well-trained service dog.

At Dog Training Elite, we are dedicated to providing service dog training that strengthens the bond between veterans and their dogs, guiding them toward a brighter future and supporting their healing journey.

Hear From Our Customers

Learn Why Dog owners choose Dog Training Elite

  • Jacqueline Liszak
    Oct. 25, 2025
    Kelsie is amazing! We are learning so much from her! Very happy with Maddies progress. Kelsie is patient, focused and has great communication skills.
  • Frank Cioffi
    Oct. 29, 2025
    Kelsie is great! Very patient, caring and down to earth. She makes it all make sense for Rusty and myself.Couldnt ask for a better trainer.
  • Michael Hook
    Mar. 14, 2025
    Working out well😎
  • Gary Byers
    Oct. 23, 2025
    Justin is great! He goes above and beyond with us working with our dog Hoss. He has become more like a good friend since we’ve met him. Five stars for this young man!!
  • Debbie Ellen
    Sep. 17, 2025
    I cannot say enough awesome things about Anthony. He has helped me and my rescue dog Beau tremendously over the last few months. Beau has formed a great bond with Anthony and is very comfortable with him. It was great to have a male trainer because Beau was not comfortable around most men. The picture attached to this post is just a visual of just how comfortable my dog was with Anthony. He would not sit next to me after our session LOL Recently my mother passed away, and as a result I was slacking on my homework assignments. Anthony has been very patient, positive and encouraging with me throughout the process. He is thorough and really has a gift at dog training. I have to say that I have a whole new dog now. He is confident and well-mannered thanks to anthony. I would highly recommend him!
  • Paul Schur
    Sep. 6, 2025
    Anthony is very patient with us humans!
  • Paul Schur
    Aug. 19, 2025
    Anthony is fantastic...if you have any behavior you would like to modify....in my case its "Off" when he gets over rambunctious and place, when I want him to leave the grandkids alone...its well worth it. If you want an obedient and happy dog...the training is great!
  • Albert Doreste
    Aug. 18, 2025
    Jessica was our trainer for Leila, our female Cavapoo. She's truly a dog whisperer. She got Leila to do things we thought were not possible... and in no time!!! We highly recommend her.
  • Ruben Gonzalez
    Jan. 31, 2025
    I've had the pleasure of having Anthony, at the group training several times. Anthony is a professional trainer and I'm very pleased with the training he's given me and my dog sailor. I just had Anthony and the rest of the super trainers at a CGC testing, even though my dog sailor did not pass, it was his first time taking the test at just nine months old. he did get alot of hands-On training. Next CG cgc testing which I'm pretty sure he'll pass. Thank you, Anthony
  • Frank Alessio
    Aug. 13, 2025
    -I absolutely recommended Dog Training Elite.- Short story but here is my situation I had. I adopted my own Belgian Malinois to train. My personal mistake was not doing enough research on the breed beforehand. I then went with a previous trainer who didn't work out so well. Lacked structure and inconsistent results. Life gets pretty busy for me as I have 4 kids and only so much time to train and I couldn't figure out how to move forward. After I hit a point of defeat and self loathing for adopting my dog as I didn't feel I could provide her what she deserved, I contacted DTE once I saw their outstanding reviews. I thought the reviews might not even be real because there were just too many good ones! We'll.... "I'll tell you hwat" There is a reason the reviews are so good. I contacted DTE and told them my story. I'm a disabled veteran struggling to keep up with an amazing dog that's very much intelligent but I lacked proper guidance and structure to really get her to improve on behavior and reliability. Denise and Alisa told me they would work with me and They gave me a foundation of knowledge to build upon. At first I had a dog that couldn't listen to anything except "sit". Now she goes potty on command, does various other tasks, has outstanding behavior in public... she went from not knowing hardly anything to becoming a FULL SERVICE DOG. yes. That is correct. I'm typing this today after her testing successfully and becoming a service dog! I'm very happy with the results and forever grateful for their time and patience. Everyone that worked with me was down to Earth and very polite. Lastly I want to extend my gratitude to Anthony. He was the trainer that continued training with me and my dog to further her talents and obedience. He is an amazing man that has limitless patience and vast knowledge in his field. I would HIGHLY recommend him to anyone who needs their dog to perform tasks and become a service dog. Just remember going into this, as a handler, you must be willing to put in the work. I cannot stress that enough. My dog is so intelligent but nothing would have improved as fast as it did without training her at home with the knowledge and tips given to me after each session. Goodluck to anyone reading this and I wish you the best luck on your journey whether it's improving on your dog's obedience or training your dog to perform tasks and reliability assist you everywhere you go.
  • Kimberly DeYoung
    Aug. 13, 2025
    Anthony is a knowledgeable trainer! He communicates clearly what is needed with me and my dog. He listens to my concerns and gives support and direction. He advocates for a healthy relationship between me and my dog. Very happy to have him as our trainer!
  • Yovary Ortiz
    Jul. 10, 2025
    We are only on our first lesson with our lab puppy, but everything has been great so far. Denise came out first to do the initial assessment and meet our boy. She was informative and her dog, Ella, is a dream! Anthony came out for our first training session. He was thorough and modeled great training while also walking us through each step of the training as well.
  • Kerrie Carrier
    Jul. 2, 2025
    Our phone consult with Denise was great! She was very thorough, informative, professional, and answered all of my questions. We can’t wait to get started with our puppy!
  • Rick Kinsworthy
    Jun. 30, 2025
    Very impressed with Mr Rinehart knowledge, as I see I'm in need of more training than the dog , he walked right in and the dog did everything he asked him to do . Thank you Anthony looking forward to you mentoring me into a good dog handler.
  • Harry Becker
    Jun. 9, 2025
    Anthony is always patient and a good trainer.
  • Sherri Haughton
    Jun. 20, 2025
    Anthony is wonderful with Rebel, he gets so excited to see him
  • Dennis Small
    Jun. 19, 2025
    Anthony was awesome! He took the time to explain the program in a very understandable way. I couldn't be happier about the experience. I'm looking forward to our next session. Hopefully I'll will learn as fast as my dog. She responded well to what she had to do. I need to remember the correct commands, not the ones I've always used with all my other dogs . I'm extremely confident that my dog Mia will excel with her training. Thank you Anthony.
  • Jennifer Peck
    Jun. 19, 2025
    Anthony has been to my house a few times and he has been wonderful to work with! He thoroughly understands my dogs behavior and explains clearly what is going through his head! This has helped so much in my relationship to my boy Ranger. Anthony is very patient in helping us both to understand all the commands, and how to master them!
  • Joann Alexander
    Jun. 18, 2025
    Anthony was amazing , he was patient with my family and the dogs loved him. I would highly recommend him to work with your dog. Thank you Anthony.
  • Heidi Easton
    Jun. 18, 2025
    Anthony is awesome at training my dog Ollie as well as myself. Learning a lot about dog behaviors and how to handle the good and the not so good in my dog. BTW, Ollie is loving his training sessions as well. We are over the top happy with Anthony and of we course highly recommend him.