A service dog and their owner outside - find elite service dog training in Carmel / Fishers, IN with Dog Training Elite.
Dog Training Elite

Service Dog Training in Carmel / Fishers, IN

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Our Service Dog Training Could Help:
Veterans or civilians with PTSD, anxiety, or depression
Children or adults with autism
Individuals with epilepsy
(participating locations)
Advanced medical training (participating locations)

Dog Training Elite Carmel / Fishers

Service Dog Training in Carmel / Fishers, IN

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.” Disabilities include mental or physical impairments that affect an individual’s ability to perform one or more major life activities (walking, seeing, etc.).

Because service dogs play such a key role in the life of disabled individuals, they are protected by the law. Places of residence, employment, and commercial facilities cannot discriminate against disabled individuals with service animals. If you are wondering how to get a service dog, you can either purchase a fully trained dog or purchase a service puppy and train it.

With our service dog training in Carmel / Fishers, IN, we ensure that your dog is trained to meet the specific needs of your disability, providing personalized support and empowering both dog and handler for long-term success.

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A man and his support service dog - learn more about our positive training methods at Dog Training Elite.

Our Positive Approach to Service Dog Training


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At Dog Training Elite, we believe that successful dog training requires dedication, patience, and balance. That’s why we are committed to using positive reinforcement techniques in all of our training programs.

Through balanced training, our team helps owners build trust with their dogs. This approach is especially important for service dog training because strong relationships and communication are essential for dogs to reliably assist their handler.

By focusing on encouragement rather than punishment, we created confident, well-behaved dogs that are eager to perform their best and impress their owners.

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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!

Hear From Our Customers

Learn Why Dog owners choose Dog Training Elite

  • 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.
  • Elizabeth McIntire
    Sep. 26, 2025
    From Doug and Anika and the other talented trainers, our experience was great. Training is a team effort between the pet owners, the pet and the trainers. Highly recommend.
  • Patricia SICA
    Aug. 26, 2025
    Elijah worked PLACE with distractions ++++ good lesson- he never is demeaning but instructive esp. with donato so puppish at 5 months..
  • James Reddick
    Oct. 1, 2025
    Joshua arrived as planned to start our puppy program and our first session was great. He gave us an overview of what the first training session was going to be covered, demonstrated puppy command (off, crate, using the leash, name recognition, using training treats) addressed our questions and coached us on training dos and don’ts. Overall it was a great first lesson and we are looking to the next puppy training session.
  • Shane Nesbitt
    Aug. 30, 2025
    We really enjoy working with Elijah. He’s friendly and funny and enjoys what he’s doing and he really knows dogs
  • Matthew Varas
    Sep. 30, 2025
    Josh was fantastic. Everything I had hoped to get out of dog training was achieved and he gave me all the tools and advice to do it. And he was very patient when we were doing the first few sessions and my dog was aggressive.
  • Mandy (Wellspring RN)
    Sep. 27, 2025
    We just had a second session with Dog Training Elite today. We are very impressed with the two staff members we have worked with, Elijah & Josh. Both were very patient and attentive to the needs of our family and our puppy. They were happy to answer our questions. We are excited to continue working with this group
  • Ashley
    Sep. 26, 2025
    I can't say enough about Dog Training Elite. They are an incredible group of trainers. They are sweet, thorough, knowledgeable, and extremely professional. The facility is beautiful and IMPECCABLY CLEAN. I will forever be a DTE customer/client.
  • Tracy Ellis
    Sep. 22, 2025
    Doug was great gave us excellent advice. very excited for classes!
  • Alex Bowman
    Sep. 20, 2025
    I have just been so impressed by the trainers, staff, and coaching at Dog Training Elite! Doug, the owner, personally came out to my house and met my dog Lola to see if she had a good demeanor for service dog training. Since then, we have completed Elite Training Camp with Lola (a full obedience training camp) and had one in home session with Elijah. The staff is so incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, smart, and supportive of Lola and our family. We are starting group classes soon to get Lola ready for service animal training, and I just know we will be seeing the same excellence as before. It is very worth the time, effort, and money to have your dog trained with this team.
  • Brian Stockman
    Sep. 18, 2025
    Great experience in meeting Doug and talking about options for training our puppy! Look forward working together on our training.
  • Jeffrey Schillinger
    Aug. 22, 2025
    Anika, Josh, Sonya and the rest of the team did a great job during our dog's two weeks of training. We look forward to the group classes and to watching our dog even further master the commands. We highly recommend Dog Training Elite. Josh came by a few weeks after the class ended to work with our dog. He was very patient and taught us a lot of things that will help our dog master his commands. We look forward to our continued relationship with Dog Training Elite.
  • M. A. Pinnick
    Sep. 15, 2025
    Excellent overview of the services and procedures of the training.
  • penny g
    Sep. 15, 2025
    Sir and I had our first home session with Annie Kasper today and she was phenomenal! She arrived on time (actually respectively early), professional, at the same time very warm, making for a comfortable environment! She was informative and confident in her abilities and I really appreciated that! DTE sure has a gem in her!
  • Anne Weinblatt
    Sep. 13, 2025
    Josh spent time with us on a Saturday morning working with Apollo. He is always great with us. He offered some good advice for working with our boy. Highly recommend Dog Training Elite.
  • Peter Leistensnider
    Sep. 10, 2025
    Josh is amazing! I would want todo dog training with anyone else. Friendly, clear instructions and confident
  • Donita Covington
    Sep. 10, 2025
    Great experience! My dog and I are both learning.
  • Only1Sable Travels (Only1Sable)
    Aug. 22, 2025
    We successfully completed 2 weeks of camp and just had our first of two at home visits. The amount of change we have seen in our dog is just remarkable. He's following commands so well, is much more attentive and enjoys the 'work' he's been doing. I really can't say enough great things about the trainers! Josh, Anika and Elijah were all fabulous with our dog, as were all the other trainers and the whole team! The communication from everyone from my very first panicked email to the team looking for guidance, to the long call with the owner Doug to get a game plan together, and the quick placement into the camp all helped put our mind at ease. And once he started camp, we received all the necessary tools and equipment for our dog, detailed daily Google drive videos of his progress with instruction and printable training recaps of each lesson. And review of each days progress with the trainers at pickup for us to practice. This level of engagement, along with the genuine love of dogs, care and can-do spirit of all the trainers and team have exceeded all of our expectations!! We are so happy with the outcome of the training, and know we have a lot more to go to continue to make his training second nature, but this is an excellent program. Plus, the ability to bring him to weekly group classes on Saturdays is also a huge comfort to us! Knowing we have the support and resources of Dog Training Elite Carmel/Fishers every step of the way is just wonderful!
  • Tabbitha Dixon
    Sep. 6, 2025
    Josh has been great! He really is patient with us learning our commands and offers reassurances when we need it!
  • Katie Koenig
    Aug. 18, 2025
    Our pup came home each day learning something new. She received great care and learned a ton!
A Dog Training Elite Carmel / Fishers owner smiling with his dog in Carmel / Fishers, IN.

