Psychiatric Service Dog - 3 Week Class

$25.00

Class Total Cost: $495*
(Deposit of $25 is required to reserve your spot in class)

3 Week Class (One Hour Classes)

Psychiatric Service Dogs help people with depression, anxiety, PTSD, social phobias, and mild OCD behaviors. Dogs in this class are trained to perform at least one task to alleviate these problems.

Any breed of dog can be a Psychiatric Service Dog. If your dog has been trained to have impeccable manners and is of sound temperament, your dog can be a Service Dog. If in my judgment your dog is of unsound temperament I cannot accept you into the Service Dog class.

The four-week class is spent teaching skills your dog must do to qualify as a Service Dog, not obedience training. Dogs must already have impeccable public manners and reliable temperament for enrollment for Service Dog Certification. Your handling skills must be excellent before enrolling in this class.

Your dog learns

Under
Follow
Center
Right and Left positions
Back Up
Curl Up
How to get on and off a plane
Disability Skill
How to go through TSA screening
No scavenging on planes or outdoors
Navigating hotels

Dogs must have completed at least the Family Pet Level Two and the Advanced Class (with possible repeats) before possible admission to the Service Dog Class. If your dog has trained somewhere else, this is still true. There are no exceptions to these prerequisites. I only certify dogs and handlers I know to be well-trained because I trained them.

Completion of Distracted Dog and Emergency Come When Called is also required. These classes ensure that your dog is steady and calm in busy environments and will return to you in a crisis.

You may need to repeat Family Pet Level Two or Advanced Off Leash class to ensure successful completion of this class.

Your graduation includes a Service Dog card from Companion Dogs, a Companion Dogs collar tag, and Service Dog Test 'Paperwork.' A service Dog certification is for the lifetime of your dog.

Service Dogs are allowed in all public places and fly free of charge in the cabin of planes. Service Dogs are exempt from apartment pet fees and pet-friendly hotel fees. Emotional Service Dogs or Therapy Dogs do not enjoy the above.

Note: To stay within the International Assistance Dogs requirements, dogs must be a minimum of eighteen months to be certified. This ensures your dog is emotionally mature. This is not a Medical Service Dog training program (Such as for diabetes alert dogs).

Yes, you can include in medical expenses the costs of buying, training, and maintaining a service animal to assist a person with psychiatric disabilities, check out this article. In general, you may deduct the cost of owning a Service Dog from your taxes. This includes any costs, such as food, grooming, and veterinary care, incurred in maintaining the health and vitality of your Service Dog so that it may perform its duties.

Payment Terms: A $25 non-refundable deposit is required to reserve your spot in class, the balance will be due on the first day of class. Balance for class - $470 for Check, made out to Sue Myles,or Cash. (Total for class is $495) I do not take debit or credit cards, Zelle, Venmo, or any payment except cash or check. Please help us have a smooth first class and bring only check or cash.

All my recommended training equipment and techniques comply with California Animal Welfare Laws. ( I am a graduate of the Humane Officer's Academy)

Start Date:

Quantity:

Class Total Cost: $495*
(Deposit of $25 is required to reserve your spot in class)

3 Week Class (One Hour Classes)

Psychiatric Service Dogs help people with depression, anxiety, PTSD, social phobias, and mild OCD behaviors. Dogs in this class are trained to perform at least one task to alleviate these problems.

Your dog learns

Under
Follow
Center
Right and Left positions
Back Up
Curl Up
How to get on and off a plane
Disability Skill
How to go through TSA screening
No scavenging on planes or outdoors
Navigating hotels

Completion of Distracted Dog and Emergency Come When Called is also required. These classes ensure that your dog is steady and calm in busy environments and will return to you in a crisis.

You may need to repeat Family Pet Level Two or Advanced Off Leash class to ensure successful completion of this class.

Your graduation includes a Service Dog card from Companion Dogs, a Companion Dogs collar tag, and Service Dog Test 'Paperwork.' A service Dog certification is for the lifetime of your dog.

Payment Terms: A $25 non-refundable deposit is required to reserve your spot in class, the balance will be due on the first day of class. Balance for class - $470 for Check, made out to Sue Myles,or Cash. (Total for class is $495) I do not take debit or credit cards, Zelle, Venmo, or any payment except cash or check. Please help us have a smooth first class and bring only check or cash.

All my recommended training equipment and techniques comply with California Animal Welfare Laws. ( I am a graduate of the Humane Officer's Academy)

Certification Requirements

This is what your dog must do to be Certified. Temperament is a part of this, not just teaching a task. Please train your dog up to this level before enrolling. I do not certify dogs with unstable or aggressive temperaments.

