Frequently asked questions

No. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), there is no official certification, registration, or ID card required for a service dog. Any website selling "official" service dog certification is not a legitimate legal requirement. What matters is that your dog is trained to perform specific tasks related to your disability and is under control in public.

Under the ADA, businesses may only ask two questions: (1) Is this a service dog required because of a disability? and (2) What work or task has the dog been trained to perform? They cannot ask about your diagnosis, require documentation, or ask the dog to demonstrate its task.

A service dog is trained to perform specific tasks related to a handler's disability and has full public access rights under the ADA. An emotional support animal (ESA) provides comfort through companionship but is not task-trained and does not have public access rights under the ADA, though some housing protections apply. A therapy dog is trained to provide comfort to others (in hospitals, schools, etc.) and has no public access rights outside of scheduled visits.

Only if your dog is out of control and you do not take effective action to control it, or if your dog is not housebroken. A business cannot remove you because of allergies, fear of dogs, or the dog's breed. If you're asked to leave without a valid reason, you have the right to explain your rights, and if necessary, file a complaint with the Department of Justice.

The ADA defines a disability as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. Service dogs can be trained for a wide range of conditions, including mobility impairments, PTSD, seizure disorders, diabetes, anxiety disorders, autism, and more, as long as the dog performs specific tasks that mitigate the disability. If you're unsure whether your situation qualifies, reach out and we can talk through it.

No. Any breed can be a service dog under the ADA. What matters is temperament, trainability, and health, not breed. That said, not every individual dog is suited for service work regardless of breed. The evaluation process is how we determine whether your specific dog has the right foundation.

It depends on the nature and severity of the issues. Some behavioral challenges can be addressed through training; that's part of what the Comprehensive Board & Train program is designed for. Others may indicate a temperament that isn't suited for public access work. The honest answer is: we need to evaluate your dog before we can tell you. Don't assume the answer is no, and don't assume it's yes either.

The short answer: reach out and we'll figure it out together. The New Purpose Program is for people who need a fully trained service dog and want Lynn to do the training. Board & Train is for dogs that need intensive work with a professional before coming home. The Virtual Course is for owner-trainers who want to do the work themselves with structured guidance. If you're not sure, start with a conversation.

The New Purpose Program typically takes 6–24 months from application to placement depending on whether a cohort of dogs are sourced and in training. This timeline reflects the reality of training a dog to the standard required for reliable public access work; it cannot be rushed without compromising the outcome. Board & Train programs run 4–10 weeks depending on the package. The Virtual Course timeline depends on your pace and your dog's starting point.

After you submit an application, Lynn reviews it and follows up within a few business days. If it looks like a potential fit, she will reach out to discuss your situation in more detail. From there, the process varies by program, but you'll always know where you stand and what the next step is.

Intentionally few. The program is small by design. Lynn works with a limited number of clients at any given time to ensure every dog and handler gets the attention the work requires. This means there may be a waitlist. It also means you won't be one of dozens of clients getting generic updates.

A fully trained service dog represents hundreds of hours of professional training, health testing, equipment, and ongoing evaluation over many months to years. The cost reflects the actual work involved, not a markup. While many larger programs charge $30,000–$60,000, we intentionally keep our pricing lower as part of our mission to make professionally trained service dogs more accessible to the people who need them.

Yes. Payment plans are available for all programs. For our New Purpose program require a 10% deposit and offer 6, 12, or 18 month term payment plans with a 5% financing fee. Payment plans are offered in-house and do not require credit check. We also partner with third-party afterpay options for all of our other programs. No one should have to choose between financial reality and getting the support they need. Please reach out and inquire for more details.

There are grants, organizations, and philanthropic donations that provide funding for service dog training; availability varies by disability type, location, and program. It's worth researching.

Some FSA and HSA plans cover service dog training expenses; check with your plan administrator. Insurance coverage for service dog training is rare but not unheard of, particularly for certain disability categories. We can provide documentation to support a claim if needed.

Yes. The ADA explicitly allows people with disabilities to train their own service dogs. There is no legal requirement to use a professional trainer or a program. That said, owner-training is genuinely difficult. The standards for a reliable, public-access-ready service dog are high, and most people underestimate what's involved. The Virtual Course is designed to give owner-trainers a realistic, structured path.

No prior experience is required, but you do need to be willing to learn and to put in consistent work. The course starts from the foundation and builds up. What matters more than experience is commitment; training a service dog requires daily work over many months.

If your dog isn't a good fit for service work, Lynn will tell you honestly and explain why. In some cases, the issue is timing. In others, it's a temperament issue that won't resolve with training. Either way, you'll leave the evaluation with a clear picture of where things stand and what your options are.