Everything About Service Dog Training Orlando

Teaching a dog to sit and roll around is one thing; teaching a dog to perform tactile stimulation to end a panic attack is another. Service dog training is unlike other types of training due to how big of an impact these dogs have on the lives of their handlers.

That’s why service dog training must be left only for the professionals or those who get their training materials from reputable sources. If you’re living in Orlando and planning to train your dog for service animal work, you will find this article helpful. We will cover everything about service dog training Orlando residents should know.

Read on to get your complete guide to service dog training in Orlando, Florida.

What Is Service Dog Training?

Service dog training involves teaching a dog commands to benefit someone with a disability. This includes teaching dogs to provide balance and support to those with mobility issues, getting in between the handler and others for someone with social anxiety, retrieving objects from the ground for someone using a wheelchair, or simpler tasks like reminding to take medication.

Given that these commands aren’t the average things to teach a dog, most people turn to professional dog training. It is also preferred by many not only for training a dog for these commands but also to ensure the dog executes them in all public situations.

Because service dogs accompany their handlers everywhere they go, handlers and their families will want to make sure the service dog is ready to perform the tasks they’re trained to do, regardless of what’s happening around them, especially in populated cities like Orlando.

Service Dog Training vs. Emotional Support Dog Training

Service dog training means teaching a dog practical commands that will benefit the handler in their day-to-day lives. Emotional support dog training is a broader term that doesn’t refer to anything specific. Some emotional support dog training programs include obedience, while others focus more on specific tasks that are similar to service dog training but not quite.

If a dog is learning a specific task that will benefit the handler, it is in the grounds of service dog training, but if the dog simply comforts the owner when they’re visibly upset with cuddles while remaining well-behaved, it is considered emotional support dog training.

Service Dog Training Orlando – Your Best Options

Now comes the part for service dog training Orlando residents should know about. Given the high number of dog owners in the city, one would expect Orlando to be home to many professional dog trainers, but unfortunately, this isn’t the case.

Orlando has a limited number of professional dog trainers, especially for specialized training like service dog work. This has also been pointed out in many of Orlando’s best dog trainer reviews. Due to this, we can’t point out which dog trainer in the city is best for service dog training.

However, this doesn’t have to be bad news for those who want a service dog in Orlando. With some willingness, you can always utilize online training materials to train your own service dog.

Training Your Own Service Dog vs. Hiring a Professional Trainer

The biggest difference between training your own service dog versus hiring a professional dog trainer is the amount of effort involved. When you hire a dog trainer, you will simply pay them to train your dog, which will be about $100 to $150 per session. There are also service dog bootcamps, where you enroll your dog for a specific amount of time until they learn the basics.

While hiring a dog trainer is convenient, training your own service dog is significantly more cost-effective. It also helps you learn more about dog behavior, which will set you up for success for your dog’s other training needs. As long as you use training materials from a reputable source to train your dog, you don’t need to have even the slightest doubt about its effectiveness.

Service Dog Training Orlando: Residents Should Consider This

With the limited availability for service dog training, those living in Orlando have to choose between training their dogs and hiring a professional dog trainer. Additionally, working with a dog trainer out of Orlando can also be an option, though sending your dog to a service dog bootcamp in another city can have its own downsides, like added expenses and being far from your dog.

Due to these, we recommend that Orlando residents train their own service dogs. However, if you have the financial means and can find a trusted dog trainer for service dog work in the city, working with a dog trainer will be a more convenient option.