The Best Service Dog Trainers In California

There are over 500,000 service dogs in an active service role in the United States alone. Service dogs are an excellent way for people who have disabilities to gain back some of their independence and complete their daily tasks more efficiently.

However, the demand for service dogs is very high, with it sometimes taking up to 3 years to adopt a service dog after applying for one. With the wait time being so long, it might seem easier to train your own dog or a dog you are looking to adopt as your service dog instead of looking for one that has already been trained.

It can be frustrating when you search for a great dog trainer specializing in training service dogs and trying to distinguish them from your everyday dog trainer. Luckily, we have put together a ranked list of the best service dog trainers in California to make your search much easier for you.

Continue reading below to find out more.

California Service Dog Academy serves the Southern California area and is located in Visalia, California. They are a non-profit organization and offer free service dog training programs for veterans.

Matthew and Rebecca Corso began the center in 2018 to help clients find service dogs. They use positive methods to train all their service dog candidates.

The flagship program at California Service Dog Academy is their Sentinel Service Dog program. Through this program, they are able to provide Sentinel Service Dogs to veterans who are wounded or disabled and facility or therapy Dogs for first responders at absolutely no charge.

They also offer training for civilian duty and support dogs, therapy dogs, and other facility dogs.

To learn more about California Service Dog Academy’s programs, you can visit their website. If you are looking to apply or have any questions, you can reach out and contact them through phone or live chat.

Fun Paw Care is a service dog training facility situated in Los Angeles, California. They offer basic puppy and dog training, as well as more in-depth training options for those looking to train their pup as a service animal.

The company was founded by Russell Hartstein, a renowned certified dog behaviorist, and professional trainer. He focuses the facility’s training style on improving the relationship and communication between each handler and their dog.

Fun Paw Care offers obedience training, therapy dog training, ESA training, and service dog training. They offer these training options either in the owner’s home or at their training ranch. They provide a board and train service, as well.

Another great service dog training option provided by the company is task training and troubleshooting, which costs around $345 per hour. For anyone looking to have their pup trained here, they provide phone or Zoom consultations to answer all of your questions.

Fun Paw Care has a site showing their programs, details on dog behaviors, and information about the business. For inquiries or to begin training, get in touch with them using the options listed on their contact page.

If you need a great dog trainer in San Diego, California, check out Karma Dog Training. They provide many services at their training center.

Jeffrey Liebowitz founded the facility back in 2004. He created Karma Dog Training with the intention to allow pet parents to come from the most enlightened perspective when they are training and raising their dogs.

Karma Dog Training offers obedience and puppy training, as well as training for service dogs, therapy dogs, and hospice dogs. They have service dog specialists available to answer any and all questions you might have about obtaining or training a service dog.

They will assess your current dog to determine if they can be trained as a service dog by testing their abilities and behavior. Not all dogs can meet the strict requirements of service dog training.

If you would like to learn more about Karma Dog Training’s unique perspective on dogs or about the services they offer, you can visit their website. If you are ready to set up training or have further questions, you can get a hold of them by filling out a questionnaire found here.

K-9 Companions is a dog training facility located in Perris, California. The trainers use a mix of positive reinforcement and mild corrective techniques to give your dog the best training experience.

The business was founded in 1979, giving the company over forty years of experience in the dog training field. Their team of skilled instructors includes veterinarians, animal experts, and US military K-9 service professionals.

K-9 Companions provides fundamental and higher-level instruction, agility lessons, and service dog training. They educate service dogs to aid with movement limitations, anxiety conditions, and PTSD. The teachers engage the owners in the educational journey whenever feasible.

The service dog training program typically lasts for around 18 months. Through this program, your dog will learn basic commands, on and off-leash advanced obedience, Canine Good Citizen Testing, and other specific service skills as needed.

To learn more about the services K-9 Companions provide, visit their website. You can reach them through an online form or phone with any inquiries.

Orange County Service Dogs is situated in Orange, California. The facility has been a leader in service dog and therapy dog training for a long time and has great reviews.

The person in charge of Orange County Service Dogs is Nikki Esser. She has more than 20 years of experience in training dogs and has been professionally training dogs for over a decade.

Orange County Service Dogs provides training for therapy dogs and service dogs that will assist with PTSD or mobility impairments. They do not provide training for service dogs that would need to perform seizure alerts, diabetic alerts, or guide dogs.

To qualify for service dog training, your dog must have their second round of puppy vaccines. Training your dog as a service dog can take up to 2 years.

To learn more about Orange County Service Dogs, you can visit their website. You can also contact them with any questions or to begin training by emailing, calling, or submitting an online form.

What To Look For When Finding A Good Service Dog Trainer?

When searching for a good service dog trainer, it is key to focus on their expertise in the area. A fine trainer may not require vast experience, but being aware of their training history can show their potential success.

You should also think about their certifications. Training a service dog is a strict and specific kind of dog training. Anyone trying to train your puppy as a service dog must be certified by a legitimate organization as a skilled dog trainer.

Also, make sure to consider your specific needs and the responsibilities your dog will have as a service dog in action. While the service dog trainer may have the right credentials, ensure they have experience working with service dogs that can perform the tasks and duties you require.

Lastly, check for trainers that will assess your current pup properly or help you look for a great dog to become your service dog. Not all dogs are cut out to be service dogs, as it takes a lot of skill. With these things in mind and the list above, you can find an incredible service dog trainer in no time.

Conclusion

Finding a trainer for a service dog could be a bothersome and tense search. Typically, it is a costly training course, yet it can improve the overall life of people with disabilities.

With numerous unhelpful trainer choices available, it can be challenging to navigate them all. Nonetheless, we diligently reviewed each one to present you with the top service dog trainers in California. Utilize the aforementioned list to quickly discover the suitable service dog trainer for your specific requirements and circumstances.

Now, you can head over to the website of the trainer that suits you and set up training for your future service dog.