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Service Dog Training

4 on the Floor now offers training for

mobility, psychiatric, and medical alert service dogs

in the DMV!

Our service dog trainers, Jolie and Nikki, have a combined 10+ years of experience training service dogs for people in need. Whether it’s choosing a puppy from a breeder or starting with the dog you already have, we’re here to help you reach your training goals!

Depending on your lifestyle and needs, we have different pathways to a fully trained service dog. We offer both a set program and also an option to select individual services from the program, as applicable to your particular training goals. Both options are hybrid, consisting of private lessons, board and trains, and classes; we have both in person meetings and a virtual platform to check-in with trainers and/or for virtual sessions.

Your individual path will be determined between you and your Service Dog Trainer at the time of your FREE screening call and/or first session.

Q: What is a service dog?

A: Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. (ADA.gov, 2020)

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​Q: What is the difference between a service dog, therapy dog, and emotional support animal?

A: A service animal is trained to perform specific work or tasks for a person with a disability and has public access rights. Emotional support animals provide comfort to a person with a disability but are not trained to perform work or tasks and do NOT have public access rights. Therapy dogs are trained and certified to provide comfort and support to a variety of people, sometimes via animal-assisted therapy, in a variety of different settings. Although they do not have implicit public access rights, with permission, they may visit many places.

Our Offer to You & Your Service Dog

​We can offer you a professionally guided, owner trained service dog program at a fraction of the cost that will allow you to bond with your pup from the beginning of their training and focus on areas most important to your specific needs!

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Path to Your Service Dog

We offer you a fully designed, start to finish program for your specific service dog's needs or allow you to select individual services from the full program.

01

Free screening call followed by evaluation

After your free screening call, meet your SD trainer to evaluate your dog as a service dog prospect (in person) or get help with the process of picking out a SD prospect from a breeder or shelter (can be done virtually).

02

Lesson #1 or 3-day Kickstart Weekend

Once we’ve evaluated your dog, we can start training! We’ll start with either the first private lesson or jump into the 3-day Kickstart Weekend (meeting every day for 3 days in a row), for any handler desiring more support.

03

Weekly lessons, required classes and extras

We offer virtual sessions if clients prefer but have a requirement of at least one in-person lesson per month. We work in 4 – 6 week phases, focusing on specific goals as this helps keep the training focused, streamlined, and prevents overwhelming both dog and handler.

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Recommended Classes: Proper training AND SOCIALIZATION is critical to succeed with any service dog goals. Our pipeline of classes offers opportunities to work around dogs, people, and distractions.

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​Advanced Classes: After your dog’s preliminary training, there are a few classes we require, including: AKC CGC Prep class, AKC CGC Urban or Advanced, and the Public Access Prep. These classes strengthen your dog’s skills around distractions and are a great baseline for any potential service dog.

04

Graduation!

After a final test you and your dog will graduate and become a fully trained service dog team! Upon completion of the program, you also receive lifetime support and access to monthly training meetups.

For clients who may only require pieces of our program in order to achieve their training goals, the evaluation is still required. However, the classes, lessons, and other services you choose from are determined by you and your Service Dog Trainer at the time of the screening call and/or first session. There will still be required classes and a final test to graduate.

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Additional Service Dog Training Options:

  • Monthly meet ups for group sessions &/or public access training

  • Board and trains (3 or 7 day) as needed for current clients

  • Day training

 

To learn more or to get in touch with one of our service dog trainers, schedule your FREE screening call today!

Frequently Asked Questions
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I was in the process of training my fourth service dog when he began exhibiting signs of being reactive to other dogs. I had to find a new place to train and to understand how to get my adolescent dog's behavior under control. As an experienced trainer,  I immediately knew that 4 on the Floor had the expertise and training approach to help me and my dog. Kelly and her team not only worked with my dog they taught me positive training techniques to help get our team back on track. They also worked with me to expand and refine his assistance dog skills. We are a strong and professional service dog team. He is confidently by my side at work and focused on his job. He loves to work so working through his adolescent issues made it possible for us to start our life together. 


Trish G.

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