Dog Training Elite Carmel / Fishers

Is a Service Dog The Same As a Therapy Dog?

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Many types of working dogs increase the quality of life for their handlers. The three main categories of working dogs are service animal, therapy animal, and emotional support animal. Each category covers different areas of support and different levels of protection under the law.

  1. Service Animal
  2. As mentioned above, service animals assist individuals with disabilities. Depending on the person’s needs, the service animal learns how to perform certain tasks. Guide dogs, for example, help blind individuals safely navigate their environment. Seizure response dogs respond to their handlers when the individual is having a seizure. Service animals are highly trained and specialized, and they are also offered the most protection under the law compared to therapy or emotional support animals.

    Dogs are not the only kinds of service animals - miniature horses are often trained to support individuals with disabilities!

  3. Therapy Animal
  4. Therapy dogs provide comfort and improve the mental well-being of individuals in hospitals, hospice care, retirement homes, nursing homes, schools, and more. These dogs must have a friendly, calm demeanor and be comfortable when handled by strangers.

    Therapy dogs are not trained to perform specific tasks, but they must be obedient and well-mannered. Therapy animals are permitted in some areas where pets are not, but they have fewer protections than service animals. All therapy dogs must be certified before they can offer their services to the community.

  5. Emotional Support Animal
  6. Emotional support dogs relieve loneliness, anxiety, depression, and other symptoms of mental health disorders. They provide comfort to their handlers, but they are not trained to perform specific tasks. Most emotional support animals are sensitive to the emotional changes of their handler and will remain close by at all times. Emotional support animals are not protected by the ADA, but residential buildings must permit emotional support animals.

Dog Training Elite Carmel / Fishers

What Can Service Dogs Do?

Service dogs are crucial in assisting individuals with various disabilities and conditions, providing them with support, independence, and companionship. These highly trained dogs can perform specific tasks tailored to the needs of their handlers. Learn about breeds that make great service dogs, who can benefit from a service dog and the training that will help these pups meet their handler's needs.

Service dogs are a great help to disabled individuals thanks to their incredible ability to perform highly specialized tasks, like opening doors, switching lights on and off, assisting with balance and stability, guiding, pulling wheelchairs, answering phones and making calls, finding objects or places, unloading and loading items, clearing rooms, finding help, and many more. Service dogs improve the lives of disabled individuals by increasing their autonomy.
Individuals with certain diseases and disorders can benefit from a highly trained service dog. Dogs have an incredible sense of smell and they can detect the chemical changes associated with oncoming seizures and increases in blood pressure. Alert service dogs alert their handler to these situations to prevent a life-threatening emergency. Alert dogs also help those with extreme allergies detect potential allergens in food.
Disabled or epileptic individuals are more prone to emergencies than the average person. Service dogs are trained to alert their handler to a potential emergency, and alert surrounding individuals to an active emergency. Service dogs can also call for help on pre-programmed phones.

