A service dog and their owner outside - find elite service dog training in Greenville, SC with Dog Training Elite.
Dog Training Elite

Service Dog Training in Greenville, SC

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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 Upstate SC

Service Dog Training in Greenville, SC

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 Greenville, SC, 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.

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!

Hear From Our Customers

Learn Why Dog owners choose Dog Training Elite

  • Brian Crenshaw
    Oct. 1, 2025
    My dog Gus was a mess and destructive now we go outside without a leash and dog friendly restaurants. My wife has severe medical issues and she walks with him. If he starts to wonder off she says come and he runs to her they are inseparable now! I never thought Gus would be this well behaved.
  • Heather V
    Sep. 30, 2025
    Dog Training Elite not only helped to train my new dog but also helped me to communicate better with him. I learned his manipulation methods and how to overcome that to give him more confidence and calmness in his day to day. It was a great experience with knowledgeable and caring trainers.
  • Hannah P
    Sep. 28, 2025
    I have absolutely loved working with this company to help train my dog and would 100% recommend them to any dog owner. Not only will your dog be better behaved, but the bond between you and your dog will strengthen because you are speaking the same language. The trainers are very knowledgeable, eager to help, and quick to answer questions outside of regular training sessions. It's definitely an investment worth making if you love your dog and want to include them in multiple aspects of your life. I am thrilled to continue the training and unlock my dog's full potential!
  • Lisa stevenson
    Sep. 26, 2025
    I loved going through training with DTE! They were always available for any questions I had and I never had any issues scheduling appointments. My dog has improved and learned so much. Previously, she wouldn’t even leave the neighborhood and now she will walk downtown TR.
  • Tracey Rose
    Sep. 26, 2025
    We are thrilled with our experience with Elite. We have a now 10-month-old Golden retriever puppy who was the most difficult puppy we've ever had to train. With just 6 weeks of in-home training she is manageable, follows commands, and stays in place off leash from far distances. Our biggest issue with Maggie was an off command being that she was constantly in our older golden retrievers space and face. We now have that mastered thanks to Elite. Our trainer, Sydney, was nothing short of remarkable and Maggie fell in love with her. I cannot say enough about the response time and the overall support from everyone at Elite through the process. Anytime we had a question or a concern they were, literally, back in touch with us and responding within no time at all. We highly recommend. We were referred to them by a neighbor whose dog had amazing results and after reading the other reviews we decided to give it a try. And boy are we glad we did. You will be too!
  • Katherine Sexton
    Sep. 22, 2025
    We got our dog when she was 10 months old and it was obvious that she had not been socialized and we think she was crated most of the time. She was very skittish and obviously afraid of new surroundings. We saw firsthand the success of DTE after our 2 grand dogs completed their training and knew that we wanted to give our sweet dog every opportunity to have the best life possible. Our last one-on-one session was today. We met the trainer at Lowe’s and Marley exceeded all expectations. We are so proud of her and the progress that she has made. Now we begin group sessions and we can’t wait to see how she will shine in that environment. We recommend DTE without reservation or hesitation. One of the best decisions we have ever made.
  • Sherry Alexander
    Sep. 19, 2025
    Wonderful experience from first call to inquire to our finale in home class. Our deaf golden puppy was beyond wild and is now a treasure.
  • Amy Campbell
    Sep. 18, 2025
    Dog Training Elite was such a great experience. They were kind and very helpful. Communication was outstanding. I will be using them in the future and would highly recommend.
  • Jodie Johnson
    Sep. 16, 2025
    We saw an amazing transformation in Coby, our mini goldendoodle, from the first in home training! With the progress from the first visit until the last of the 6 week in home training, Coby is a completely different baby boy! Casey and Danny are superb trainers and we couldn't have asked for better communication with Elizabeth!! Our goal for Coby is to be my service dog for my mental health. (Or lack there of)! We're continuing with the group classes for the 6 month offerings. Then we will be on to the next step to specific service dog training for Coby, my husband, and I, we hope! I did my research before selecting Dog Training Elite Upstate for us and I didn't miss! I know we are receiving the best possible experience there is!
  • Jessica Samuels
    Sep. 16, 2025
    I would highly recommend this DTE to anyone with a dog. My pup used to be anxious and pulling me all over the place when we went out downtown or anywhere in a crowd. Now, I can take him anywhere with the confidence that he will behave, listen to my commands, and not get distracted in busy settings. A couple weeks ago, I had the scary moment when he backed out of his collar when loading him into the car while I was parallel parked on a busy road. That’s when our training kicked in. I just asked him to sit and he sat right down at my feet until I was able to leash him up again. Please remember - this training can save your dog’s life if nothing else.
  • ryan badon
    Sep. 8, 2025
    I did training for my dog Donny because he was “bad.” Turns out he wasn’t bad he was just untrained! Casey our trainer helped us realize Donny’s full potential and I am so proud of him!! We went above and beyond my expectations and I highly recommend Dog Elite! They were so nice and communication was excellent!
  • Marcella Franseen
    Sep. 5, 2025
    I used Dog Training Elite Upstate for puppy and advanced training and had a wonderful experience. The puppy training laid the foundation and the advanced training was a game-changer. Everyone was highly skilled, professional, kind, and supportive. Milo loved it and learned so much, as did I.
  • Claire Depalle
    Sep. 4, 2025
    We recently rescued our pup and while he already knew some basic commands, we are so glad we brought him to dog training elite! They helped solidify and expand his skills and commands. We did the camp option which worked great for our pup, it helped him to socialize with other dogs while also performing his skills under the pressures of their presence throughout the day. While dog training elite gives your pup the foundation, it is really up to you as the owner to continue with the training and hold your dog accountable. Even after the camp, they are super accessible to us with any of our questions and with the continued group trainings. We can’t recommend this team enough! Everyone was so kind and clearly passionate about the dogs that join DTE!
  • laurie rogers
    Sep. 2, 2025
    We had three dogs in the house with an “alpha problem.” The trainers at Dog Training Elite helped walk through training our dogs to show them we are the alphas and help manage their stress! This training was so valuable for our family! It took stress off the dogs and us! It was so evident in spending time with Jared how much he cares about the dogs and their owners. We are so thankful for Dog Training Elite and highly recommend them.
  • Deborah Miller
    Aug. 31, 2025
    Our 20 month old Wheaten Scottish Terrier, Maesie is like having a new dog after the training she received at Dog Training Elite - Upstate; being a Scottie she has quite a stubborn and willful personality but the Upstate Team trainers were patient, professional and incredibly knowledgeable in working with her and they taught us how to better understand her behavior; stressing the importance of our role in working with her personality. We have seen such a great improvement in her leash walking; automatically sitting at crosswalks, coming when called and now we can take her out to venues and she readily either “sits” or goes “down”. Thank you Jared, Sydney and Casey and of course kudos to Elizabeth who kept us all in line with the administrative side.
  • Daniel Beers
    Aug. 28, 2025
    Thrilled with the training. The difference after the first week was tremendous, and our dog is very happy and the improvement in obedience was well worth it
  • Claire Jaffe
    Aug. 26, 2025
    10/10 experience! So worth the money invested. Our dog is pretty stubborn and this program calmed him down and trained him well. We are now able to have him off leash when possible! Highly recommend.
  • Brett Taylor
    Aug. 26, 2025
    Our experience with Dog Training Elite was exceptional! Our oldest dog started displaying signs of aggression towards our puppy and we wanted to put a stop to that quickly and correctly. We reached out to DTE and they immediately had a plan in place to help us out! Luffy is now much more responsive to our commands, obedient, and he has improved so much thanks to DTE! Highly recommen!
  • Katelyn Rogers
    Aug. 26, 2025
    We put my dog Mollie through this program because she has a lot of anxiety that prevented her from doing things outside of the house and with other dogs! She has benefitted so much through this training. Allowing her to redirect her focus and let go of control has allowed her to be more comfortable in what used to be scary environments! She is also 6 years old- so old dogs can learn new tricks! The trainers are patient, intelligent, and encouraging throughout the process! Could not recommend them more!
  • Alison Toth
    Aug. 18, 2025
    My husband and I appreciate all the help and support from Sydney and the other trainers at Dog training Elite with Abby. She has really become a part of the family
A Dog Training Elite Upstate SC owner smiling with his dog in Greenville, SC.

