Request a Free Assessment
Over the past decade there has been a rise in the number of people with Emotional Support Animals. This has caused some confusion around what it means to have a service, emotional support or therapy animal . Here, we explain briefly the differences between each of these animals, the training required for each different type, and debunk some common myths. Read on to learn the differences between each type of animal, which one might be right for you or your loved one, and how Dog Training Elite Lowcountry can help.
Not all training packages may be available at our Dog Training Elite Lowcountry location, please reference our pricing page for complete information on services offered.
ESA vs. Therapy vs. Service Animals: What's the Difference?
Service Animals
Service animals are animals that have been trained to assist individuals with tasks specific to their needs.
- Redirecting attention when an individual is beginning to feel overstimulated
- Reminding owners to take medication
- Waking someone who is having a nightmare
Service dogs are valued in the mental health, health care and disability community and are protected under ADA laws which allow owners to take their service dog with them everywhere they go. Dog Training Elite Lowcountry trains dogs to serve individuals with autism, diabetes and PTSD.
Dog Training Elite Lowcountry trains autism service dogs to benefit and assist children with autism. Autism service dogs can be trained to track their child in case of wandering and redirect a child’s behavior when they are starting to become overwhelmed.
PTSD service dogs help ground owners to reality, especially in public settings. These service dogs can also be trained to recognize signs of a panic attack and regulate emotional responses through pressure.
Diabetic service dogs can alert their owners to their low blood sugar and provide stability, safety and support.
Visit our individual web pages to understand more about the differences and benefits of autism service dogs, PTSD services dogs and diabetic service dogs.
Emotional Support Animals
Although all dog owners may feel the emotional benefits of owning a dog, the dog needs to be prescribed by a licensed mental health professional to a person with a disabling mental illness such as anxiety or depression to legally be considered an ESA. Emotional Support dogs can be of any age and any breed whereas service dogs usually begin training as puppies.
In addition to being prescribed by a mental health professional, owners may wish for their dog to undergo more specific training. If you are looking for emotional support dog training in your local area, Dog Training Elite Lowcountry has you covered.
The professional dog trainers of Dog Training Elite Lowcountry are experienced with training various types of therapy animals. Trainers work with a dog’s natural temperament to ensure a strong, loving bond between dog and owner. Training can be personalized to fit the needs of the owner.
It is important to note that Emotional Support Animals are meant for just that - emotional support. Dogs trained to assist with specific tasks that may be associated with a disability are service animals. Training a dog to be an Emotional Support Animal or a therapy dog is less intensive than training to be a service animal.
Therapy Animals
Therapy Animals are very similar to Emotional Support Animals, except that they are often used to bolster the mental health and wellbeing of a community, as opposed to just an individual. Therapy dogs are often seen serving in hospitals, rehabilitation or care centers with their owners.
Owners who feel their dog may be a good fit for this kind of community service can have them receive top-notch training from Dog Training Elite Lowcountry.
The most important thing to note as a difference between Emotional Support Animals, Therapy and Service dogs, is service animals are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act which states service animals must be able to accompany their owners wherever they go. Emotional Support and Therapy animals do not have the same protections and public establishments may have their own rules about ESA and therapy dogs.
Whether you’re ready to get a new lease on life with the help of a service dog, or strengthen the existing bond with your dog, Dog Training Elite Lowcountry has the experience and resources you need.
Our Balanced Theory
We base our training around the "Classical Conditioning" model (a.k.a. "Pavlovian" or "respondent conditioning"). This includes developing conditioned or automatic reflexes to commands. In its simplest form (after proper conditioning), when the owner says "sit," the dog automatically sits without thinking about it. Our unique techniques ensure our program is a success no matter what behavior we encounter.
Empowering Owners
We empower owners to train so their dog knows who to obey at all times.
Personalized
We deal with problem behaviors on a personal basis.
Environment Specific
We train wherever issues tend to arise (i.e. jogging, park, home).
Supportive
We support owners in the off-hours (when training is "not in session").
Involved
We work with all members of the household.
Simplified & Customized
We plan training around the owner's schedule and require only 20 min/day follow-up practice.
Continued Training
Additional programs / group sessions offered after in-home training.
Lifetime Investment
We follow up & are invested in the owner's success long-term.
Satisfaction Ratings
Our high client satisfaction rating sets us apart from competitors.
clas·si·cal con·di·tion·ing PSYCHOLOGY noun A learning process that occurs when two stimuli are repeatedly paired; a response that is at first elicited by the second stimulus and is eventually elicited by the first stimulus alone.
We help your dog become a valued companion and beloved member of the family. Read what our customers have to say and then give us a call!
