“I have been surprised by how much I love working with our service dogs and our clients. We become a team. I love watching the human-animal bond develop and our clients gain confidence and enjoy living their lives. It is so rewarding.”
Alison Patrolia CVT, Fear Free Certified Professional, SDC
Hub City Service Dogs
Hattiesburg, MS
“The Service Dog Coach Certificate Program challenged my skills as a dog trainer, and I loved the content of the curriculum. Now that I’ve completed the program, I love being a part of an international community of service dog coaches committed to positive training.”
Louise Joesbury Pro Dog Trainer Certified, Assistance Dog Public Access Test Assessor, SDC
K9Pats
Perth, Australia
“…I needed to learn more hands-on techniques as well as gain knowledge about how to incorporate service dog training into my business. I was very insecure about this before the course, and when I finished I felt more confident taking the next step with my business.”
Barb Gadola CPDT-KA, KPA-CTP, SDC
Distinctive Dog Training
Kellar, Texas
“When you specialize in severe disorders such as aggression, or live under the pressure of competitive sports, service dog training really helps break up the emotional load and brighten your day.”
Julie Speyer CDBC, CPDT-KA
Canine Foundations
Ontario, Canada
“Being able to offer service dog training has definitely impacted my business in a positive way. We get a lot of service dog clients, of course, but I also feel like our work training service dogs allows people to trust us more with their pet dogs.”
Rebecca Corso MSc, CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA
Your Pro Dog Trainer, & California Service Dog Academy
Visalia, CA
“My service dog work is exciting and ever-changing. No two clients are the same. The dogs are always a breath of fresh air and yet challenging in the same moment. I have the best, most rewarding job in the world!”
Ginger Hetrick CCDT, SDC
Pawsitively Obedient
Columbia & Lexington SC
“I wanted to demonstrate my commitment to humane, science-based dog training practices as it relates to service dogs, and the Cooperative Paws SDC program was the perfect path to do just that. I find it frustrating that the dog training field does not have more regulations. I sympathize with people struggling to find a qualified trainer. I wanted to show prospective clients that I meet high standards, in order to set myself apart from others who offer service dog training.”
Melissa Laub DDS, CPDT-KA, SDC
Teal Paws & KCK9 Coach, Stilwell, KS
“I asked the listserv for resources to learn about service dog training. The Cooperative Paws SDC program was highly recommended by a variety of people. I did some research and was very impressed by Veronica, her credentials and her firsthand experience. I signed up as soon as possible!”
Lisa Triggs MSc, CPDT-KA, SDC
Alliance Animal Training, Port Orchard & Seattle, WA
“Adding service dog training to my business has made a huge impact. It has increased my overall income because service dog clients are long-term customers. They don’t need just a lesson or two — they need a year or two of lessons. I also see that it has increased my position on Google. You’d be surprised how many people search for service dog information.”
Ali Imel RVT, KPA CTP, CPDT-KA, SDC
Yosemite Bark
Fresno, CA
“I kept getting requests for service dog training, but I did not feel I knew enough about the topic. When trying to find places to refer the callers, I found very little in the way of positive reinforcement options. Veronica is a skilled, positive-reinforcement trainer, so her program was exactly what I needed to become comfortable helping owners train their service dogs in a way that is enjoyable, fair, and free of intimidation.”
Lisa Marino PMCT-2, KPA-CTP, CPDT-KA, FP-MT, CSAT, SDC
Head of the Class Dog Training
Winchester VA
“I receive a lot of requests from people with disabilities who want to train their own dogs for service work. They’re often really frustrated by the long wait times and prohibitive cost of getting a fully trained service dog from a reputable program. It feels great to be able to offer them an alternative.”
Pat Rapaport M.Ed., KPA-CTP, CPDT-KA, SDC
Hole in the Wall Dog Training Academy
Morehead City, NC
“…after many years of working primarily with dogs who have serious behavior problems, I’ve shifted the focus of the business to service dog coaching. This has been an exciting transition. I’ve stopped accepting new severe behavior cases and I’m really enjoying working with service dog teams.”
Donna Gleason MA, CPDT-KA, CDBC, SDC
TLC Dog Trainer
Sherman Conneticut
“I’m thrilled to teach service dogs to perform important tasks and help service-dog teams work together – building bonds based on trust and mutual respect. It is a wonderful and amazing process to be a part of.”
Sophie Melissa Amphlett, CCDT, SDC, DN-FSG1
North Shore Canine Academy
Willmett, Il
“I’m really happy that I made the leap and added service dog coaching to my business. I feel like there will be a lot of flexibility with it. For instance, I may choose to focus on “in-home-only” service dogs (skilled companions) to serve people with disabilities who have dogs who are not suited to public access work. Veronica has helped open my eyes to the possibilities in this facet of service dog training.”
Amy Weeks CBCC-KA, VSPDT, CPDT-KA, CAP-1, SDC
Amy’s Canine Kindergarten
Odessa, FL