Service Dog Owner-Training
Owner-trained service dog coaching for teams who want structured, ethical support from foundations through working life.
Service dog training is a long-term process that requires the right dog, the right foundation, and consistent support over time. K9 Genius Training Co. provides coaching for disabled handlers and future service dog teams who are training their own service dog with professional guidance.
This program is designed to support teams through foundations, public access preparation, task development when appropriate, AKC title goals, and long-term working-dog support. Not every dog is suited for service work, and acceptance into service dog training is not guaranteed.
Program Highlights
- Long-term owner-training support
- Foundations, public access, and task work when appropriate
- Ethical, force-free, welfare-first methods
Who this is for
• Disabled handlers training their own dog
• Future service dog teams seeking guidance
• People wanting honest suitability feedback
In-Person Packages
Short-term support
For teams looking to work on specific skills, foundations, public access preparation, refresher lessons, or individualized goals, K9 Genius offers in-person service dog coaching packages. These sessions are best for short-term support during the training process. They can be used to build early foundations, troubleshoot specific issues, prepare for CGC, CGCA, or CGCU goals, work on handler skills, or receive professional guidance before committing to the full program. This option is also appropriate for teams who already have a dog and need help deciding what their next training steps should look like.
What we may work on:
• Engagement and handler focus
• Neutrality around people, dogs, and environments
• Confidence and environmental stability
• Leash skills and handling
• Settle and duration work
• Public access foundations
• Task foundations when appropriate
• CGC, CGCA, and CGCU preparation
• Troubleshooting specific training challenges
• Maintenance or refreshers for working teams
Pricing:
4 in-person lessons: $600
8 in-person lessons: $1,100
Each lesson is 1 hour.
Complete Service Dog Program
Long-term pathway
For clients seeking a comprehensive program to owner-train their own service dog, this is the main K9 Genius service dog pathway. This program is designed for teams who want long-term support, structure, and guidance while developing a service dog for disability mitigation. Through ethical, force-free methods, we work on the skills needed for teamwork, stability, public access readiness, and task development when appropriate. The program is customized to each dog and handler. Training may include foundational obedience, engagement, neutrality, environmental confidence, public access preparation, task work, CGC, CGCA, and CGCU goals, and ongoing suitability evaluation. Clients may enter this program with an approved dog or before getting a dog. If a client does not have a dog yet, early sessions may focus on prospect planning, breeder questions, breed considerations, temperament needs, and preparing for the puppy’s arrival.
Duration:
This is a long-term program. Most teams should expect service dog development to take 1.5 to 2.5 years, depending on the dog’s age, temperament, handler needs, consistency, and training goals. The goal is graduation as a stable, capable working team, not rushing a dog through a timeline.
Pricing:
$400 per month
Program options:
In-person program: 3 one-hour in-person lessons per month
Hybrid program: 1 one-hour in-person lesson per month + 2 one-hour virtual sessions per month
Optional Day Training support may be added when a team needs more repetition, structure, or hands-on training between coaching sessions.
Day Training Add-On
Add-on
Day Training can be added to the Complete Service Dog Program for teams who need more support. This is especially helpful for dogs who need additional repetition, confidence building, neutrality work, or skill refinement between coaching sessions. This option does not replace handler involvement. Follow-up and transfer work remain part of the process so the handler understands how to maintain and build on the dog’s progress.
May be used for:
• Confidence building
• Neutrality work
• Public foundations
• Leash skills
• Settle work
• Engagement
• Task foundations when appropriate
• Skill refinement between coaching sessions
Pricing:
4 Training Days: $440
8 Training Days: $840
12 Training Days: $1,200
Virtual Sessions
Virtual
For teams seeking flexible support, virtual service dog coaching is available for planning, troubleshooting, handler education, and skill development. Virtual sessions are best for clients who are outside the regular service area, preparing for a future prospect, working through training plans, or needing guidance on specific skills from home. These sessions can support service dog foundations, task shaping, public access planning, puppy preparation, CGC goal planning, and problem-solving.
Pricing:
$100 per 1-hour virtual lesson via Zoom
Group Outings for Active Clients
Small group outings may be offered for active service dog clients working on neutrality, handler skills, public access foundations, and confidence in more complex settings. These outings are only available to approved teams who are ready for this level of work.
Pricing:
Available as scheduled.
Graduate Support
Service dog support does not end at graduation. Graduated teams may return for re-evaluations, troubleshooting, tune-ups, day training refreshers, or help adjusting to new needs throughout the dog’s working career.
Pricing:
Billed as needed depending on the level of support.
Important Program Notes
Service dog training is a long-term process, and not every dog is suited for this work. K9 Genius Training Co. does not sell fully trained service dogs, certify service dogs, or guarantee outcomes. This program provides coaching, structure, and professional guidance for owner-trained teams. A service dog must be trained to perform specific tasks that mitigate a handler’s disability. Emotional support, comfort, or companionship alone does not make a dog a service dog. This program is built around ethical development, realistic expectations, and the long-term welfare of both the dog and handler.