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A service dog and their owner outside - find elite service dog training in Port Charlotte, FL with Dog Training Elite.
Dog Training Elite

Service Dog Training in Port Charlotte, FL

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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 of Port Charlotte

Service Dog Training in Port Charlotte, 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 Port Charlotte, 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 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

  • Mary Jo Linscott
    Aug. 18, 2025
    My dog, Ms Beasley, and I just completed our 5 week training program with Jessica. I am so impressed by Jessica’s professionalism, patience, and care for Beasley and I. She is available at all times when I have questions or concerns. She has prepared us well to be successful in our next step…service dog training. This is the most successful program in which we have invested. Many thanks to Jessica and all of the amazing people at Dog Training Elite. They have gone above and beyond by helping to set up our training in another city for the holidays. They are truly elite!
  • Itz Statik
    Sep. 18, 2025
    Jessica was awesome very helpful and a very good teacher
  • Pat Coderre
    Sep. 17, 2025
    Jessica of Dog Training Elite has been amazing! She has helped us to understand our rescue and helped us learn how to help him feel safe and loved in our home. He has a long way to go but we would have been totally lost without her help! Thank you!!!
  • Bobbi Edmonds
    Sep. 10, 2025
    Jessica was awesome! Knowledgeable and showed me exactly what I need to do.
  • NE Erickson
    Sep. 10, 2025
    Jessica is a great trainer. She is patient with the dog (as long as they obey… kidding). I would highly recommend her and the Dog Training Elite SW Florida team.
  • Melanie Corbett
    Aug. 26, 2025
    Jessica is the best! Not only does she work in a loving and professional way to my pup. She also communicates very well with me.
  • Deb Hollis
    Sep. 6, 2025
    Jessica is very professional. She is extremely knowledgeable and understands the task at hand while handling our girl. After 2 lessons our girl is concurring her commands.
  • Riley Couto
    Sep. 5, 2025
    First day training with Jessica. It was great and we are looking forward to completing the course!
  • Mike Stevens
    Aug. 28, 2025
    Great first session. Jessica loves dogs and obviously training them. Having two is a huge challenge and she is up for the challenge. Looking forward to homework and our next session.
  • Susan Ruettimann
    Aug. 5, 2025
    Jessica came to our house for our e-collar and first lesson. She was AWESOME!!! Very patient, thorough and knowledgeable. Great energy and very easy to learn from. We are looking forward to practicing our lessons with our crazy border collie! We need all the luck we can get l - but we have a great chance at success because of Jessica!
  • Sharon Lesko
    Aug. 4, 2025
    Jessica and the rest of the team are awesome trainers! Jessica is teaching us how to train our two year old Corgis and it's going great! It's amazing how fast the dogs are learning! (and us too) We're so glad we are going with Dog Training Elite for our obedience training.
  • Jerry Hommes
    Jun. 25, 2025
    Tucker and I enjoyed our session and look forward to the next one
  • Laurie Kohl
    Jun. 19, 2025
    Jessica really helped me get over my frustration over Sully’s progress. I couldn’t believe the difference this training makes.
  • Richelle Sterling
    Sep. 24, 2024
    We had a great time with Chris! Our dog loves him, and always responded positively to his training and guidance. Chris was energetic, engaging and had a lot of important insight for us to learn from. We hope to have a strong bond with our family pet and look forward to more enrichment with our pup in the future. This training program exceeded our expectations and was an excellent first time program for him!
  • Reeves Martin
    Nov. 15, 2024
    I can’t say enough great things about Dog Training Elite! They completely transformed my dog, Tippy, into a well-behaved and confident pup. Before training, Tippy was overly excited on walks and struggled with basic commands. After just a few sessions, the difference was night and day! The trainers were incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and took the time to understand Tippy’s unique personality. They taught me how to reinforce training at home, which made a huge difference. Now, Tippy is a joy to take on walks, listens to commands, and is so much happier overall. If you’re looking for professional, results-driven training, I highly recommend Dog Training Elite. They truly care about you and your dog. Thank you for helping Tippy become her best self!
  • Grace Randazzo
    Nov. 14, 2024
    Elite Dog Training exceeded all expectations! Their expertise and personalized approach transformed my dog's behavior in no time. Professional, compassionate, and results-driven—highly recommend!
  • Rickey Truelove
    Oct. 23, 2024
    I cannot even begin to express how strongly I recommend Dog Training Elite Oklahoma for any training needs. We are using them for our service dog training. Their love for the animal and it's potential is amazing. They have been so gentle with Rose during her service dog training and in just 3 weeks she is a completely different dog! We can't wait to she her live up to her full potential and have a purpose after service dog training.
  • Kathy Chappina
    Oct. 21, 2024
    Absolutely amazing company, they go well above and beyond to help you and your best friend. The care, understanding and love of their profession shines through. How very lucky we are to have them in our lives!!
  • Marcy Torsell
    Oct. 18, 2024
    I cannot say enough good things about Dog Training Elite! From start to finish, their team was professional, knowledgeable, and so patient with my dog. We signed up for the obedience training program, and the results have been amazing. My dog used to pull on the leash constantly, bark at the door, and never listened to basic commands, but now he’s walking calmly by my side, ignoring distractions, and following every instruction like a pro! The entire team provided support and guidance every step of the way, from in-home training through group class training. We always felt confident, thanks to their expertise. If you’re looking for dog training in Southwest Florida, look no further than Dog Training Elite! They’re truly the best. 🐾
  • Kason Taylor
    Oct. 17, 2024
    Chris was a great teacher and worked well with buddy!
A Dog Training Elite of Port Charlotte owner smiling with his dog in Port Charlotte, FL.

Dog Training Elite of Port Charlotte

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 of Port Charlotte

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 of Port Charlotte - PTSD Service Dog Training in Port Charlotte, FL. DTE

PTSD Service Dog

If you're looking to train a PTSD service dog in Port Charlotte, 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 of Port Charlotte - Psychiatric Service Dog Training in Port Charlotte, FL

Psychiatric Service Dog Training

Our psychiatric service dog training in Port Charlotte, 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 of Port Charlotte - Mobility Service Dog Training in Port Charlotte, FL

Mobility Support Service Dog

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

Dog Training Elite of Port Charlotte - Seizure Response Dog Training in Port Charlotte, FL

Medical Response Dog Training

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

Dog Training Elite of Port Charlotte - Autism Support Dog Training in Port Charlotte, FL

Autism Support Service Dog

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

Dog Training Elite of Port Charlotte

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 of Port Charlotte.

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 of Port Charlotte.
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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 Port Charlotte, FL with Dog Training Elite.

We Are Committed to Making a Difference

Choose DTE for Port Charlotte Service Dog Training

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