- Are you thinking about training a service dog for yourself or a family member?
- Do you have a dog that you’re already training to be a future service dog but you’re not sure whether you’re going about it the best way?
- Are you wondering what are the differences between a service dog and an emotional support animal?
- Would you like more information about how to find the right dog to train?
- Are you wondering what’s involved with training your own service dog?
For the answers to these and many more questions, come to Dakin Humane Society in Springfield, MA, on Saturday, June 18. This low-cost, two-hour workshop, Service-Dog Training: What You Need to Know, starts at 1 PM. Register now.
This informative presentation by professional service dog trainer Sharon Wachsler will tell you what you need to succeed with service dogs for diverse types of disabilities. Topics include …
- Access rights and laws for dogs in-training and working dogs
- Programs versus owner-training – which is right for you?
- How to find the right candidate dog
- The Service Dog Training Pyramid
– the steps in training
- When to consult with a trainer
- Demonstrations of service dog tasks
- Answers to your questions
Registration is $25 and covers two people. Dakin is wheelchair accessible.
If you have other access needs, please contact us in advance so that we can provide appropriate accommodations.
Note: THIS WORKSHOP IS FOR PEOPLE. Please leave your pet dog at home. Thank you!
About the Presenter

Sharon Wachsler is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) who specializes in using positive methods to help people train their own service dogs. Sharon owns the dog training business, At Your Service Dog Training, LLC, in Wendell, MA. At Your Service helps people to train their dogs as canine assistants, including offering temperament tests and behavior assessments for candidate dogs, training for current pets, behavior modification and training when issues arise in working service dogs, and adaptive training techniques and gear for disabled handlers. At Your Service also offers puppy and pet dog training in Franklin County and the North Quabbin region.
Sharon has over 18 years of experience in the service dog community and over 25 years of experience in the disability community, and continues to expand her expertise by attending dog behavior and training seminars, workshops, and conferences throughout the US. She is a graduate with distinction from the Dog Trainer Professional course of the prestigious Karen Pryor Academy of Animal Behavior & Training and received a Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. She is a member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT), a long-time member of the International Association of Assistance Dog Partners (IAADP), and a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA-CTP).
Sharon has written extensively on service dog issues. As founder of the Assistance Dog Blog Carnival, an award-winning writer for the IAADP newsletter Partners Forum, and owner of the popular service dog blog, After Gadget, Sharon has been a respected voice in the service dog community for over a decade. Contact Sharon to discuss how At Your Service Dog Training can help you take the next steps on your service dog journey.
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