Service Dog Training
Deciding if a service dog is the right tool to help mitigate your disability is not one to take lightly. Deciding if they fit your needs, lifestyle, and if the pros would outweigh the cons can be difficult.
There is a lot of information that exists on the internet when it comes to service dogs and a lot of it is misleading and trying to take advantage of the uninformed. It can all feel overwhelming, confusing, and straight up disheartening trying to figure it all out, but that’s why we’re here! Service dogs can be life changing and life saving and it’s important that you have all the information you need throughout the entire process.
Nerdy Dog Training is here to help you in your journey. We will happily discuss the federal and local laws around service dogs, your rights though the ADA, realistic pros and cons of having a service dog, ideal breeds for your needs and lifestyle, what tasks may help mitigate your disabilities, we are here to help you train from start to finish!
To make sure your future partner gets the attention they deserve, we ONLY board one program service dog at a time. While in our home your dog is treated like one of our own. They eat, sleep, play, train, adventure, and travel with the rest of the Nerdy Dog Crew.
At Nerdy Dog Training we specialize in training Psychiatric, Autism, and PTSD service dogs.
Program Options
Public Access Program
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Total Cost- $13,200+
Deposit- $3,300
Initial Payment on First day of Program- $3,300
Monthly payment after first 3 Months of Boarding- $2,150
*Pricing does not include cost of acquiring a dog, vet care, grooming, food, tools, equipment, etc.
*Total cost may vary depending on the specific needs of your program
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This program’s goal is to build a strong base for service work, focusing on public access and good manners. It’s great for teams who want to train tasks themselves but want the foundational skills of public access and being an overall well-rounded dog laid down for them.
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This Program Includes
6 months of boarding and training
6 months of post-grad training
During Boarding
6 months training in trainer’s home
Weekly group classes
2 private lessons a month
Graduation test
During Post-Grad Training
Weekly group classes
2 private lessons per month
Total Program Length- 12+ months
Tasks Training Program
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Total Cost- $25,400+
Deposit- $6,350
Initial Payment on First day of Program- $6,350
Monthly payment after first 3 Months of Boarding- $1,394
*Pricing does not include cost of acquiring a dog, vet care, grooming, food, tools, equipment, etc.
*Total cost may vary depending on the specific needs of your program
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The goal of this program is to build a service dog start to finish from early socialization, public access, basic manners, all the way to finished task training customized to the needs of the handler.
*This is program does not include any weight bearing tasks like forward momentum pull, counterbalance, bracing, etc.
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This Program Includes
12 total months of boarding and training
1 month bonding period*
6 months post-grad training
During Boarding
12 months of training in trainer’s home
Weekly group classes
2 private lessons a month
Graduation test
During Bonding Period
Weekly group classes
2 private lessons
During Post-Grad Training
Weekly group classes
2 private lessons per month
Annual testing to monitor team’s training
Total Program Length- 19+ months
*This 1 month bonding period occurs sometime during the 12 month boarding and training. The dog will be in your home during this time to evaluate how you and the dog are working as a team.
Mobility Tasks Program
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Total Cost- $39,200+
Deposit- $9,800
Initial Payment on First day of Program- $6,533
Monthly payment after first 3 Months of Boarding- $1,514
*Pricing does not include cost of acquiring a dog, vet care, grooming, food, tools, equipment, etc.
*Total cost may vary depending on the specific needs of your program
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The goal of this program is to build a service dog start to finish from early socialization, public access, basic manners, all the way to finished task training customized to the needs of the handler, including weight bearing tasks for mobility needs.
* All dogs must be evaluated by an orthopedic vet and have passing hips at the minimum age of 2 in order to complete this program.
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This Program Includes
18 total months of boarding and training
1 month bonding period*
3+ months waiting period**
6 months post-grad training
During Boarding
18 total months of training in trainer’s home
Weekly group classes
2 private lessons per month
Graduation testing
During Bonding Period
Weekly group classes
2 private lessons
During Waiting Period
Weekly group classes
2 private lessons per month
During Post-Grad Training
Weekly group classes
2 private lessons per month
Total Program Length- 28+ months
*This 1 month bonding period occurs sometime during the first 12 months of boarding and training. The dog will be in your home during this time to evaluate how you and the dog are working as a team.
**This waiting period occurs after the first 12 months of boarding and training and lasts until the dog is evaluated by an orthopedic vet and receives passing scores on their hips. If the dog is eligible for screening before the end of the first 12 months of boarding and training the waiting period may be skipped at the trainer’s discretion.
Getting Started
Getting Started
Start Here!
Step 1- Apply
This is how we get to know you on a base level and start to get a picture of whether we would be a good fit for each other. This also gives me information on what program would be the best fit for you. We only take 1 service dog client at a time so this is a very important step.
Step 2- Fill Out Prospect Form
This form is for teams who already have a dog they think will be a good candidate for service work. If you don’t already have a dog please skip this step.
Step 3- Wait For a Response
We aim to review every application in 3-5 days, if not sooner.
Step 4- Schedule a Consult
If you are accepted as a potential client you will be contacted to set up a time for a consultation. The consult will give us the opportunity to meet in person, get to know each other, and really dive into what it means to train and have a service dog, how it can help you, the pros and cons of working a service dog, and if this the right program for you.
*Consults cost $150 and last about 2hours. If you end up booking a program with us the consult fee will come off the price of the program.
Step 5- Schedule a Prospect Eval
If we decide to move forward after the consultation the next step is to meet the dog you have (we skip this step if you don’t have a dog yet) and test if they are a good fit for service work. This step is EXTREMELY important as service work is a very difficult job, and it is unethical and potentially dangerous to ask a dog to work that is unfit for the job. It is not uncommon for dogs to wash out or “flunk” out of service dog training, one way we mitigate the likelihood of this is by performing evaluations on every dog that comes in for service dog training.
Step 6- Deposit
Once we have an action plan for whether we are using your current dog or if we are working together to find you a prospect you will be asked to put down a deposit for the program to save your spot and confirm your commitment to training with Nerdy Dog Training.
Step 7- Find a Prospect
If you do not already own a dog that is a good candidate for service work we will work with you to find a dog to fit your needs from either a reputable rescue or ethical breeder.
Step 6- Get Training!
Once all the paperwork is finished and a dog is acquired, we can pick a date to start!
A Program service dog isn’t for everyone. For handlers who need help but prefer more of an “owner training” approach we also offer private lessons that can be utilized for service dog training. While not as comprehensive it is still a great avenue to training a top tier service dog!