Frequently Asked Questions - Service Dogs & Training

The length of time it takes to train a dog depends on a variety of factors, including the dog's age, breed, temperament, and the type of task training needed. It can take several months to two years or more to fully train a service dog.

We require a 24-hour notice for cancellations. If you cancel within 24 hours of your scheduled appointment, you may be charged a cancellation fee of half the price of your scheduled session.

Yes, we offer in-home training sessions for clients who prefer to train their dogs in their own environment.  For service dog training, we will need to do in-home and outbound training in public spaces for socializing and public access purposes.

Our program dog breeds mainly consist of Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, and Poodles (standards, "moyens," and miniatures). From many years if experience, we find that these breeds are the most reliable and even-tempered for service work.

We will sometimes have other biddable (aims to please) breeds in our program such as Collies, Bernese Mountain Dogs, German Shepherds, Australian Shepherds, or others. These aren't as common in our program.

If you have a very strong desire for a service dog that is not one of our main breeds, we will find a well-tempered dog of that breed for you and may have you purchase the dog directly. We will then  structure training in our Board & Train model.

Nope! The make-up of a good service dog comes from a solid, confident, and biddable temperament. While some breeds do have a better general predisposition for service work (especially goldens and labs), ANY breed can be a service dog if it has the right traits for it. If you feel your dog would be a good fit as your service dog, we will perform an evaluation with them.

 We typically acquire and/or train dogs that are 6months - 2 years old for service work. These dogs are old enough for us to glean a good understanding of their temperament and personality, and they can begin service dog training right away. They are also young enough to give their partner a long career of service before retirement.  

We acquire our service dog prospects from reputable breeders, rescues, and families rehoming due to circumstances outside of their control. We strive for quality dogs in our program. Every program dog we take in has been screened the best we can for proper health, temperament, personality, enrichment, socialization, drive, energy, and natural talent needed for service work. We talk to each breeder/caregiver extensively about their available dogs and perform service dog evaluations  with each one. If the caregiver is not within a reasonable distance to perform an evaluation ourselves, we have the caregiver record evaluation videos for us. We typically interview many people before we find the right dog for service training. 

 The cost of a program-trained service dog ranges from $15,000 to $30,000, depending on the level of training needed, the dog’s individual needs, and the duration of the program. We understand this is a major investment, and we want to be transparent about where that money goes.

A substantial portion—typically $4,000 to $7,000—goes directly toward non-negotiable expenses: acquiring the dog, health testing, veterinary care, food, gear, supplies, and mileage for public access training. The remaining amount covers the training process itself, which often spans 6 to 24 months and includes daily hands-on work, care, socialization, and advanced task training.

It’s also important to note that trainers do not keep the full amount you see on a service dog estimate. Once dog-related costs, business expenses, and taxes are accounted for, the trainer typically takes home only about 40-50% of the total fee—spread out over months (or even years) of more than full-time work. That equates to modest monthly income, often well below what most professionals earn for far fewer hours. In short: no one is getting rich training service dogs.

We price our programs to reflect the quality, commitment, and care that go into every dog, while still doing everything we can to keep those costs lower than the national average. 

We understand that service dogs are a significant investment, which is why we also offer financing options to help make our services more accessible.

If you have questions about how service dog pricing works or want to discuss payment plans, contact us - we’re always happy to chat!

We’re a small, privately run business without outside funding or donations. The fee simply helps cover the cost of raising, caring for, and training each dog—it’s not about turning a profit. Career change dogs have solid foundational training, are well-bred and/or health tested, and come with a level of maturity and stability that can be hard to find when starting with a puppy. Considering the value of what you're receiving, it's an excellent deal—especially compared to starting from scratch with a young, untrained puppy.

Here’s a general cost breakdown:

• Acquisition & Care:
  The cost to acquire and care for the dog during their time in training—including purchase price, vet care, food, and supplies—typically totals between $3,000 and $6,000.
   
• Training:
  A standard 8-week board and train with a private professional trainer typically starts around $7,000, and even our career change dogs typically train with us for longer than 8 weeks. Large facility  training programs can add up to $9,600–$20,000+ for the same training.
   

 When you receive one of our career changers, you're not just buying a dog—you’re investing in the time, care, and professional expertise that went into preparing them for life as a well-mannered companion.