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Military / Retired Vet Programs

Dog Training Elite

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A military veteran and service dog - Dog Training Elite offers elite veteran service dog training.

Dog Training Elite

Military Veteran Service Dog Training

At Dog Training Elite, we strongly believe in the healing power of service dogs for military veterans. That’s why we dedicate our time and passion to providing veteran service dog training.

Service dogs can greatly assist with both the mental and physical challenges veterans may face after serving our country. Many veterans experience PTSD, physical disabilities, or other impairments, and our service dogs have been proven to help reduce symptoms and support veterans in returning to their daily routines.

Learn more about our programs designed for veterans and discover why Dog Training Elite is committed to making a difference in the community.

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A service puppy in training - Dog Training Elite offers veteran service dog training for those who have served our country.

Dog Training Elite

Why We Offer Service Dog Training for Military Veterans

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At Dog Training Elite, we are passionate about helping military veterans through the support of service dogs. We offer specialized service dog training options, backed by scientific research and proven by our own success stories.

In a study conducted by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, veterans paired with service dogs experienced a significant reduction in PTSD symptoms and fewer self-harm ideations. The mental health and medical communities increasingly recognize service dogs’ positive impact on emotional well-being and independence, making them one of the most effective tools for veteran recovery.

At Dog Training Elite, we are dedicated to providing exceptional dog training services that provide the tools and support needed for our veterans and their dogs to thrive, offering a path toward healing and better quality of life.

A beautiful golden retriever service dog - Dog Training Elite.

Popular Service Dog Breeds


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Finding a service dog that fits your individual needs is important, especially for military veteran support. While most dogs can be trained to become service dogs, a few breeds stand out due to their personalities and inherent traits.

Here are a few of the most popular service dog breeds:

  1. Labrador Retrievers: Labradors are intelligent, versatile, and eager to please, making them ideal for PTSD service dogs. Their trainability allows them to excel in roles like guide dogs, mobility support, and emotional support, making them highly adaptable for veterans.
  2. Golden Retrievers: Golden Retrievers are known for their calm, gentle nature and strong work ethic. They are excellent at providing mobility assistance and emotional support, especially for veterans with PTSD, due to their patient and loving temperament.
  3. German Shepherds: German Shepherds are strong, loyal, and highly intelligent, making them excellent service dogs. Their protective instincts and trainability allow them to assist with mobility, search and rescue, and provide emotional support for veterans.
  4. Poodles: Poodles are highly intelligent and easily trained, making them great service dogs, particularly for those with allergies due to their hypoallergenic coats. They excel in roles such as mobility assistance and medical alert dogs, offering a versatile solution for individuals with diverse needs.

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You and your canine companion really can have it all. See how easy it can be to become a member of the elite pup society by requesting a free consultation today!

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A service dog and his veteran owner - Dog Training Elite.

Our Veteran Service Dog Training

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Service dogs undergo extensive specialized training to perform their tasks and assist their owners. Our training process involves a combination of obedience training, task training, and public access training.

  • Obedience Training: This training focuses on teaching a dog basic commands, such as sit, down, heel, come, as well as proper leash manners and socialization skills.
  • Task Training: Task training is tailored to fit the needs of each individual. It involves teaching the dog to perform tasks that mitigate the person’s disability, such as retrieving items, opening doors, or providing deep pressure therapy.
  • Public Access Training: This type of training is crucial to ensure the dog remains calm, well-behaved, and non-disruptive in various public settings. This training includes exposure to different environments, distractions, and social interactions to provide a dog that can confidently navigate public spaces.
A beautiful service dog standing outside - Dog Training Elite.

Service Dogs for Veterans & PTSD

Get Specialized Training with DTE Today

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Training with Dog Training Elite is tailored specifically for military veterans dealing with PTSD and other service-related challenges. Our programs focus on helping veterans regain independence, emotional stability, and confidence through the support of a well-trained service dog.

At Dog Training Elite, we are dedicated to providing service dog training that strengthens the bond between veterans and their dogs, guiding them toward a brighter future and supporting their healing journey.

