A service dog and their owner outside - find elite service dog training in West Palm Beach / Boca Raton, FL with Dog Training Elite.

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Service Dog Training

Dog Training Elite Palm Beach County

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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
Advanced medical training (participating locations)

Dog Training Elite Palm Beach County

Service Dog Training in West Palm Beach / Boca Raton, FL

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 West Palm Beach / Boca Raton, FL, 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 Pawsitive 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 positive reinforcement 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!

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FAQs

One of our trainers will visit your home to meet you and your dog and discuss any issues you're facing. We will then demonstrate one of our model dogs so you can see what you can expect after hiring our trainers. From there, we will discuss the various packages we offer and which we feel best suit your (and your dog's) needs.
We provide full obedience training that covers all basic commands, both on and off-leash. Our in-home visits target specific issues like counter-surfing, digging, and more. Unlike some trainers, we work with all breeds, including those often considered challenging.
Yes. You (and anyone in your family who wants to be involved) are integral to your dog getting trained. We need you to practice 5-6 days a week, about 15-20 minutes a day for optimal results.
Once a week. We come to you (with the silver, gold and platinum packages) once a week to start your dog off, then you come to park sessions which are held once a week in West Palm Beach / Boca Raton.
We train dogs of all breeds, sizes, and temperaments. Whether your dog is a tiny Chihuahua or a large Mastiff, we have the experience and expertise to work with them.

