Service Dog Breeds


The Best Service Dogs for Veterans & PTSD in Charleston / Summerville

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Service Dog Breeds

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. We've created this brief guide to review 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. Take the first step towards a better future with a trained service dog by contacting Dog Training Elite Lowcountry today!

Dog Training Elite offers professional training of service dogs for veterans in Charleston / Summerville.

Popular Breeds for Service Dogs

While most dogs can be trained to become service dogs, regardless of breed, a few breeds lead the pack in popularity due to their personalities and inherent traits. Here are a few of the most popular service dog breeds.


Labrador retrievers are among the most sought-after breeds to be service dogs for PTSD in Charleston / Summerville due to their intelligence, versatility, and friendly nature. They excel in various roles, including guide dogs for individuals with visual impairments, service dogs for individuals with mobility issues, and service dogs for veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Labradors are highly trainable and possess a strong desire to please, making them ideal candidates for service work.

Golden retrievers are known for their gentle and patient nature, making them excellent service dog candidates. Their calm temperament, intelligence, and willingness to learn contribute to their success in roles such as mobility assistance, therapy dogs, and service dogs for veterans. Their ability to provide emotional support and comfort makes them particularly well-suited for individuals with PTSD or other mental health conditions.

German shepherds possess a remarkable combination of strength, intelligence, and loyalty, making them an excellent choice as a service dog for veterans. Their versatility allows them to excel in various roles, including mobility assistance, search and rescue, and service dogs for individuals with psychiatric or neurological conditions. With their keen sense of observation and natural protective instincts, German Shepherds can provide physical and emotional support to their handlers.

Poodles are renowned for their intelligence, trainability, and hypoallergenic coats, making them popular for service dog training, especially for individuals with allergies. They excel in roles such as mobility assistance, diabetic alert dogs, and medical alert dogs.

An adorable golden doodle service pup trained by Dog Training Elite Lowcountry, ready to help their owner throughout the day!

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.


Dog Training Elite Lowcountry is the top company near you that uses professional positive dog training methods.
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.

See Our Pricing

Dog Training Elite trained service dogs for veterans can help them with PTSD and so much more.

Who Are Service Dogs For?

Service dogs offer invaluable support and assistance to individuals facing various challenges. Service dogs are sought after by individuals with conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), mobility limitations, visual or hearing impairments, autism spectrum disorders, anxiety disorders, and more. Service dogs can help provide security, independence, and emotional well-being regardless of the specific condition. If you seek a loyal and capable partner to enhance your daily life, a service dog for PTSD in Charleston / Summerville can make a remarkable difference.

Training a service dog for disablities like autism, is a Dog Training Elite specialty.

Service Dog Training

Service dogs undergo extensive and specialized training to perform their essential tasks and assist individuals with disabilities. The 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, stay, heel, and come, as well as proper leash manners and socialization skills.

  • Task Training

    Task training tailors to the specific needs of the 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.

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!

