Service Dog

• Goal: Developing reliable, life-improving tasks that support the handler’s daily functioning with a small dog.
• Disability Mitigation Tasks: Training 2–3 core service behaviors tailored to the handler’s needs, such as medical alerting or psychiatric grounding tasks like “Block” and “Anchor.”
• Reliability Under Pressure: Using the Science of the Sniff and advanced arousal management to ensure tasks remain consistent in high-stress or high-distraction environments.
• Technical Retrieves: For task-focused teams, developing reliable retrieval of essential items such as medication, communication devices, or dropped personal belongings appropriate for small-breed handling.

• Goal: Ensuring the small-breed service dog remains functionally “invisible” in public, exceeding CGC-level expectations.
• Elite Environmental Neutrality: Training in high-traffic local environments such as the Carriage Trail and South Charleston business district, focusing on automatic doors, elevators, crowds, and dense foot traffic around a tiny frame.
• The “Tuck & Settle” Protocol: Conditioning a reliable 60+ minute stationary settle in confined spaces, booster seats, or under tables, maintaining a calm Rest & Digest state without seeking attention.
• Zero-Response Proofing: Developing complete neutrality toward high-value distractions, including dropped food, vocalizing larger dogs, and interactions from the public.

• Goal: Equipping handlers with the knowledge and confidence to navigate daily life with legal and practical independence alongside a small service dog.
• ADA Law & Rights Coaching: In-depth education on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), including guidance for navigating businesses, transportation, and housing in the Charleston area.
• Public Access Test (PAT) Preparation: A structured mock evaluation simulating real-world shopping, dining, and public environments to ensure full readiness for independent access with a small dog.
• Home-Life Synchronization: Ensuring the dog maintains a stable working mindset within complex home environments, including children, nursery equipment, and multi-pet households.

• Standalone Professional Consultation — $150 plus applicable sales tax
  Includes a mandatory suitability assessment tailored for small breed
•  Service Foundations (8 Weeks) — $1,350 plus applicable sales tax
  8 private intensive sessions focused on foundational task acquisition and early neutrality development for small dogs.
•  “Pro-Service”  (20+ Weeks) — $3,500+ plus applicable sales tax
  20+ private sessions, custom small-breed Service Dog In-Training gear, a full Public Access Evaluation, and formal training documentation and progress logs.

Service dog candidacy depends on ongoing health, temperament stability, and task reliability. Our specialists reserve the right to discontinue or redirect training if a small dog shows persistent stress, instability, or inability to service work criteria. We prioritize the safety, well-being, and long-term success of both the handler and the dog above all else.