Additional Service Training Info

Dog Training Elite Carmel / Fishers - PTSD Service Dog Training in Carmel / Fishers, IN. DTE

PTSD Service Dog

If you're looking to train a PTSD service dog in Carmel / Fishers, IN, Dog Training Elite is here to help. Our service dogs are trained to assist with symptoms such as anxiety, hyper-vigilance, and panic attacks, providing grounding emotional support.

Dog Training Elite Carmel / Fishers - Psychiatric Service Dog Training in Carmel / Fishers, IN

Psychiatric Service Dog Training

Our psychiatric service dog training in Carmel / Fishers, IN helps individuals with PTSD, anxiety, and depression. We'll help train your dog to mitigate symptoms by offering emotional grounding and support during stressful situations.

Dog Training Elite Carmel / Fishers - Seizure Response Dog Training in Carmel / Fishers, IN

Medical Response Dog Training

If you are in need of a seizure response dog in Carmel / Fishers, IN, Dog Training Elite can help. Our training program is designed to help individuals with epilepsy regain independence and confidence.

Dog Training Elite Carmel / Fishers - Autism Support Dog Training in Carmel / Fishers, IN

Autism Support Service Dog

Bring life-changing support to your family with Dog Training Elite's autism support dog training in Carmel / Fishers, IN. Our compassionate trainers work closely with your family and dog throughout the entire process, ensuring your pup is fully prepared to provide comfort, safety, and companionship.

A service dog at a ball game with their owner - get professional Carmel / Fishers service dog training with Dog Training Elite.

Dog Training Elite Carmel / Fishers

Service Dogs for Anxiety, PTSD, and Autism

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Service dogs trained to assist handlers with severe anxiety or depression perform specific tasks that reduce the potential for panic attacks or self-harm attempts. Such tasks include deep-pressure therapy, tactile stimulation, alerting, clearing rooms, blocking strangers from approaching, and more. Service dogs trained to assist those with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) have greatly improved the lives of many veterans.

Service dogs also make a big impact on the lives of children with autism. Children with autism are often prone to meltdowns, have trouble communicating, and are quick to run off or become easily lost. Service dogs prevent and mediate all of these behaviors to provide a higher quality of life for children with autism and their families.

As autism is a spectrum disorder, each child has varying needs of assistance. Autism service dogs perform the following tasks:

  • Tracking: Children with autism often wander away, and a parent’s worst fear is turning their back for just a moment and discovering their child is gone. Autism service dogs will track the child if this ever happens.
  • Tethering: This task minimizes wandering, which is common in public settings. The child is tethered to the service dog’s leash or harness, preventing him or her from wandering away.
  • Behavior Interruption: Repetitive and ritualistic behaviors are typical of autistic children, as are meltdowns when the child becomes overstimulated. Autism service dogs recognize these negative behaviors and redirect the child’s attention when they start. A simple paw or nudge is all it takes to prevent a meltdown.
A service puppy waiting for their owner - Dog Training Elite Carmel / Fishers.

How Do I Get a Service Dog?

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If you are wondering how to get a service dog, there are a couple of different approaches. Some service dogs are purchased outright, fully trained. Or a compatible dog is selected and trained from an early age. Training a dog from the start is the best option, especially for those with specialized needs.

Training a dog to perform service responsibilities must start from day one. Only certain breeds are suited to service work, and breeders put a lot of time into raising puppies to be service animals. Once you have purchased a service puppy, additional training is necessary to prepare your puppy for life as a service dog. This is a complicated process that involves various steps. Dog Training Elite makes getting a service dog easier with our service dog training program.

Our talented trainers can help select puppies that are prepared for a life of service from well-respected breeders. When these puppies enter the service dog training program they are closely monitored for behavior and temperament and can be fully obedience trained by the age of six months. These puppies undergo extensive socialization and additional training to ensure they are well-suited for service and therapy needs including specialized service training alongside the new handler.

This program is ideal for handlers who want to take part in the developmental years and extensive training of their service puppy.

A group of dogs being trained by the expert team at Dog Training Elite Carmel / Fishers.
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Educate, Empower, Elevate, Elite

Victory Begins With Elite Education

A trainer, a man and his service dog - find the best service dog training in Carmel / Fishers, IN with Dog Training Elite.

We Are Committed to Making a Difference

Choose DTE for Carmel / Fishers Service Dog Training

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At Dog Training Elite, we are passionate about transforming lives through Carmel / Fishers service dog training. Our proven, balanced training methods help create highly skilled, dependable service dogs that are both obedient and loyal to their handlers.

From mobility support and physical assistance to emotional well-being and more, Dog Training Elite is committed to providing personalized, high-quality training that makes a lasting impact.

Choose Dog Training Elite Carmel / Fishers and experience the difference that elite training and compassionate care can make.