Can You Test If My Current Dog Can Be A Service Dog?

This is another unique service we offer; we can test any dog for task aptitude. If your dog is well-suited for the job, we can train it for you.

The first step is meeting with us in public and person. This allows us to assess your dog and the relationship between you. In-person assessments take about one hour and are usually conducted in the outside seating area of a local (local to us) restaurant (e.g., Panera Bread). The price of this initial assessment is $150.

The outcome of this meeting can be threefold. One, your dog is a clear service dog candidate, and we can move forward. Two, we need more time with it and would need an evaluation week to make a determination. Three, your dog is not suitable for service dog work in our estimate.

If we don’t consider your dog a good service dog candidate, other trainers may see it differently. No one is the ultimate authority on what a dog can and can not accomplish. We use our experience, background, and knowledge when judging. We gauge temperament, focus, engagement, motivation, psychological soundness, washout risk, and other factors. If we don’t think a dog can perform the tasks well, may get injured by the tasks or will likely wash out, or would not be able to work for at least 3-5 years post-training, we won’t admit your dog into our program.

How we train is very different from what most people are familiar with from attending or observing public obedience classes. Training a service dog is more comparable to coaching a high-level athlete than training a pet.

Read more about testing.