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Military / Retired Vet Programs

Dog Training Elite Midlands SC

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A military veteran and service dog - Dog Training Elite offers elite veteran service dog training in Columbia, SC.

Dog Training Elite

Military Veteran Service Dog Training in Columbia, SC

At Dog Training Elite Midlands SC, 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 in Columbia, SC.

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.

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

Dog Training Elite Midlands SC

Why We Offer Service Dog Training for Military Veterans

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At Dog Training Elite Midlands SC, we are passionate about helping military veterans through the support of service dogs. We offer specialized service dog training options in Columbia, 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 Midlands SC.

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. Malinois: Belgian Malinois are known for their deep loyalty and intelligence. Malinois are not for everyone due to their energy and drive, but for retired veterans who appreciate discipline, structure, and a deep connection, they can be life-changing companions.

Get Your Free Assessment

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!

Call 803-903-3647 Free Assessment

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See An Elite Dog in Action

An adorable golden retriever puppy service training Dog Training Elite Midlands SC. See Gallery
An adorable Australian Shepherd on a place platform with Dog Training Elite Midlands SC. See Gallery
A group of dogs being trained by experts at Dog Training Elite Midlands SC. See Gallery
An golden retriever at a show demo with Dog Training Elite Midlands SC. See Gallery
An adorable dog obstacle training with Dog Training Elite Midlands SC. See Gallery
A service dog and his veteran owner - Dog Training Elite Midlands SC.

Our Veteran Service Dog Training in Columbia, SC

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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 Midlands SC.

