Service Dog Certification Preparation
We help disabled people and their dogs become certified service dog teams.
Our graduates get certified independently by the B.C. government via the JIBC Public Access Test in accordance with the BC Guide Dog and Service Dog Act.
We Know The Secrets To Success
Service dog charities pour thousands of donor dollars into finding the best and most successful methods of raising and training their service dog hopefuls. Some of the biggest discoveries in dog training were made at Guide Dog schools.
We are formally educated and have learned directly from highly respected trainers in the service dog field, including Bonnie Bergin - the founder of Canine Companions for Independence and pioneer of wheelchair assistance dogs - Suzanne Clothier - consultant to guide dog schools and author of Bones Would Rain From The Sky - and Jennifer Arnold - Executive Director of Canine Assistants in Atlanta and author of Through A Dog's Eyes and Love Is All You Need.
We apprenticed as Advanced Trainers at Pacific Assistance Dogs Society in Burnaby, BC. PADS is an ADI-accredited service dog school specializing in wheelchair assistance dogs, facility therapy dogs, and hearing dogs for the Deaf and hard of hearing.
Our high standards and service dog experience results in graduates who get congratulated by the certification tester on the caliber of their dogs' training.
PLEASE NOTE!
We do not certify service dogs. We help people with disabilities who want to train their own dog to assist them medically, physically, or psychiatrically. Our graduates are certified by the provincial government through an independent certification test administered by the Justice Institute of BC.
We CAN NOT HELP people who want to bring their pet dog on a plane or get their dog into a no-pet strata.
Beware!
Scam sites encourage you to "register" your dog as a service dog or therapy dog. Some of them look very fancy and official. These websites are SCAMS and will not be recognized by airlines, government bodies, or courts of law.
There is no online registry or list, and no recognized body certifies dogs without in-person testing.
Do You Qualify?
We don't accept every person who applies to our certification prep program. The demand is very high and we have to turn people away very often.
We are accept people who:
1. Have a disability - physical or psychological. We recognize legal Person With Disability (PWD) status, the Disability Tax Credit, or a doctor's note confirming disability. You must be able to explain how a service dog would change your life.
2. Have the right dog. What makes you think that this dog is the right dog for the job? Have you been raising them from puppyhood for this job? Are they a natural?
3. Understand that teaching a dog to assist you takes a lot of time, dedication, and effort on your part. It is not a walk in the park - although it often involves many, many walks in parks! Our successful clients are with us for 6 months to 2 years.
4. Understand that we will not force a dog to assist you. Your dog must help you of their own free will, because of the bond of trust, communication, and positivity that you have built together.
5. Have already gone through our Puppy Prodigy Program or our Owner Trainer Foundations Program, or can demonstrate the following:
Your dog can be relaxed and happy in busy noisy public places.
If you stand without moving for a minute or two in a store your dog will choose to lie down and relax without guidance.
Your dog enjoys going new places and doing new things with you.
Your dog can walk on a loose leash or with no leash at all in moderate to low distraction situations (using a remote control on your dog does not count).
Your dog gives you their attention in medium distraction situations without prompting, bribing, or the aid of prong or electric stimulation collars.
You know how to work with your dog without the use of a leash, e-collar or other physical tool.
You know what your dog can do to assist you in public settings. "Existing near me" does not count.
Just Getting Started?
If you are getting a puppy and planning to raise it as a potential service dog, start with our
For those who missed out on the puppy program, or don't have a dog yet but would like to learn the skills to train their own service dog, our Foundations Program is the first step you need to take.
For some people, our Foundations Program is all they need. Once they are given the knowledge, they have the skills they need to carry on by themselves. For everyone else, we have Certification Prep.
Our Service Dog Certification Prep Program Includes:
Private training sessions at your home and in public places.
How to train the skills you need your dog to learn.
How to train the public behavior you need your dog to learn.
Problem solving and goal-setting.
How to work with your dog's individual personality and temperament.
Group field trips to practice public behavior around other dogs who follow the same rules.
Group park meet-ups for fun and community.
A private facebook community.
Group video meet ups and check ins where you can share your successes and get support for your struggles.
Choose between a one-time fee or monthly payments.
One-Time Fee:
$7000 for one year of in-person coaching with four private sessions/month*
Two Private Coaching Sessions Per Month:
$299/month*
Three Private Coaching Sessions Per Month:
$400/month*
*Minimum 3-month commitment required for monthly rates. Trainer is entitled to 2 sick days and 2 vacation days per year. All other sessions missed due to vacation or illness will be rescheduled.
How much will it cost to get my dog certified?
The amount of money you may need to spend is very individual. It depends on your dog's age, suitability for the job, your dedication to practicing between sessions, and the difficulty of the tasks your dog's need to learn. Our rates are posted on all the relevant pages. For a better idea of what you might expect, schedule a time to talk with one of our trainers. You can find the button above!
Can you help my dog get on a plane?
No.
Well, yes.
But no.
We do write letters attesting to the training of our clients' dogs should they need to fly, and if the airline requests such a letter. We do not take on clients for the purpose of helping them get on a plane specifically.
I have anxiety/depression. Does that count as a disability?
Sometimes. If it is disabling, you may have a history of being unable to work, needing psychiatric care, etc. Speak to your doctor about whether your mental health struggles might count legally as a disability, and what a dog might be able to do to help.
I just feel better when I have my dog with me. Can you help get them certified?
We may be able to help, but it will take more than just feeling better when you are with your dog. Your dog must enjoy being used as emotional support, and we must see that it does not put excessive burden on your dog's wellbeing. To become a service dog your dog must learn actual skills in comforting you or assisting you.
There are no shortcuts. If you want your dog with you, you will need to put in just as much work as any other person with a disability.
What does certification entail?
The BC government provides a form for your doctor to sign.
The BC government requires that your dog be spayed or neutered.
You must submit records of your dog's training, their trainers, and what your dog is trained to do.
There is an in-person public safety test to ensure that your dog willingly and happily accompanies you in public, likes people but does not pester them, follows your directions, and does not require a leash, remote control, or other tools to behave themselves appropriately.
We work on land which was taken from the nations who had lived here for thousands of years. They are still here and they are still waiting patiently for us to stop being weird about it.
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