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Rooted Beginnings
Offering a solid foundation for service, therapy, and facility dogs.
Assistance Dog Prospect Evaluations
Every successful partnership begins with an objective look at the dog's baseline, whether you are entering our school or simply seeking a professional second opinion for your own training journey. By guiding you through targeted assessments in your dog’s familiar environment, look at their behavior, response to stress, and resiliency so that we can determine their current suitability for the high-pressure world of assistance dog work. This process provides the clarity needed to make informed decisions about your dog’s future before you invest significant emotional and financial resources into the long road of training.
Puppy Prospect Evaluation (6-16 weeks)
Puppy Prospect Evaluation (6-16 weeks)
The Puppy Prospect Evaluation is the foundational "start here" point for anyone with a puppy between 6 and 16 weeks of age. This specific developmental window allows us to look past any initial training and see the dog's raw emotional baseline before environment and life experience begin to mask their true temperament. In this phase, we aren't testing for learned behaviors, but instead, we are testing for biological predisposition. We are looking for the "raw material" required for service work, We specifically look for high social attraction, which is a natural desire to follow a human lead,
The core of this evaluation is the startle-recovery response. Using a Modified Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test (PAT), we measure how a puppy responds to novel stimuli and, more importantly, how quickly they return to a state of neutral focus. Identifying this biological resilience early ensures that you are starting your journey with a dog that is built for the job, protecting you from a massive emotional and financial investment in a prospect that may not have the necessary foundation for a working life.
Adolescent Prospect Evaluation (4-10 months)
Adolescent Prospect Evaluation (4-10 months)
The Adolescent Prospect Evaluation is designed for dogs between 4 and 10 months of age, a pivotal period marked by hormonal shifts and secondary fear periods. At this stage, we move beyond raw potential to assess the dog’s emerging environmental resilience and impulse control. We focus primarily on how they handle the "noise" of the world when their biology is in flux. Identifying whether adolescent regression is a temporary phase or a sign of long-term instability ensures you are starting your journey with a dog that can maintain focus under pressure.
The core of this evaluation is the Developmental Stress and Persistence Assessment which we combine with a research-based C-BARQ assessment to uncover hidden behavioral trends. We measure how your dog handles controlled stressors and, more importantly, how quickly they can regulate their emotions and return to engagement with you. This comprehensive look at their "recovery" capacity protects you from over-investing in a prospect that may lack the stable adult temperament required for a life of service.
Adult Prospect Evaluation (11 months +)
Adult Prospect Evaluation (11 months +)
The Adult Prospect Evaluation is tailored for dogs 11 months and older that are beginning their journey toward service work. At this age, a dog’s temperament is largely set, so we move beyond testing raw potential to focus on assessing their established stability and environmental neutrality. Our methodology is influenced by a synthesis of ADI standards and specialized shelter assessments used to identify "green" dogs with high-level working potential. This approach allows us to gauge the likelihood that an adult dog possesses the foundational composure and resilience necessary to handle the unique, daily pressures of a public-facing working life.
The core of this evaluation is the Adult Stability Assessment, which we pair with a research-based C-BARQ analysis to uncover long-term behavioral trends and history. We utilize a live virtual session to guide you through a handling sensitivity check and observe your dog’s response to real-world triggers within their own environment. We specifically look for "Social Neutrality"—the dog's ability to remain indifferent to strangers, other animals, and sudden environmental changes—to help determine if they have the specific durability required for service work. Once complete, you receive a Suitability Report that provides an objective breakdown of your dog’s scores and an honest look at their current potential for service work.
Guided Raising Monthly Membership
Guided Raising Monthly Membership
To be considered for this program, your dog must pass their initial evaluation. This monthly membership features weekly 30 minute private 1:1 check-ins, weekly customized training plans, full access to our Prospect Circle classes, and priority texting support for your daily training questions. It is designed to take the guesswork out of the raising process and to give you support beyond the basics that can be done at your pace and in the comfort of your own home and community.
Prospect Circle Group Class $15
Join us weekly for class! This hour is intended for all ages and to be used in congruence with basic obedience training. You don't need to be part of the school to join! We will be focusing on socialization, learning theory, and how to move confidently through the world as a handler. Each week I’ll bring a specific topic to the table before we open it up to troubleshoot your current hurdles and just chat in a relaxed, roundtable setting. It’s designed to help give direction without a large price tag. It's a fantastic way to build a sounder dog and find some solid community while you're at it. You do not need to attend Private Sessions to come to this class - all you need is a service dog in training!
Private 30 Minute Session
Private 30 Minute Session
A focused session designed for quick course corrections or a professional second opinion on a specific training hurdle. This is the ideal "maintenance check" to keep your prospect's momentum going between larger milestones.
Private 60 Minute Session
Private 60 Minute Session
A full hour of customized coaching dedicated to foundational skills necessary for service work. We use this time to personalize and customize your training plans and tackle specific behavioral issues.
Cultivated Connections
Offering custumized advanced training for service, therapy, and facility dogs.
Guided Refinement
Guided Refinement
In this monthly subscription, we're bridging the gap between a focused prospect and a reliable service partner. This is where we introduce your dog’s specific tasks and begin polishing the public access skills you need to move through the world together. Your membership includes four private 1 hour sessions a month which includes one live guided public outing a month, weekly customized training plans, training logs, and full access to our weekly group Prospect Circle classes to keep your progress steady and documented.
Private 30 Minute Session
Private 30 Minute Session
A focused session designed for troubleshooting a specific task or refining a single public access behavior. It is a quick, professional way to handle niche training hurdles and keep your momentum steady between larger milestones.
Private 60 Minute Session
Private 60 Minute Session
A full hour of customized coaching dedicated to the introduction of new tasks and building durable public access skills. We use this time to dive deep into the technical side of your dog’s work and ensure you are moving together as a safe, reliable team in the real world. milestones.
Public Access Readiness Audit
Public Access Readiness Audit
The Public Access Readiness Audit is the ultimate safety net for owner-trainers preparing for the transition into active service work. This 90-minute, real-world evaluation takes place in a high-distraction environment to ensure your dog can maintain focus, task reliability, and environmental stability when it matters most.
Rather than a high-pressure exam, this is a professional roadmap. We’ll spend our time observing how you and your dog navigate unpredictable public spaces, followed by a standardized scorecard that benchmarks your progress against industry standards. Every audit includes a digital copy of your results for your records, providing professional documentation of the due diligence and hard work you’ve put into your dog’s preparation.
You do not have to have received training from us to use this service.
Thriving Together
Offering continued support of service, therapy, and facility dogs.
Private 30 Minute Session
Private 30 Minute Session
A focused, high-impact session designed to address a single goal. This is the perfect space for established teams to "iron out" a specific behavioral wrinkle or begin the initial shaping of a one-off task. It’s efficient, targeted support to keep your partnership sharp without a major time commitment.
Private 60 Minute Session
Private 60 Minute Session
A comprehensive hour dedicated to the long-term reliability of your team. This session allows us to dive deep into complex environmental troubleshooting or build out advanced, multi-step service tasks from the ground up. It’s the ideal choice for teams looking to expand their skills or navigate significant changes in their working life.
Handler Circle Group Class $20
Handler Circle Group Class $20
The Handler is a dedicated bi-weekly meeting for teams moving through life as a working service dog team. The Huddle is where we focus on the realities of daily life with a service dog. We follow the same interactive structure as the Prospect Circle, but with an emphasis on further education and smoothing out those everyday behavioral wrinkles or task questions. Starting May 16th at 12:30pm!
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