Our Ethical Guarantee
Did you know…
a trainer offering a Behavioral Guarantee is a Red Flag?
In most industries, a guarantee or warranty is a sign of good business practices. But in dog training, training guarantees are considered so unethical that the most respected certifying bodies in our industry prohibit them.
This is why we offer an ethical guarantee.
We Guarantee – Your dog’s training will be…
Individualized. You and your dog are unique. During classes, lessons, or consultations, your trainer will tailor instructions based on your dog’s training level and history, personality and temperament, and physical and behavioral needs. Your trainer will also customize their approach for what works for your physical and emotional comfort and abilities. As service dog trainers, “access” and “accommodation” are not buzzwords; they are woven into the fabric of everything we do.
Effective. Your dog will make progress in their training. We combine decades of our own hands-on service-dog training expertise with up-to-the-minute learning from industry experts. Our training methods work! They are wonderfully effective and efficient. We will help your dog become the best version of itself that it can be.
Humane. Our methods are kind, effective, and evidence-based. We will never advocate training that will damage your dog, physically or behaviorally, now or in the future. Our methods are endorsed by the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior.
Respectful and inclusive. We work with people from all walks of life, with a variety of disabilities, of all ages. While we will be honest and direct with you, we will also strive to be kind and helpful in every interaction. We welcome people of all races, colors, ethnicities, disabilities and abilities, neurodiversities, genders, sexual orientations, religions or belief systems, and locations on the political spectrum.
Amazing results, I wish I found AYS sooner!
I just started in Sharon’s virtual service dog training program. My service dog was already professionally trained but was reactive to other dogs. He would lunge and bark at every dog in our neighborhood. She taught us “engage and disengage” and provided several videos, too. This training was EXACTLY right for us! In 5 days, he stopped lunging/barking at other dogs. I just took him out for a long walk at a lake where there were dogs on leash everywhere, and we enjoyed a lovely stroll with only 2 short barks after passing 20-30 dogs. To have done this with WITHOUT shocking or choking my dog is astounding to me. My dog is much more responsive to my voice commands and I think much happier too! Thank you!
–Vicki Ip and Houdini
Why a behavioral guarantee is bad news… for you and your dog
Training relies on a combination of multiple genetic and environmental factors interacting:
- How much (and how well) the owner trains between lessons
- How quickly and easily the dog learns
- All the experiences the dog has – past and present
- The dog’s genetic characteristics (physical and mental)
Because of this variability, a trainer cannot guarantee that every dog will achieve the same training results. Consider:
- Even in a litter of puppies that comes from generations of breeding for service dog work, there will be inborn differences in health, confidence, or sociability that will mean some pups in every litter will not become service dogs.
- Even if two dogs start out with the same aptitude and instruction, if one has a negative experience (e.g., car accident or dog attack) or its owner isn’t able to put in training time, the dogs’ outcomes will likely be different.
For these reasons, a trainer making a behavioral guarantee either doesn’t understand the science of behavior or is being intentionally deceptive. As a result, they may push a dog past its limits in a desperate attempt to live up to their promises, which often leads to the dog suffering severe physical and/or behavioral damage.
A Roadmap – The Best, Hands Down!
This is the best training option I have found, hands down. 100% better – more professional, much better organized, you have a curriculum. You guys really are the best, and I have owned four dogs in the last 23 years. Before, I felt overwhelmed with everything the dog needs to learn, and I did not have a roadmap. Now I not only have someone to help me guide the process but also eyes on things I missed.
–Tere Ramos with Heidi (service dog in training for Tere’s daughter)
Heidi, Labradoodle service-dog-in-training and Tere’s daughter, now able to go to the dentist for the first time without additional support staff.
Credentials
Our trainers are certified by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT) and Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training and Behavior (KPA). Both CCPDT and KPA require trainers who have earned their certifications to refrain from offering guarantees regarding the specific outcome of training and behavior plans.
To maintain their certifications, our trainers have signed codes of conduct that pledge, among other promises, that we will never offer behavioral guarantees. Read more about what to look for in a service dog trainer.
How to Select a Service Dog Trainer
For more information on how to choose a trainer and the professional standards that dog trainers should uphold, please read our article on How to Find the Best Service Dog Trainer. Or consult these outside resources:
- The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (How to Choose a Trainer)
- The Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics)
- The Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (Code of Conduct)
LGBTQ+ Owned and Operated
Neurodiverse Owned and Operated
I immediately felt comfortable
I immediately felt comfortable with you because there is a true level of empathy… What a MAJOR difference working with you has been compared to the nightmare of the last service dog program…
–Jessie Cortez and Molly (golden retriever)