Course Overview
Become A Certified Service Dog Trainer
This course covers the full range of training obedience and specialized tasks that service dogs are frequently called upon to perform. An excellent course for those desiring to become a Service Dog Trainer! It teaches most every type of service dog training except seeing-eye guide dogs. Students also learn how to train therapy dogs, emotional support dogs, and the legal differences between these and service dogs. This course is included in the Master Trainer Course. The Service Dog Trainer course is only available in the Spring and Summer semesters.
Financial Aid and Lodging are available, if desired. With our competitive financing options, you can take this awesome course for as little as $219/month.* Sorry, we do not accept VA education or Voc Rehab benefits.
*Rates and terms will vary according to individual credit score, co-signer (if any), and amount of down payment.
This in-person class starts on June 30, 2025
This course meets M-F from 9am to approximately 4pm
(Depending upon class size, weather, number of dogs to train, etc.)
Classes are held on-site at our facility near Spencer, IN.
Graduates receive certification as a Service Dog Trainer.
Twelve-Week Course
$10,500
What You Will Learn
In Becoming A Certified Service Dog Trainer
- Understand the concepts behind efficient training and the fundamentals of conditioning
- Train a variety of dogs with a variety of needs using a variety of tools in a variety of ways
- Diagnose training problems and formulate a plan to overcome them
- Be able to train dogs in both basic and advanced obedience
- Recognize canine anatomy
- Understand the importance of socializing puppies
- Housetrain dogs/puppies in the best way/s possible
- Know how a dog “pack” works
- Realize the need for socialization and how to be thorough in socializing puppies/dogs
- Be familiar with the public’s perception of service dogs
- Learn many of the situations faced by service dog handlers in public
- Create your own website that will attract visitors and establish business credibility
- Manage a kennel operation in a clean, healthy setting
- Use social media as a means of marketing your brand/product
- Understand how Search Engine Optimization works and what can be done to improve yours
- Utilize various advertising and marketing options
- Be able to effectively answer your client’s questions
- Establish the foundation for beginning your own dog training business
- Realize the many kinds of training that you may consider offering to your clients
- Install and operate a productive puppy program
- Be familiar with medical alert service dogs
- Train hearing assistance (signal) dogs
- Grasp mobility dogs training
- Have at least of basic understanding of autism
- Train autism assistance dogs
- Train PTSD and seizure alert dogs
- Learn how to socialize the service dog
- Familiarize yourself with the service dog in a public setting
- Identify training problems and learn how to solve them
- Taking service dogs into schools and the workplace
- Be familiar with MST and TBI assistance
- Apply a solid application process with prospective clients
- Develop an effective delivery process to clients
- Understand the limits of the ADA and public access
- Be familiar with the equipment used in training service dogs
- Understand how to select dogs and puppies for service dogs
- Learn how to interact with disabled handlers
- Learn how the delivery process works
- Be able to train dogs, handlers and families
- Be able to train trailing dogs
- Understand scent theory
- Implement scent discrimination trailing
- Be able to problem solve trailing training
- Train the Touch command
- Be familiar with the ADA
- Learn public access laws
- Understand service dog etiquette
- Understand tethering
Curriculum Outline
- Conditioning
- Phases of Training
- Correction vs. Reward
- Basic and Advanced
- Correct use of a Prong collar
- Correct use of a Remote collar
- Clicker Training
- Baiting/Luring
- Puppies
- Housetraining
- Socialization
- Canine Anatomy
- Analysis
- Prevention
- Treatment
- Breed Awareness
- Dog-to-Human Aggression
- Dog-to-Dog Aggression
- Nutrition
- Canine CPR
- Canine First Aid
- Kennel Management
- Website construction
- Search Engine Optimization
- Social Media
- Advertising and Marketing
- Puppy
- Adult
- The Application Process
- Delivering the Service Dog
- Handler & Family Training
- Scent Theory
- Variable Surface Trailing
- Scent Discrimination Trailing
- Problem Solving
- Public Access
- Interrogations
- Travel
- Limitations
- Puppy Program
- Signal Dogs
- Mobility Dogs
- Autism Assistance
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder assistance
- Traumatic Brain Injury assistance
- Military Sexual Trauma assistance
- Seizure alert and assistance
- Puppy Conditioning
- Public Settings
- Schools & the Workplace