Hear From Our Customers

Learn Why Dog owners choose Dog Training Elite

  • Daxton Tarantino
    Oct. 5, 2025
    Our meeting with Rich was great. He was very knowledgeable. Took his time and explained everything we need to know. Thank you!
  • Jean Fox
    Apr. 9, 2025
    We can’t thank Doug, Josh and all the trainers at DTE enough for the incredible work they do with our new family member, Remy. She struggles with reactive and aggressive behaviors, but their calm, patient approach and deep understanding of dog behavior has made all the difference. They gave us practical, easy to follow training techniques that have helped her make incredible progress. Especially grateful for the coaching and encouragement we receive as her handlers. We couldn’t be happier with the team’s expertise, kindness and dedication - it was made all the difference. Highly recommended the DTE Team!
  • Grant Harris
    Oct. 5, 2025
    Dog Training Elite has been monumental in training our young rat terrier Wally and our chocolate lab puppy Ralphy. Graham and Shelly have put together and incredible staff to train up any breed of dog. The dogs love the facility and the group training held at 1 of 2 parks in the PSL area. We will keep bringing Wally to group classes and look forward to Ralphys further training as he learns not only basic obedience but eventually training to be my father’s service dog. We recommend DTE for anyone, any dog, any time.
  • Kathy Nelson
    Oct. 4, 2025
    Meggie was very informed and very nice. I look forward to working with her and the rest of the team.
  • Anika Allred
    Sep. 6, 2025
    We LOVE Deidre! We honestly can’t sing her praises enough. We have one more session with her, and we wish we could have a lifetime! She’s incredible, knowledgeable, kind, patient, and just an all-around amazing trainer. 1000/10 would recommend her and this business!
  • Wendy Etheridge
    Oct. 4, 2025
    Montana is a lovely young lady and Lydia took to her right away! This is in Nashville, by the way. She explained everything about the training program very well. She listened to the things I would like to do with Lydia and what I would like Lydia to be able to do. I appreciated her spending the amount of time she did and I felt well informed about the program. Thank you Montana, for throwing that BALL!!
  • Selena Despins
    Oct. 4, 2025
    We are so happy we went with Elite after reaching out to multiple trainers in the area. We were given different options for how to go about training; in public, at their facility, or in our own home. It made it very convenient and helpful to train in different environments with our dog. Ramiro was a great trainer, not just for our skeptical dog, but also as worrisome owners. He explained each step and helped us and our dog work together to help us be more confident in public and having visitors over. Being a rescue, our dog has a tendency to be on high alert but training has helped him trust us and relax.
  • Kevin Tyson
    Jul. 15, 2025
    Dog Training Elite Lancaster: I can't overstate the dramatic change in my dog since Jaime and Betsy engaged in training with her. Prior to Elite, we had our puppy in private training, with mediocre results. I was skeptical that Elite would be able to get her to the level we wanted. Literally after one lesson, we began to see results. By week 3 it was DRAMATIC! Jaime and Betsy provide the tools and coaching. You need to do the work also. But if you do, the results will overwhelm you!! Almost as important as training your dog, Dog Training Elite trains the handler and gives them the skills to understand successful methods. We are so grateful that we found Betsy and Jaime. Remarkable trainers!!
  • Diana Robles
    Oct. 4, 2025
    When we lost Luca, we weren’t sure what we would do. He was not only my service dog, but my partner and heart. I honestly didn’t know how I could move forward without him. At the time, our sweet Yara didn’t qualify as a service dog due to her past trauma, prior to us adopting her, and it felt like such an uncertain road ahead. Then life surprised us — Yara had a litter of seven beautiful, healthy standard poodle pups. We decided to keep two of the boys, and they have just completed their service dog training camp. They’re well on their way to following in Luca’s pawprints, and watching their progress has filled our hearts with so much hope. Yara herself has blossomed in ways I never imagined. From obedience training to slowly building her confidence, she’s now qualified as a service dog too. She’s done a complete 180, and it brings me to tears thinking of how far she’s come. Thank you, DTE, for everything. Your dedication, patience, and love have shaped not only our pups but our lives. We will always miss Luca deeply, but we’re forever grateful to Dog Training Elite for helping our young pups step into their new roles and for helping our beautiful princess Yara grow into the amazing dog she was meant to be. 🐩❤️
  • Desiree LaPeer
    Oct. 4, 2025
    Dog Training Elite has been wonderful in working with my service dog in training. We started working with Tom and Abby when Charlie was a puppy. Now at one years old, Charlie has grown so much in her obedience. We’ve trusted their process in training, and it is absolutely paying off. Being able to attend bi-weekly group classes has been very helpful in maintaining her obedience and to learn new skills. Tom and Abby have always been willing to do individual sessions to help target specific tasks Charlie needs to learn. I absolutely love working with Dog Training Elite!!
  • Franklin Smith
    Oct. 4, 2025
    Trainers I worked with like Patrick and Matt are the best!!
  • John McEachern
    Sep. 11, 2025
    Richard is very easy going , stays on point and is working on our training as well as Phins ! I think we’re behind 🤣
  • Zachary Potter
    Oct. 4, 2025
    Awesome experience with Ramiro! Completely transformed our dogs. Had issues with them being aggressive towards each other and with a baby on the way, we had to find a fix. Ramiro solved all of our issues. Highly recommend
  • Nate Gornitzky
    Oct. 4, 2025
    Fantastic Jupiter group class today!!
  • Larry Falivena
    Oct. 4, 2025
    The team at DTE is great! Cindy and Kyle helped us take our wild puppy and turn her into my mobility service dog. People are amazed at how well trained she is. I highly recommend them whether you need a service dog to help improve your quality of life, or just a well behaved companion.
  • Qwaig
    Oct. 3, 2025
    Dog training elite goes above and beyond the competition. They don’t just make sure your dog is trained, they make sure YOU are trained on what you need to do to keep your dog learning and growing. The staff is all extremely friendly and personable, I highly recommend them for any type of training you are looking for for your dog.
  • Lynne H
    Oct. 3, 2025
    Our dogs love their training sessions and practice sessions. We are very pleased with the progress they've made.
  • Lori Ostiguy
    Oct. 3, 2025
    We had our initial visit and I am so happy, Patrick is a great trainer and I can’t wait to do more training.
  • Garret Schumer
    Oct. 3, 2025
    Such an amazing experience so far. Colin is great with our girl Gilly. Over the past 5 weeks she has responded incredibly well to her commands, and is excited every week when Colin comes to the door. Even when there’s distractions Colin is awesome at getting her on task and imprinting the lesson. The whole process has made it super easy for us and Gilly to keep working and making the lesson stick. Grateful to have found this program. Below are pics of Gilly, “placing” (and her birthday get up..just because 😂)
  • Alexander Voris
    Oct. 3, 2025
    We do not even know where to begin when it comes to how grateful we are for Dog Training Elite. Before attending the two week day camp, Hoosier, our year and a half golden retriever mix, struggled significantly with meeting new people. He would bark and lunge at them in an aggressive manner. The two week camp provided Hoosier (and us) with the tools for interacting with new people. This is just the beginning of his training as he will continue to attend weekly group sessions that come with the two week day camp package (which is amazing). We cannot say enough good things about all the trainers here. They have done such an incredible job with Hoosier, and we are so thankful for them.