Service Dog Training

A service dog is much more than just a well-trained pet that does tricks. It is a companion, medical equipment, a family member, a friend, and a lifeline all at the same time.

Here at Golden Mal Dog Training, every single one of our trainers are also handlers of various types of service dogs. We know firsthand how important a service dog is, and how quality of training can make or break a team’s success. Being professionals in the field who are also handlers gives us a unique perspective. We can truly say we understand, and for dogs like these, understanding is crucial.

For those without a dog yet, we can walk you through the entire process.

• Breed and breeder. We can match you to the perfect breed, and can help you find a healthy, temperamentally sound prospect.

  Task evaluation. Not sure exactly what tasks you want from your dog? Based on our experiences, we can talk through your limitations, and brainstorm what would benefit you specifically.

• Raising. Whether you choose to do private lessons, a board and train, or a combination of both, we will help you get your service dog started, and finished, on the right foot. Socialization, exposure, basic obedience, task foundation, and most importantly, how to build a bond with your service dog that will pay off every single day.

For those who have a dog already, we can get you where you deserve to go.

• Public access training. Does your dog have trouble ignoring people in public? Does he sniff the ground in stores? Will he steal dropped fries in restaurants? We can help!

• Advanced obedience. Your dog knows how to heel, but drifts when you turn. Or has a good down, but doesn’t stay as long as you would like. Polish and precision is key to service dogs not just to represent the community well, but also for functionality’s sake.

• Airports. Need advice on flying with a service dog? We will give you tips on how to make the flight go smoothly, and training on how to navigate the airport.

And, of course, every service animal needs to know tasks. Every disability is different, and at Golden Mal Dog Training, we are lucky to be able to provide an approach tailored to you. Here are some we can work on:

• Retrievals. This can be as simple as a dog picking up his own leash, or can be more complex, such as retrieving medication or water from another room.

• Psychiatric service dogs. It is a very broad spectrum, and we can train a wide variety of tasks. Behavior interruptions, deep pressure therapy, light pressure therapy, crowd control, blocking, and more.

• Medical alerts. These are approved on a case-by-case basis. It is imperative a handler understands there is scientifically no a guarantee for alerts other than diabetic alert. If any trainer promises they can train an alert besides blood sugar, that is a red flag.

  However, we have successfully trained, and are optimistic about your dog’s success with low blood sugar, high blood sugar, high heart rate, high and low blood pressure, and more.

• Allergen detection. For those with severe allergies, eating out and worrying about cross-contamination is stressful. We can train dogs to identify dairy, gluten, and other allergens so you know you are safe to eat something.

• Non-weight-bearing mobility assistance. Opening and closing doors, retrieving items, turning on and off lights, pushing handicap buttons, throwing away trash, taking off socks, jackets, and other clothing items, and more.

• Weight bearing mobility assistance. Forward momentum pull, counterbalance, bracing (case-by-case basis).

• Guide work (case-by-case basis). Whether you are a sighted individual, a visually-impaired individual, or a legally blind individual, we can train avoiding obstacles, traffic safety, store navigation, curb identification, and more.

The ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) provides a very loose outline of how a service animal should be trained. To them, an assistance dog must only be under control, potty trained, and perform tasks. To us, that is the bare minimum. A team can be so much more, and we want to help you get there.

Fully trained dogs available on a case-by-case basis.

Service dogs typically do a combination of board and trains and private training, but if you are not sure what is right for you, send us a message, and Jasmine will come up with a personalized training plan!