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

  • Matt Hancock
    May. 9, 2025
    Very friendly, seemed knowledgeable about training dogs. Looking forward to the experience.
  • Jeri England
    Apr. 15, 2025
    Crystal is wonderful and knows just how to relate to Archie. She's training us both to be better and much happier. We are enjoying our sessions.
  • Katherine Anderson
    Apr. 24, 2025
    Crystal is marvelous with my dog, Earle. She gives him very clear commands, that he usually obeys. She explains what she’s doing to me very clearly. I would highly recommend Crystal and Justin. In fact, I have recommended them.
  • Dottie Reynolds
    Apr. 25, 2025
    Crystal is amazing. Each time she tells us what she plans to have our dog Ocho do in each session, I think to myself— yeah, good luck with that. But, she is in full command but in a very positive and supportive way. The Elite process is well organized and systematic. In just 3 weeks, we have seen a remarkable difference. Thank you, Crystal!
  • Peyton Cross
    Apr. 29, 2025
    Justin and his team were amazing throughout the entire process. They explained in depth the reasons and processes of training my dog. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a trainer for their pup.
  • Sprint Data Solutions
    Mar. 28, 2025
    Elite did a good job with the lesson and training as always
  • John Ogle
    Apr. 23, 2025
    Dog Training Elite has done an exceptional job with our puppy. The transformation after five sessions is amazing. It is worth the investment!
  • Shawn Covington
    Mar. 14, 2025
    I feel as if we made the right decision using Dog Training Elite. They are very knowledgeable and friendly.
  • Betty Pearson
    Jan. 14, 2025
    Take his time and shows a LOT of patience with my CoCo and me. Highly recommend!
  • Cathy Blanks
    Mar. 28, 2025
    Instructors are extremely knowledgeable and my dog responded immediately. Already seeing behavior improvement after 2 sessions.
  • Rhonda VanMeter
    Apr. 17, 2025
    Crystal is outstanding. The program is well designed and has been very effective so far.
  • Janet Dennis
    Feb. 24, 2025
    Justin is very patient with our fur baby and with us. We are more than pleased with our experience.
  • Alec Pettigrew
    Apr. 11, 2025
    Our initial assessment with Crystal went well. Packages and expectations for results were made clear. Crystal was accommodating and respectful.
  • Brian Pioreck
    Jan. 28, 2025
    Professional, polite, straight forward, and honestly. Crystal explained the whole process as well as expectation that would be set. She provided a skills demonstration in a practice environment and made it clear that success relied on my investment.
  • Bonita Dominique
    Apr. 11, 2025
    Excellent Dog Traing
  • Amanda Boozer
    Apr. 7, 2025
    Crystal came to our house for an initial evaluation. She was patient, kind, and seemed confident and knowledgeable.
  • Leah Thomas
    Mar. 26, 2025
    In a short 3 weeks, we have already seen great improvement with our puppy, Ruby. Justin is 100%! Knowledgeable, kind, patient, wonderful with Ruby. Highly recommend
  • Mary Raunikar
    Mar. 25, 2025
    I cannot recommend Justin and Crystal enough! When I rescued a 30 lb 3 month old Great Pyrenees for my first time owning a dog solo, I didn’t realize what I was in for. If you know anything about Pyrs, you know it’s a miracle my dog listens to me at all and possesses any sense of urgency whatsoever. I attempted training him on my own for about a month before I reached my limit. When I had my consultation with Justin, I finally saw the light at the end of the land shark puppy phase. Justin and Crystal helped Bug go from an unmotivated, reactive, fluffy escape artist with an attitude to an extremely well-behaved therapy dog with consistent recall, great manners, and top notch off leash obedience that will last the rest of his life. I can say with 100% confidence that working with Justin and Crystal has been the best choice I have made as a dog owner! If you are the kind of person that loves to get compliments from family, friends, and strangers about how well behaved and well trained your dog is, Justin and Crystal are the dog trainers for you!
  • Stacey Rostek
    Mar. 19, 2025
    He was great! He knew how to handle our aggressive dog in difficult situations when training him!
  • jerri strother
    Mar. 8, 2025
    My dog Keebo has been going through in house training for the past 5 weeks and it has been great. My friend also has her dogs Tucker and Sadie in training. I never thought it would be possible to have visitors walk through the door and it could be calm in the house. Prior to training our three 100 lb dogs would go crazy and bombard the visitor. It was very chaotic. Now we can place our dogs in their spot and they will stay there as the visitor enters the house. Quietly. It’s wonderful. They have also learned how to heal, sit, down ect. Our dogs all knew basic commands but the difference is now the commands mean sit and stay. Down and stay until you give the command to release them. I even texted Justin one day and said how amazing it was that the HVAC guy could come into the house and our dogs didn’t go crazy. It’s one thing to go through training and feel like it’s working but when you can actually try it for the first time with a visitor it’s wonderful. We are so thankful to Justin and his team. They are patient and have a very calming demeanor. It’s been a great experience and we are looking forward to group sessions at the park soon. If you live in Lexington, Chapin or the Lake Murray area please give them a try. You won’t be disappointed.
