Our Programs
Owner-Assisted Service Dog Program
K-9 Country Inn strives to provide a unique Owner-Assisted service dog and support program. This program is ideal for handlers who are looking to raise and train their service dog within their own home, and have the ability to travel to training once weekly for obedience and public access classes. We have team members on hand that will guide you through understanding your rights as a service dog handler, and assist you in training from puppyhood through to graduation as a Service Dog Team. We have several options for training depending upon your unique needs, how far away you live, and whether you can travel to training. We are there with you along each phase of training during the first two years of your service dogs career.
If you are thinking of purchasing a new prospective puppy K-9 Country Inn can help by pointing you to approved breeders that have a record of placing service dogs. The Inn will also help you decide what type of dog meets your needs and would provide the best chance of success for you. Training your prospective service dog begins at 12 weeks of age. It is a process that lasts for a period of 2 years and includes proper puppy socialization, basic obedience training, advanced obedience training, task training, and public access training. Full service dog status is given to dogs who are between 18 and 24 months of age with full health clearances (hips, elbows, eyes, and heart) who have passed their Service Dog Public Access Exam.
If you are interested in training a dog you have already purchased, you will be required to come for a temperament evaluation to determine the dogs suitability for service work. Your dog must show confidence and sociability with adults, children, and other dogs, We will look at their age, temperament, health, personality, and work ethic when considering their suitability for service work. Any questionable behaviour will be an automatic failure. The purpose of a service dogs is to aid their handlers and potentially save their life anywhere they go- they must display appropriate behaviour and etiquette when doing so.
Dogs that do not pass a temperament evaluation will not be eligible for our program. At this point, we would discuss the possibility of finding a suitable dog if you are in a position to do so. We will help you select an appropriate candidate based on your needs and direct you to breeders we have worked with personally to get your prospective puppy to start training. New puppies will have to enroll in our Gold Program.
REQUIREMENT
We require all potential service dog teams to have approval by their general practitioner/family doctor and/or a specialist supporting their need for a service dog as an aid to their treatment. Our applicants utilizing PTSD dogs must meet the criteria as set by the Aanderson Prescriber Guidelines and have documentation from a regulated mental health professional stating how those criteria are met. A letter must be provided stating so on letterhead and submitted to K-9 Country Inn Service Dogs within the first three (3) months of working with us.
Service Dog Accreditation
Currently, in Ontario, there is no standard service dog certification or test. We are proud of our program and training. Our goal is for our teams to be recognized as part of K-9 Country Inn by the quality of training the team shows. Our program certification exam is a two-day test that includes obedience, task work, public access, and outdoor manners. We observe each team we test under specific criteria, such as teamwork, critical decision making, and interacting with the public.
Our exam can be administered for a fee. If you are a part of our Gold and Silver programs, this exam is included in your package. Once your dog is program accredited through K-9 Country Inn Service Dogs, they must be re-certified every three years until retirement to assure the team is still working efficiently.
Gold Program
Our Gold program is our 2-year program for clients that have the ability to drive or have transportation to training. This program takes you from puppyhood through to certification. We can help you pick your puppy, direct you to suitable breeders and do temperament testing for Service Dog candidates. We help you with choosing equipment, training methods, and legal documentation. We are your support system for training.
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Once weekly, in-person training
(If you cannot attend for any reason weekly, we will create a personalized plan for you) -
Training is customized to fit the needs of the client
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Telephone support
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Public access outings
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Group event outings
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Includes Public Access Exam
Silver Program
Our Silver program is our 1-year program for clients that have the ability to drive or have transportation to training. This program is for owners that already have started to train their service dog but need the added assistance of a professional service dog program.
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Once weekly, in-person training
(If you cannot attend for any reason weekly, we will create a personalized plan for you) -
Training is customized to fit the needs of the client
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Telephone support
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Public access outings
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Group event outings
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Includes Public Access Exam
K-9CISD Public Access Group take over Toronto Zoo!
Bronze Program
Our Bronze program is our 1-year program for clients that have the ability to drive or have transportation to training. This program is for owners that already have started to train their service dog but may have some problems or concerns that need a little extra professional help so that their canine team member can become the Service Dog they require.
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Once weekly, in-person training
(If you cannot attend for any reason weekly, we will create a personalized plan for you) -
Training is customized to fit the needs of the client
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Access to video training
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Telephone support
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Public access outings
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Group event outings
Chantelle and Rollo working on obedience during their private session.
Your application fee is applied to your program once accepted.
Note: Clients are responsible for their own transportation to and from training.
Fully-Trained Service Dogs
Our Fully-Trained Service Dogs are trained to full Service Dog status. They are trained from puppyhood to meet the specific needs of the client. They have been socialized, obedience trained and task trained to the individual needs of the handler. Your new Service Dog will be trained over a period of 18 months and placed in the new handlers home where you will continue with six months of integrative classes (group or private) to ensure a successful transition. We provide Fully-Trained Service Dogs to approved applicants for PTSD, Mobility Assistance, Medical Alert, and Autism Assistance.
Your application fee is applied to your program once accepted.
Wounded Warriors Canada - PTSD Service Dog Program
K-9 Country Inn Working Service Dogs is proud to announce our partnership with Wounded Warriors Canada. We have joined forces to provide P.T.S.D service dogs to our veterans and first responders at no cost to the recipient.
Your application fee is applied to your program once accepted.