Animal Connection Training

A Holistic, Respectful, & Positive Approach to Animal Training & Wellbeing

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Primary
  • Explore
    • Start Here!
    • Basic Manners
    • Puppies!
    • Adolescents
    • Reactive Dog Program
    • Rescue Dogs
    • Intermediate & Advanced Training
    • Service or Therapy Dog Prep
  • Learn
    • How it Works
    • Articles & Tips
    • FAQ
    • Testimonials
    • Warnings About Invisible Fences and Other Shock Devices
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • Training Center
    • Regional Training Services
  • Other Animals
    • Horses
    • Cats
    • Farm Animals
    • Humans, Too!
  • Wellness
    • Wellness
    • Intuitive
  • Contact

Service or Therapy Dog Preparation

Dog ActivitiesIntermediate & Advanced TrainingTherapy or Service Work

Service or Therapy Dog Preparation

Service dog in training, Ruth, doesn’t want to finish her “settle on the mat” training – despite the fact we folded it up and tried to put it away!

If you are interested in training your dog for either therapy or service work, we have programs for you!  Both service and therapy dogs will need basic manners training but at some point their training will go in different directions.

Therapy dogs are the dogs who go to schools, nursing homes, and are generally “good citizens” of the canine community.  They enjoy being touched, being around people and other dogs, and can tolerate the noises and excitement of human environments.

Service dogs are more specialized and are trained to assist people with disabilities.  They have learned specific tasks that compensate for the person’s disability.  For example, if a person is blind, they learn to be a seeing eye dog.  If a person has seizures, they are trained to alert their person to an upcoming seizure.  These dogs need to focus on their humans and not interact with strangers – quite different from the role of a therapy dog!

For both types of working dogs, we begin with Basic Manners so the dogs build a love of learning and a working connection with their person/handler.  As with rescue dogs, puppies, and adolescents, we’ll tailor the lesson program to the individual dog and the track he/she is on (therapy or service dog).  At this point in time, we’ll all get a feeling of whether or not the dog is a good candidate for this work – as the training can take many months at least for a therapy dog, and a few years for a service dog.

The next step is a version of the Canine Good Citizen training.  We recommend passing the Canine Good Citizen test for the therapy dogs – we have a preparation lesson package for this if needed.  Service dogs can begin concentrating on their specific tasks at this point.

 

Next Steps!

Learn more about our lesson packages here:

Lesson Packages

We offer consultations if you’d like to see if the training can help your dog – or, if you’d like assistance solving a particular behavior issue:

Consultations

Or, contact us if you have questions or would like to get started!

Contact Us

Lesson Packages

We offer 6, 9, and 12 private or semi private lesson packages.  These can be held in-person or virtually (or a combination of both).

For general training such as Basic Manners, Puppies, and Dog Activities, we recommend starting at 6 lessons.  For Behavior Training, we recommend starting at 9 lessons or more.

We offer additional lessons at a discount after you’ve finished your initial package.

Our lesson packages include training books and gear, access to online materials on our client only learning site, and support in between lessons.

For more information about prices, travel fees, and what each package includes, visit here:

Lesson Packages

Training Hours Closed

Sunday Closed

Monday Closed

Tuesday 8:30 am – 12:00 pm

Wednesday 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

Thursday 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

Friday 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

Saturday 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

About

  • Commitment to Equality & Respect
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Contact

Animal Connection Training
48 Saint Bernard St.
Saranac Lake, NY USA 12983

518-637-1170
animalconnectiontraining@gmail.com

Cancellation Policy:  Any lesson cancelled within 24 hours of the lesson time will count as a lesson.  If you cancel more than 24 hours before your lesson, that’s fine!

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