Service dog programs
A clear path toward meaningful partnership.
Service dog work is a long-term relationship between dog, handler, family, and community. We provide the structure, coaching, and honest feedback to make that relationship stronger.
Our service dog programs and sessions are available in both Nova Scotia and British Columbia. The Two-Year Blended Program runs in Nova Scotia only.
See program options
Start here
The Potential Service Dog Assessment is a $150 plus tax preliminary review of whether your puppy or adult dog may have the temperament, health considerations and learning profile needed for service dog work. It is the smallest first step we offer, and it comes before any longer programme commitment.
Our comprehensive one-year Owner-Trainer Program provides 104 hours of individualized training and guidance to help handlers develop the skills needed to train and work successfully with their service dog.
See the full 12-month curriculum$9,999.99 + applicable tax
A $1,000 non-refundable deposit is applied toward the total program cost, followed by 12 monthly payments.
In Nova Scotia, we train the first year and spend the second year training alongside the handler. Offered once per year.
$29,999.99 + applicable tax
A $1,000 non-refundable deposit is applied toward the total program cost, followed by 24 monthly payments.
Waitlist only
Join the waitlist and we'll contact you when the next intake opens.
Before entering our comprehensive Owner-Trainer Program, prospective service dogs must complete an assessment to help determine whether they currently demonstrate characteristics compatible with service dog training.
$150 + applicable tax
Focused one-hour sessions or a bundle for building task work, public access skills, confidence, and handler fluency.
6 × 1 hr · CAD$599.99
Preparation and testing support for handlers working toward the Canadian Association of Service Dog Trainers standard.
Pawsitively Service Dogs does not issue provincial service dog certification. Where applicable, handlers apply through the relevant provincial service dog program; CASDT testing is separate.
Bring your questions, goals, and context. Video / Microsoft Teams consultations are CAD$0.00.
In person · CAD$99.99
Nova Scotia
See local services, the Nova Scotia-only Two-Year Blended Program, contact details, and booking.
British Columbia
See local service dog and pet training, dog walking, contact details, and booking.
One-year program
$9,999.99 + applicable tax
Our comprehensive one-year Owner-Trainer Program provides 104 hours of individualized training and guidance to help handlers develop the skills needed to train and work successfully with their service dog.
Training progresses through foundational skills, handler mechanics, emotional regulation, neutrality around people and dogs, public-access training, advanced obedience, individualized disability-mitigating task training, generalization to real-world environments and preparation for applicable public-access or certification testing.
Pawsitively Service Dogs does not issue provincial service dog certification. Where applicable, handlers apply through the relevant provincial service dog program; CASDT testing is separate.
Because service dog work requires an appropriate combination of temperament, health, training ability and resilience, participation begins with an assessment process. Acceptance into the program does not guarantee that a dog will ultimately be suitable for service work.
Dogs continue to be evaluated throughout training with their physical and behavioural welfare as a priority.
A $1,000 non-refundable deposit is applied toward the total program cost, followed by 12 monthly payments.
Contact: Nova Scotia: melanie@pawsitivelyservicedogs.ca
British Columbia: jenn@pawsitivelyservicedogs.ca
Start with clarity
$150 + applicable tax
Before entering our comprehensive Owner-Trainer Program, prospective service dogs must complete an assessment to help determine whether they currently demonstrate characteristics compatible with service dog training.
The assessment considers factors such as temperament, behaviour, environmental confidence, recovery from stress, sociability, responsiveness to the handler and overall suitability for the demands of public-access work.
Health and veterinary history are also important considerations when determining whether service work is appropriate for an individual dog.
An assessment is not a certification and does not guarantee acceptance into the program or that a dog will ultimately become a service dog.
Service dog suitability cannot be determined from a single characteristic or assessment alone. Dogs continue to develop and change, which is why suitability is evaluated throughout the training process.
Our responsibility is not simply to help dogs pass tests. It is to consider whether service work remains appropriate and humane for the individual dog while developing a safe, reliable working partnership with the handler.
Before beginning the Owner-Trainer Program, clients will be provided with the applicable documentation and veterinary requirements.
Dogs must meet our program's age, health and behavioural requirements and successfully complete the initial assessment process.
The beginning of the program includes a probationary training period during which suitability for continued service dog training is further evaluated.
Nova Scotia: melanie@pawsitivelyservicedogs.ca
British Columbia: jenn@pawsitivelyservicedogs.ca
What to expect
Your goals, your dog’s history, your daily routines, and the accommodations that make training accessible all belong in the plan.
A good fit matters. We’ll celebrate strengths, name challenges clearly, and help you choose the safest next step.
Skills need to travel from the training space into homes, workplaces, transit, and the everyday moments that matter.
Not sure which option fits?