Dog Training Elite Upstate SC

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 Upstate SC

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 Upstate SC - PTSD Service Dog Training in Greenville, SC. DTE

PTSD Service Dog

If you're looking to train a PTSD service dog in Greenville, SC, 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 Upstate SC - Psychiatric Service Dog Training in Greenville, SC

Psychiatric Service Dog Training

Our psychiatric service dog training in Greenville, SC 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 Upstate SC - Mobility Service Dog Training in Greenville, SC

Mobility Support Service Dog

Enhance your independence or help a loved one with specialized mobility service dog training in Greenville, SC from Dog Training Elite. Our expert trainers teach dogs the skills they need to support their owners with mobility challenges.

Dog Training Elite Upstate SC - Seizure Response Dog Training in Greenville, SC

Medical Response Dog Training

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

Dog Training Elite Upstate SC - Autism Support Dog Training in Greenville, SC

Autism Support Service Dog

Bring life-changing support to your family with Dog Training Elite's autism support dog training in Greenville, SC. 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 Greenville service dog training with Dog Training Elite.

Dog Training Elite Upstate SC

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 Upstate SC.

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 Upstate SC.
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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 Greenville, SC with Dog Training Elite.

We Are Committed to Making a Difference

Choose DTE for Greenville Service Dog Training

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At Dog Training Elite, we are passionate about transforming lives through Greenville 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 Upstate SC and experience the difference that elite training and compassionate care can make.