We appreciate the instructors from Dog Training Elite Lowcountry.. Both trainers Baeliegh and Colby were very knowledgeable and helpful to us. Each lesson built on previous ones & helped our puppy improve. Even more than thst they provided helpful information on care & ideas to improve our pet’s daily life. Thanks! 🐶
— P HAHN
Posted September 11th 2024
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We’ve had the best experience with training for our puppy. Bayleigh is amazing & we love working with her & this company!
— Megan Sanders
Posted September 9th 2024
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We have had an amazing experience from the trainers to the staff, our goldendoodle has taken to the training and their methodology so well. We love they come to our home and meet out in the community to gove that variety. I cant recommend them enough if you are looking for dog training!!!
— Erika Richardson
Posted September 4th 2024
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We joined the program several months ago with Baliegh and Colby. They have done wonders with our 4 young and wild Staffy/Pitt mixes. We were at our wits end and debating splitting up our 4 litter mates when we made the choice to seek help. Now we have 4 girls that are happy, confident, and on the way to being well behaved pups that I knew they could be. The girls have helped shape and mold our babies lives for the better and we are so grateful.
— Cecilia Houge
Posted August 30th 2024
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There are so many things that need to be said. First off, our family has 4 littermayes who are all being trained together by Bayleigh and Colby. These trainer have hands down made this process significantly less stressful than expected. Top notch communication, and simple to follow instructions make this journey unbelievable. If you need assistance with your pets, and are at a point where you need a helping hand, I recommend you give this company a call. You won't be disappointed, we weren't. They also offer working dog training, for both emotional and service dogs. If you have the need, they'll step right in an create a successful path for you and your animals.
— Tony Houge
Posted August 30th 2024
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Give Colby a raise…the way she handles each lesson and how detailed she is with teaching a new command is amazing. I 100% RECOMMEND her.
— Kato Junior
Posted August 22nd 2024
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Colby is literally the best Highly would recommend her as your trainer.
— Teja
Posted August 22nd 2024
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I’ve been working with Colby and have seen amazing results with my dog. She’s gained so much confidence and over come hurdles of anxiety. She’s taught me how to properly control the dog and manage reactivity. Overall just an awesome experience and a great investment for our fur baby!
— Melissa Moyer
Posted August 3rd 2024
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The DTE team worked with my reactive german shepherd and I. They were extremely patient, helpful, and willing to adapt to our needs. They helped both my dog and myself gain the confidence we needed to continue our training, and they gave us the tools and knowledge I needed to redefine my dog and I's relationship. They also were very accommodating with scheduling. Would definitely recommend!
— Bailey Davidson
Posted July 26th 2024
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We have worked with Dog Training Elite for six lessons so far and one group lesson with our new rescue dog who is now about 11 months old. Their training and recommendations have made a huge difference in his behavior. He is far less reactive ( in fact, little to no reaction now to most triggers) with other dogs, deer, geese, squirrels, etc. Bayleigh has been our primary trainer but we also have worked with Colby for our initial lesson. Both of them are knowledgeable and patient, not only with our dog but also with us. We highly recommend Dog Training Elite!
— Carolyn Viall
Posted July 17th 2024
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Colby is an absolute amazing trainer to work with. I learn so much about what I’m doing wrong and how to improve handling Taco! Great person and company.
— Scott Weinmann
Posted July 16th 2024
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Dog Training Elite made a massive difference for our golden retriever Chance. When we first rescued Chance we were terrified that his poor behavior would last forever. Bailey and the team at Dog Training Elite were extremely helpful and gave us lot of practical feedback. The individual sessions coupled with the group classes gave us things to practice while exposing Chance to real world situations. We can’t recommend Bailey and Dog Training Elite enough, we are extremely pleased with Chance’s progress!
— Brendan Duball
Posted June 29th 2024
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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
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We have been very impressed with Dog Training Elite! Colby has worked wonders with our Springer Spaniel puppy!
— Cameron Bongiorno
Posted June 18th 2024
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Service Dogs for Veterans & PTSDTraining with Dog Training Elite in Charleston / Summerville

Dog Training Elite offers comprehensive service dog training programs designed to meet your unique needs. With our expertise and personalized approach, we can help your service dog develop the skills and behaviors necessary to fulfill their vital role in enhancing your daily life.

Service dogs are an invaluable resource for individuals with disabilities, providing support, independence, and companionship. Service dogs can benefit individuals with various conditions, including PTSD, mobility limitations, autism, anxiety disorders, and more. At Dog Training Elite Lowcountry, we offer comprehensive service dog training programs to ensure your dog has the necessary skills to meet your needs. Our expertise and personalized approach will help you forge a strong bond with your service dog and confidently navigate daily life. Take the first step towards a brighter future by contacting Dog Training Elite today and discovering how a service dog can make a remarkable difference in your life.

Let Dog Training Elite take care of the service dog training so you can have support in your life while in Charleston / Summerville.