Training with the owner Steve has been great! Second session and we are working on heel. He was able to stay in a Place for the entirety of a surgery so I've been very impressed. Our puppy is being trained as a service dog, and he loves going everywhere. He's always on his best behavior. The trainers are doing an excellent job of training us how to help him be successful long-term. All of us enjoy the training sessions and learning new skills Since adding Colby to his training team, he has been able to practice place and other skills with another dog in public places which has been awesome. Before he would get distracted with others bc we don't have friends or family with dogs for him to interact with. Her caring, loving approach and knowledge makes Colby one of his favorite people in the world.— Heather C
Posted March 22nd 2024
We have been very impressed with Dog Training Elite! Colby has worked wonders with our Springer Spaniel puppy!— Cameron Bongiorno
Posted June 18th 2024
We have a German Shepherd and we are extremely pleased with the training program and the trainers.You can rely on them to meet the specific needs. We LOVE our trainer Colby. We have seen so much progress and success with Bailey. Also they offer continuous support even after their training is complete. In case of any issues that arise later that you might need help with. They are worth every penny . Thank you guys so much !— A “Coralline” Blais
Posted June 15th 2024
We have been working with Colby and she has been a life changer for Annie’s development and socialization. The company’s training program has helped us learn how to better meet our fur baby’s needs. There was a point before we began working with them that we had considered whether it was best for our family to re-home her which we have never considered doing before. Since we have started training and introducing her to difficult training situations she has become a more patient with loving and socially acceptable behavior. Colby has certainly impacted the dynamics in our home and we couldn’t be more grateful! Oh and Annie absolutely loves it when her buddy Colby comes for training! If you need dog training, please consider Steve, Colby and team at Dog Training Elite Lowcountry! Annie and the Vinson Family— Teri Vinson
Posted June 14th 2024
We have had a fantastic experience with our trainer Colby! She has been extremely kind and patient training our family and our pup, Linus. One of the things I appreciate also is her punctuality and keeping us on track so that we use the time we have scheduled efficiently. Linus is responding well to their methodology and we are so excited to see how much more he will learn. We are so looking forward to having the opportunity to take him on more family outings and sharing those life experiences with him.— Brenton Dameron
Posted June 4th 2024
As I sit here crying, I had to come back and edit my review. If I could give Colby 10 stars, I would. Today, for the first time, when I took Roxy for a walk, she didn't drag me down the street. It didn't hurt to walk her because she wasn't pulling. Before Colby's help, I honestly didn't think I would ever be able to walk her myself. I thought I was always going to have to rely on someone else. It wasn't just taking the time to teach Roxy, Colby took the time to teach me too, and that is what made the difference. Thank you SO much, Colby. You have a great gift.— Miriam Bumgarner
Posted May 21st 2024
Baeleigh is a fantastic, knowledgeable, and patient trainer. She's owners feel confident during session, and that confidence extends into between the sessions.— Savannah Frierson
Posted May 18th 2024
Colby has really some a great job helping me train my service dog. Pyrenees are notoriously independent dogs and with her guidance we have a near flawless recall and obedience. She is very good at making the training concepts clear and is good about reminding you to use the correct tools.— Amanda
Posted May 16th 2024
We have enjoyed our experience so far with Dog Training Elite Lowcountry! Dexter is learning and progressing so much with their training. Baeleigh has been a joy to work with. She is very knowledgeable, and it is so easy to see her care for your pet! She wants to set you up for success and encourage you along the journey!— Chance Hicks
Posted May 16th 2024
Coldby is the best trainer! My aussie made so much progress in just a couple months with her direction and training.— Shannon McNally
Posted May 15th 2024
Colby has helped me train my German shepherd and I couldn’t have asked for a better trainer! She has helped me and my baby learn and trust each other I’m so proud of everything we’re able to accomplish with Colby’s help!— Emma McCoy
Posted May 14th 2024
We have had an amazing experience with Colby at DTE! She provides fantastic sessions that made a world of difference for our dog. Colby's expertise and dedication have led to tremendous improvements in our dog's behavior. Her friendly and professional approach made each session enjoyable and effective. Highly recommend Colby for anyone seeking top-notch training for their pets. Thank you, Colby, for your excellent work!— Brian Stevens
Posted May 14th 2024
We would like to give a big shout out to Colby with Dog Training Elite. Colby has done an amazing job training our two Pit bulls without even using any treats. Our fur babies love her and she shows love to them. We didn't think they were trainable. We would recommend Colby and Dog Training Elite. Thank you for helping us.— Kenneth Hegwood
Posted May 11th 2024
Gosh! Where do we begin!!! Trust these amazing people with your fur babies! You will not regret it. Our sweet Bear has learned so much thanks to Colby and the tools she is giving us! We highly recommend Dog Training Elite Lowcountry!— Robert Clark
Posted May 2nd 2024
Gosh! Where do we begin!!! Trust these amazing people with your fur babies! You will not regret it. Our sweet Bear has learned so much thanks to Colby and the tools she is giving us! We highly recommend Dog Training Elite Lowcountry!— Suzanne Clark
Posted May 2nd 2024
Dog Training Elite is awesome! Colbie, in particular, is an outstanding trainer! She clearly loves the dogs, communicates well with us and patiently and thoughtfully answers our questions. We have two rambunctious Brits that she has helped us train into fun loving, obedient dogs. Thank you!— Ken Hirsch
Posted May 1st 2024
The entire team was fabulous. They taught my dog, Bella, and me to be a true team. All with positive reinforcement!— Annette Cooper
Posted April 23rd 2024
Dog Training Elite is one of the best things to ever happen to me. They helped me find my sweet baby Shadow who has helped me tremendously. In just one training session with Colby, my puppy was acting like a whole new dog. Colby was very attentive and took the time to get to know me and my dog to better help with the training and from the start, Shadow was attached and couldn’t get enough of her. Along with Colby, Steve (the owner) took Shadow in for a week for intense training and she came back knowing so much more than she did going in. He took the time to fill me in on what she had learn and how to hold her to those standards. The whole team at DTE is just wonderful and I would highly recommend them to all!— Amber Nejman
Posted April 12th 2024
Steve was awesome and I really liked the approach. I am convinced that my dogs will be so much easier to control after training. The dogs are great and love people but their level of love and excitement made some people uncomfortable. The are responding in a very positive way to the trading.— Karen Eaton
Posted October 7th 2023
Dog Training Elite Lowcountry helped us train our Bernedoodle as a service dog. They worked with our busy schedule and truly met the needs of our family. Our dog had her CGC, AKC Urban, AKC community, and service dog public access tests passed before she turned 1 thanks to their guidance. I now have all the tools necessary to maintain her training.— Lindsey Rebecca
Posted June 30th 2023