GET YOUR DOG CERTIFIED

Here are four separate 7-week courses tailored for training dogs and their owners to achieve specific certifications:

Week 1: Introduction to Service Dog Training

• Overview of service dog roles and legalities (ADA guidelines).
• Basic commands: Sit, Stay, Down, Come.
• Focus on positive reinforcement techniques

• Teaching calm behavior in public spaces.
• Exposure to various environments: stores, restaurants, and public transportation.
• Desensitization to distractions (noise, crowds, other animals)

• Heel, Leave It, and Watch Me commands.
• Introduction to specific service tasks based on owner needs (e.g., retrieving items, pressing buttons).
• Building duration for tasks

• Deep focus on owner-specific tasks (e.g., seizure alert, mobility assistance).
• Practice tasks in real-life scenarios

• Controlled behavior around people, children, and other animals.
• Managing distractions while maintaining task focus

• Training for emergencies (owner falls, medical alerts).
• Addressing problem behaviors (e.g., pulling on leash, barking)

• Mock certification tests for service dog behavior.
• Feedback and final adjustments.
• Official evaluation for certification readiness.

• Establishing a strong bond between dog and owner.
• Basic commands: Sit, Down, Stay, Come.
• Introduction to emotional cues and calming behaviors

• Teaching dogs to recognize emotional distress cues.
• Developing consistent responses to owner's emotional needs

• Reinforcing obedience in various settings.
• Socializing dogs to people, pets, and environments

• Practicing grounding techniques (e.g., deep pressure therapy).
• Teaching dogs to provide comfort during anxiety or panic attacks
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• Ensuring calm behavior in public areas.
• Training dogs to ignore distractions and focus on their owner
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• Preparing dogs for emergency situations.
• Addressing owner safety and situational awareness
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• Simulated certification tests.
• Owner-dog interaction evaluation.
• Official assessment and feedback.

• Overview of therapy dog duties and settings (e.g., hospitals, schools).
• Basic obedience: Sit, Stay, Heel, Down, Come

• Training for calm and friendly interactions with strangers.
• Exposure to diverse environments and sensory stimuli

• Walking on a loose leash and remaining calm under pressure.
• Ignoring distractions and maintaining focus on handler

• Role-playing therapy visits (e.g., interacting with patients, children).
• Practicing gentle behavior around fragile individuals

• Training for public spaces such as hospitals, nursing homes, and libraries.
• Learning to navigate tight spaces and follow commands

• Teaching dogs to remain calm under stress.
• Preparing for emergency scenarios in therapy settings

• Mock therapy dog evaluation.
• Final feedback and adjustments.
• Certification readiness assessment.

(Equivalent to Canine Good Citizen Certification)

• Basic commands: Sit, Stay, Down, Come.
• Introduction to leash manners and walking on a loose leash.

• Calm behavior around other dogs and people.
• Greeting strangers politely without jumping.

• Teaching focus around distractions (noises, other animals).
• Building impulse control with Leave It and Drop It commands.

• Reinforcing commands with duration and distance.
• Recall training: Coming when called in various environments.

• Practicing calm behavior in public areas.
• Training for proper responses to unexpected stimuli

• Addressing common problem behaviors (e.g., barking, pulling on leash).
• Building confidence in challenging scenarios

• Mock tests for Canine Good Citizen certification.
• Final feedback and adjustments.
• Official evaluation for certification readiness.

Each course focuses on developing the dog's abilities while fostering a strong, cooperative bond with the owner. These programs prepare participants for real-world scenarios and official certification standards.