Hear From Our Customers

Learn Why Dog owners choose Dog Training Elite

  • Daniel Israel
    Nov. 3, 2024
    Chaos is definitely calming down. And he’s a different German Shepherd than back when we started the training! He’s very smart and learns quickly. Elite dog training has given us some excellent methods for controlling his behavior
  • Lena Jones
    Oct. 25, 2024
    Josephine is amazing! We started working with her when our boy Benny was just six months old. He was a rescue and the unknown carried with the “pit mix” name was something we took very seriously. Not only was she reassuring that she would help us create a happy environment for our three boys but also to made sure that Benny stayed safe and happy! Together we researched his breed and learned about his temperament as we navigated his training. She was so helpful, reassuring, and answered any call or text whenever we had questions! A year later, Benny is still training with Josephine and continues to amaze us with not only how smart he is, but how loving and sweet he is to any and all that meet him! We had an instance a few weeks ago that left me with some questions. As soon as I texted Josephine, she called me a few minutes later and helped me solve the issue and connected me to other great resources! Her wealth of knowledge is priceless! We highly recommend Josephine and her team for dog training (and human training)!
  • Krissy Weinhardt
    Sep. 30, 2024
    Josephine has been absolutely fantastic to work with! She has given us the tools to help our dogs become the best versions of themselves. The difference in just 4 sessions has been night and day for these dogs, we love practicing and working with them every day to get better. Our dogs were very reactive on leash and now family walks are much more enjoyable! Highly recommend taking the time and effort to work with her, she is wonderful!
  • Dwight Divine
    Oct. 11, 2024
    My daughter has a pure bred Corgi. She recently moved into a condo. She brought her dog to live there. She constantly barked The dog was not going to able to stay there. The dog is currently staying at our house. We decided to get a trainer She had several issues. She constantly barked, She jumped on anyone who came into the house and she was aggressive towards other dogs when she was being walked even though she likes other dogs We called and met with Josephine. We decided to give a try. She is making progress we did not think was possible. We have not finished the training but we are happy with the results so far. She still has a ways to go but we think she will continue to make progress and that will be able to live with our daughter. Josephine is very kind and patient and she knows what she is doing.
  • Randy Lebowitz
    Jun. 16, 2024
    Josephine is an awesome dog trainer. She is very easy going and really knows how to not only communicate with our dog, but even more important with the owners. Throughout the process, she’s not only teaching the dog what to do but teaching the dogs owners how to continue the training process, which is probably the most important part of this journey. Our 22 month old Bernadoodle has really progressed amazingly well over just 4 or 5-1 hour sessions. We have also put in the work necessary to make this successful and are constantly hearing comments about how well-behaved our puppy is. I highly recommend Josephine and Dog training elite to anyone Who has not made the commitment to train and learn the follow up for having a well-trained dog
  • Tina Donahue
    Jun. 1, 2024
    We got a rescue puppy who ended up being a completely different mix than we thought. We thought he was a small breed but ended up being a German Shepard/boarder collie mix and was timid and aggressive with age. I was feeling completely helpless and really didn’t think we could keep him but I wanted to try one more thing. Josephine came to our house and as much as she taught him, she taught me more. He gained respect for my authority and I gained control. I no longer have any fears from him! We have had parties with 20 people, multiple different dogs in and out of the house, doors left open and more. We are now confident he can be a part of our family forever. ❤️
  • Todd Morey
    Apr. 23, 2024
    Great so far, lots of progress with my German Shepherd. Excited to see how this develops going forward.
  • MB Davis
    Apr. 17, 2024
    I can’t say enough about Josephine, Gracie and Dottie! Josephine is helping us with our two little pups that we adopted during Covid. They are loving little guys, but were totally out of control whenever company came over or someone came to the door. So much so, that we would have to put them in a bedroom just to open the front door ! They were over excited to greet guests, jumping , barking for attention - absolute chaos! With Josephine’s help - we are able to control them so much better and they are more relaxed when company is over. They are definitely a work in progress, but in a short few weeks we have seen such an improvement in both of them !! I highly recommend Josephine for your dog training needs - you won’t be disappointed!
  • roger lawrence
    Apr. 16, 2024
    We have Cavaliers. Both reactive and one in particular, a large male, demanding and at times quite annoying. That was before a chance meeting with Josephine and her dogs Gracie and Dottie at the Wellington Amphitheater, after which we signed both Cavs up for training with Elite. After a few weeks with Josephine there is a marked difference in obedience and behavior allowing us more freedom to enjoy our pups. In the past we could not walk them if other dogs were around as they wound act like the hounds from hell. Now they pay attention to us and can remain calm which was the number one goal we had with the training. Importantly, the training is probably as much training us as it is our Cavs, but together we have learned how to drastically improve our dog owning experience, keeping all the good that comes with it and filtering out the bad. Josephine has the tools, techniques and knowledge that made it happen. We did not believe it could. But it did! Thank you.
  • Kayla Rogers-Callaghan
    Mar. 28, 2024
    Josephine is just the sweetest! She has done amazing work with our dogs and we are so grateful. We have 3 rambunctious pups (different sizes and different breeds) who don’t normally warm up to people quickly but they felt right at ease with Josephine. She treats them as if they are her own and I couldn’t be more appreciative. Everyone should sign up with Josephine! 😊
  • Lauren Schwal
    Mar. 13, 2024
    I was very nervous but Josephine explained everything and I was much calmer. She was able to work with me when we had to individualize my beagle's training regimen. Thank you!
  • Sandra Hoesley
    Mar. 9, 2024
    Josephine has done a great job in helping us train Dolly.. She is patient, soft spoken but provides us with the tools and lesson plans to train our puppy.. Walking was incredibly difficult with Dolly pulling and barking at other dogs and bikers… After one lesson, she is heeling, not barking or pulling !!
  • Danielle Jacobs
    Feb. 20, 2024
    Josephine is a great trainer. She really connects with the dogs and teaches you how to do the same. I loved the convenience of having her come to us for weekly appointments. She is extremely knowledgable and patient. Unfortunately we had to head back up north and could not spend more time or join a group. Thank you! Danielle and Leroy Brown
  • Thomas Carpenter
    Feb. 14, 2024
    We have a golden retriever. 4 years old. We had behavioral issues with her. She would pull on the leash and go after bicycles ect. My wife called the dog trainer to train our dog to correct the issues. We bought her best program and she met with us weekly . She sits, lays, heals, and comes to me on comand. Also she can stay in place when people come over instead of jumping all over them. We are now educated in what to do going forward and will continue to use her expertise in the future.
  • George Leef
    Feb. 10, 2024
    I've been working with Josephine on training my Shih-poo Louis. He was very willful when we started, pulling on the leash when we went for walks and barking incessantly when he heard the doorbell or any noise outside. He's gotten much better with the pulling and although he will still start barking when he heard a noise, he'll quite down when I tell him to stop. I'm very pleased with the progress he's made. Highly recommend if you have a dog with annoying or troublesome behaviors.
  • Alberto Pavon
    Nov. 22, 2023
    If you are looking for a dog trainer that is extremely knowledgable, will work with your schedule, and genuinely cares about the well-being of your pup, please look no further than working with Josephine! For context, my wife and I are out of the house for most of the day all week, and we quickly realized that our new puppy needed training. To keep it short, our evenings used to consist of coming home to a puppy who was seemingly off the rails, and we were completely overwhelmed. We found Josephine and she came for a consultation that same day which was huge because at that point we were really at our breaking point. From then on, our lives completely changed. She quickly identified actionable steps for us and enrolled us in the plan that she thought would fit our wants and the needs of our dog. She also did this in the calmest manner, and we left that consultation feeling excited for the future of us and our dog. Now, our evenings consist of coming home to a routine and a puppy who is thriving on that routine! We are now able to do things that I never thought would be possible, like grabbing a late night snack at the local diner and having our dog laying down next to us completely calm! We are eventually working towards having our dog trained to being off-leash reliable, and I am genuinely convinced that with Josephine's guidance our dog will get there! I cannot thank DTE for all of the support they have given us. I would recommend them to anyone with any type of dog!
  • Emily Rivas
    Nov. 22, 2023
    Josephine has been HANDS-DOWN the best investment that I have ever made! If you have a large breed high-energy dog or are finding yourself in the middle of the "puppy blues", I strongly urge you to look no further than Josephine as your dog trainer! As a brand new dog owner to a 6 month old German Shepard/Husky mix, I quickly became overwhelmed with all of the conflicting information available online about how to properly train your dog. Therefore, when searching for a dog trainer, I knew I needed someone who would not only train my dog, but also educate me on how to coexist and grow with my dog. I wanted someone who would work in partnership with me, give me lifelong skills, and see the bigger picture. Josephine not only exceeded this expectation, but also exceeded all of my other expectations! My dog Rocky immediately warmed up to Josephine, as she had a calm but strong presence about her. He thoroughly enjoyed the training sessions because he was always actively learning and bonding with us! As a German Shepard/Husky mix, this was a dream come true for Rocky! Within weeks, it was as if we had a completely different dog! Rocky was actively looking for ways to apply his new skills, and eventually, we had a new language in the house that was understood by us as his owners, and Rocky. This tremendously helped our relationship and transformed our house. Before training, we were inconsistent on expectations for Rocky. We were also lost on how to mentally stimulate him, and did not know how to communicate to him that certain behaviors were not what we wanted (stealing socks, jumping on guests, pulling on the leash, reactive towards other dogs). After training, I could drop a sock or shoe in front of Rocky and he wouldn't flinch, he knows to stay in "place" when guests come over, and our walks are actually enjoyable because he remains in a "heel" position until we give him the okay! Rocky can even ride up the elevator in our apartment building with another dog inside with him and remain completely calm! To anyone thinking about training, I would strongly urge you to use Dog Training Elite! I know trusting a new person with your fur baby can be scary, but I can honestly say that I will be enrolling any future dogs with them without hesitation. It is to the point where I have had neighbors who I have never spoken to before come up to me and praise Rocky for being so well-mannered. They truly saved my relationship with my dog and that is something that I can never repay them for!
  • Christina La
    Nov. 18, 2023
    Josephine was amazing with my Layla. Layla is a silver lab and was horrible on the leash. She has become a wonderful listener and walking buddy. 100% worth every penny.
  • Joely Tangarife
    Nov. 9, 2023
    Before training it was chaos. Panda was out of control, bad behavior, super noisy, bad with guests, our property manager gave us a warning letter with a notice regarding his disruption to peace with the neighbors. We knew we had to do something fast. So we contacted Dog Training Elite and started the program. Now I’m proud that I can socialize with people and not having my dog bothering anyone. We can go out now and we can stop his behavior before it starts. Everyone who knew him before training noticed the big change in Panda. Thank you Josephine & Gracie.
  • R Ferr
    Apr. 11, 2023
    Best decision we made for our family and Harry, our dog. What a difference DTE made for us, we are forever grateful. Josephine was on time, professional, and extremely helpful, helping us fall even more in love with Harry.
A Dog Training Elite Palm Beach County owner smiling with his dog in West Palm Beach / Boca Raton, FL.

