What-A-Canine, LLC | Professional Canine Training
Big, Medium, or Small, we train them all!
Veteran / Minority Owned and Operated
What-A-Canine
Service Dog Training
We believe every individual deserves the freedom and independence a well-trained service dog can provide. That's why we're dedicated to offering exceptional service dog training programs, customized to meet the specific needs of our clients with disabilities.
Our service dog training program goes far beyond basic obedience. We take the time to understand your unique disability and develop a personalized training plan that equips your dog with the skills to assist you in your daily life.
From the very first step of choosing the perfect canine companion based on your needs and temperament, to the final ADA compliance process, What-A-Canine is there to guide you every step of the way. We take immense pride in the entire training journey, fostering a strong bond between you and your service dog.
What is a Service Dog?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a service dog as “a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.”
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Because of their vital role for people with disabilities, the law protects service animals. This ensures they can accompany their handlers in housing, workplaces, and businesses and are legally protected from discrimination.
What can Service Dogs do?
Perform Tasks
Service dogs can be trained for tasks such as opening doors, switching lights on and off, assisting with balance and stability, guiding, pulling wheelchairs, finding objects or places, unloading and loading items, retrieving and picking up dropped items, finding help, and many more.
Alert Handlers
​Dogs' exceptional sense of smell allows them to detect minute chemical changes in the human body. This ability is harnessed in medical service dogs trained to provide early warnings for conditions like seizures and blood pressure fluctuations. Additionally, these dogs can be trained to identify allergens in food, aiding individuals with severe allergies in making informed choices to manage their health.
Assist In Emergency
Due to the potential for emergencies, service dogs for disabled individuals are trained for enhanced response. They can detect early warning signs of health issues in their handler, alert others to active emergencies, providing invaluable support and potentially life-saving assistance in emergency situations.
Support Mental Wellbeing
Service dogs can be trained to address specific needs for people with mental health challenges and autism. For those with anxiety or depression, service dogs can provide calming techniques and environmental awareness. For children with autism, they offer safety measures like tracking and tethering, as well as intervention during meltdowns.
Whether it's physical mobility assistance, seizure or diabetic alert, or help managing anxiety, service dogs can empower individuals to gain greater independence and confidence in daily life. Our training program recognizes this individuality, tailoring each dog's skillset to seamlessly complement their handler's lifestyle and disability.
How can I get a Service Dog?
We understand the profound impact a service dog can have on your life and we're dedicated to guiding you through every step of the process, ensuring a successful and fulfilling partnership with a reliable and lifechanging service dog, Here's a detailed look at our comprehensive service dog training process, designed to follow the guidelines set for service dogs by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):
1
Initial Consultation and Needs Assessment
Our journey begins with a personalized consultation. We'll discuss your specific needs and disability to determine what kind of service dog is the right fit for you. We'll also assess your lifestyle, living situation, and experience with dog ownership. This helps us match you with a temperamentally suitable canine companion. This collaborative approach ensures we tailor the program to maximize your benefit.
2
Service Dog Candidate Selection
We will help you find a reputable breeder specializing in service dog breeds known for their intelligence, trainability, and calm temperament. If you already own a dog with a suitable temperament, we can assess its potential for service dog training. This assessment evaluates the dog's trainability,
temperament, focus, socialization, and health.
3
Professional Training & Skill Development
You and your service dog will participate in a series of training sessions with our experienced and certified trainers. We will meet you at your chosen location or you can travel to our Seabrook, Texas facility. The training curriculum will start with the foundations: obedience, and handling skills We customize training to fit your specific needs and ensure your service dog is equipped to aid you with your daily challenges.
4
Public Access Training & ADA Compliance
Public access training is a cornerstone of our service dog training. Here, we will prepare you and your service dog to thrive in public environments and navigate public spaces with composure. We'll refine your service dog's obedience skills in public settings. This ensures reliable command execution regardless of the environment, Finally, we'll prepare them to utilize public transportation with you and behave appropriately on buses, trains, or airplanes
5
Team Evaluation & Graduation
Upon completion of training, you and your service dog will undergo a thorough evaluation by a qualified professional. This ensures both you and your canine partner are confident and competent in performing the trained tasks. Once successful, we'll assist you in obtaining any necessary documentation to solidify your service dog's legal status under the Americans With Disabilities Act.