  • Matt Hancock
    May. 9, 2025
    Very friendly, seemed knowledgeable about training dogs. Looking forward to the experience.
  • Jeri England
    Apr. 15, 2025
    Crystal is wonderful and knows just how to relate to Archie. She's training us both to be better and much happier. We are enjoying our sessions.
  • Katherine Anderson
    Apr. 24, 2025
    Crystal is marvelous with my dog, Earle. She gives him very clear commands, that he usually obeys. She explains what she’s doing to me very clearly. I would highly recommend Crystal and Justin. In fact, I have recommended them.
  • Dottie Reynolds
    Apr. 25, 2025
    Crystal is amazing. Each time she tells us what she plans to have our dog Ocho do in each session, I think to myself— yeah, good luck with that. But, she is in full command but in a very positive and supportive way. The Elite process is well organized and systematic. In just 3 weeks, we have seen a remarkable difference. Thank you, Crystal!
  • Peyton Cross
    Apr. 29, 2025
    Justin and his team were amazing throughout the entire process. They explained in depth the reasons and processes of training my dog. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a trainer for their pup.
  • Sprint Data Solutions
    Mar. 28, 2025
    Elite did a good job with the lesson and training as always
  • John Ogle
    Apr. 23, 2025
    Dog Training Elite has done an exceptional job with our puppy. The transformation after five sessions is amazing. It is worth the investment!
  • Shawn Covington
    Mar. 14, 2025
    I feel as if we made the right decision using Dog Training Elite. They are very knowledgeable and friendly.
  • Betty Pearson
    Jan. 14, 2025
    Take his time and shows a LOT of patience with my CoCo and me. Highly recommend!
  • Cathy Blanks
    Mar. 28, 2025
    Instructors are extremely knowledgeable and my dog responded immediately. Already seeing behavior improvement after 2 sessions.
  • Rhonda VanMeter
    Apr. 17, 2025
    Crystal is outstanding. The program is well designed and has been very effective so far.
  • Janet Dennis
    Feb. 24, 2025
    Justin is very patient with our fur baby and with us. We are more than pleased with our experience.
  • Alec Pettigrew
    Apr. 11, 2025
    Our initial assessment with Crystal went well. Packages and expectations for results were made clear. Crystal was accommodating and respectful.
  • Brian Pioreck
    Jan. 28, 2025
    Professional, polite, straight forward, and honestly. Crystal explained the whole process as well as expectation that would be set. She provided a skills demonstration in a practice environment and made it clear that success relied on my investment.
  • Bonita Dominique
    Apr. 11, 2025
    Excellent Dog Traing
  • Amanda Boozer
    Apr. 7, 2025
    Crystal came to our house for an initial evaluation. She was patient, kind, and seemed confident and knowledgeable.
  • Leah Thomas
    Mar. 26, 2025
    In a short 3 weeks, we have already seen great improvement with our puppy, Ruby. Justin is 100%! Knowledgeable, kind, patient, wonderful with Ruby. Highly recommend
  • Mary Raunikar
    Mar. 25, 2025
    I cannot recommend Justin and Crystal enough! When I rescued a 30 lb 3 month old Great Pyrenees for my first time owning a dog solo, I didn’t realize what I was in for. If you know anything about Pyrs, you know it’s a miracle my dog listens to me at all and possesses any sense of urgency whatsoever. I attempted training him on my own for about a month before I reached my limit. When I had my consultation with Justin, I finally saw the light at the end of the land shark puppy phase. Justin and Crystal helped Bug go from an unmotivated, reactive, fluffy escape artist with an attitude to an extremely well-behaved therapy dog with consistent recall, great manners, and top notch off leash obedience that will last the rest of his life. I can say with 100% confidence that working with Justin and Crystal has been the best choice I have made as a dog owner! If you are the kind of person that loves to get compliments from family, friends, and strangers about how well behaved and well trained your dog is, Justin and Crystal are the dog trainers for you!
  • Stacey Rostek
    Mar. 19, 2025
    He was great! He knew how to handle our aggressive dog in difficult situations when training him!
  • jerri strother
    Mar. 8, 2025
    My dog Keebo has been going through in house training for the past 5 weeks and it has been great. My friend also has her dogs Tucker and Sadie in training. I never thought it would be possible to have visitors walk through the door and it could be calm in the house. Prior to training our three 100 lb dogs would go crazy and bombard the visitor. It was very chaotic. Now we can place our dogs in their spot and they will stay there as the visitor enters the house. Quietly. It’s wonderful. They have also learned how to heal, sit, down ect. Our dogs all knew basic commands but the difference is now the commands mean sit and stay. Down and stay until you give the command to release them. I even texted Justin one day and said how amazing it was that the HVAC guy could come into the house and our dogs didn’t go crazy. It’s one thing to go through training and feel like it’s working but when you can actually try it for the first time with a visitor it’s wonderful. We are so thankful to Justin and his team. They are patient and have a very calming demeanor. It’s been a great experience and we are looking forward to group sessions at the park soon. If you live in Lexington, Chapin or the Lake Murray area please give them a try. You won’t be disappointed.
Reviews & Testimonials