Dog Training Elite Palm Beach County

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, pigs, and monkeys 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 Palm Beach County

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 Palm Beach County - PTSD Service Dog in West Palm Beach / Boca Raton, FL. DTE
PTSD Service Dog

If you're looking to train a PTSD service dog in West Palm Beach / Boca Raton, FL, 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 Palm Beach County - Psychiatric Service Dog in West Palm Beach / Boca Raton, FL. DTE
Psychiatric Service Dog Training

Our psychiatric service dog training in West Palm Beach / Boca Raton, FL 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 Palm Beach County - Mobility Service Dog in West Palm Beach / Boca Raton, FL. Dog Training Elite
Mobility Support Service Dog

Enhance your independence or help a loved one with specialized mobility service dog training in West Palm Beach / Boca Raton, FL from Dog Training Elite. Our expert trainers teach dogs the skills they need to support their owners with mobility challenges.

Dog Training Elite Palm Beach County - Autism Support Dog Training in West Palm Beach / Boca Raton, FL. DTE
Autism Support Service Dog

Bring life-changing support to your family with Dog Training Elite's autism support dog training in West Palm Beach / Boca Raton, FL. 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 West Palm Beach / Boca Raton service dog training with Dog Training Elite.

Dog Training Elite Palm Beach County

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 Palm Beach County.

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 Palm Beach County.
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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 West Palm Beach / Boca Raton, FL with Dog Training Elite.

We Are Committed to Making a Difference

Choose DTE for West Palm Beach / Boca Raton Service Dog Training

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At Dog Training Elite, we are passionate about transforming lives through West Palm Beach / Boca Raton service dog training. Our proven methods and positive reinforcement techniques 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 Palm Beach County and experience the difference that elite training and compassionate care can make.