Obedience Training. Passed loose leash walking and off leash walking. Passed quiet traveling in a passenger vehicle. Passed unobtrusive presence test in public restaurants and transportation. Passed verbal and signal skills.
Temperament evaluation. Passed temperament evaluation for stability, responsiveness, tractability and friendliness. Passed social engagement. Passed noise stability. Passed startle response. Passed stranger movement and stranger conversational interaction.
Task. Passed disability task-related behavior. Passed task skills that are used and necessary for owner. Passed task skills under distraction.

Public Access Test

Controlled unload out of vehicle
Approaching the building
Controlled entry through a doorway
Heeling through the building
Six foot recall on lead
Sits on command
Downs on command
Noise distraction
Restaurant
Off lead
Controlled entry and exit
Controlled load into vehicle

Class Testimonials

So far Logan is having a great trip! No issues with the airlines, or immigration.

Kelly

Hi Dr Sue,

Hoping you are well.

I took Pebbles to Lassen National Park with me and John 2 weeks ago and had a splendid time.

She was able to hike with us on trails (where pets were not allowed but service dogs were) and did famously well. We even did a 5 mile hime with 1,000 ft elevation gain.

A non-service dog was on a trail and barked and lunged at her and she didn’t bat an eyelash.

There was some temptation with some squirrels and chipmunks but she did well and only barked once when I was distracted.

She received compliments from our restaurant waitress and others along our drive.

Kind regards,

Ana

Hello Sue,

How are you? Definitely miss those Sunday afternoons at yours.

Am writing to you as I observed just now that Tintin’s certification year is wrongly stated as 12th Dec 2025. We are in April 2025 now I believe you intended to write 2024.

Would you please send me a corrected copy ?

Thanks a bunch

Ipshita Das

Hi Sue,

Hope all is well! Moose has successfully flown across the country twice now to DC. I did just submit a DOT form for him to fly internationally in June.

Thank you,

Jaclyn Higgins

Hi Sue,

Today was a big day for Moose, he went to Universal Studios in the post Christmas chaos. He stayed in a crate for some rides & went on a few loud motion rides. He remained calm and did great. He didn’t go looking for attention/pets from anyone! Which as a golden, you know, is very hard to do haha. I definitely underestimated his good boy behavior before today.

Next adventure is reuniting with his human dad in Washington DC in a few weeks after 10 months apart. Hoping for a successful flight as well :)

Thanks for all your help! We’ll be back for another class in the new year. Hope you’re enjoying your time off.

Hello Sue,You would be so proud of Addie.  This Monday, we were returning from my grandson's birthday party in Long Beach, so we had Addie with us.  We stopped at Hoag Hospital to see a sick friend, and took turns staying outside with Addie and going upstairs to see the friend.  On the way back, I tripped and fell and ended up at the Hoag ER, with Bob and Addie.  We were there for 4.5 hours and Addie was a model service dog.  She protected me, never growled or snarled at anyone, and quietly lay beside my bed while they sewed me up and iced my wounds.  People walked by and were fascinated by such a well behaved Aussie.  What a dog!  Your training all paid off, and I thank you again and again for all your loving care of Addie!  We love her!

Sue,

Grizzly did great on his first flight Salt Lake City!

From TSA security, boarding the flight, and staying calm during the entire flight, he seemed like a pro.

Thanks for all your help and for making Grizzly an even better dog !

Tom

This is an email I received and was able to provide a response for my former student.

“Hi, this message is for Sue Myles. My name is Jimmy and I am calling from the Open Doors organization that processes all Department of Transportation Service Dog Verifications. I had a Handler by the name of Carolyn Springwell list you as the Service Dog trainer for herself and Benson., I need you to verify that Benson has completed Service Dog Training before Carolyn can fly with him. Please return my call at 800-865-9133. Thank you and have a wonderful day.”

“Hi Sue,
Hope all is well with you! I am writing to brag about Charlie and her wonderful training you provided!!
We went on our East Coast trip to Providence last week and she was the perfect traveling companion. She met the pilot, got her wings😀
Going through security her “Stay” as I walked through first was absolute perfection!!! At one airport we did have to take off her harness and leash and she made me cry with joy as she obeyed. Through the airport she was focused on my side inside the bubble. On the plane she laid at my feet for the total 7 hour journey.
Hope you enjoy these pictures and feel proud of one of your top students😀. PS visiting Dunkin Donuts in New England is a must!! She loved her first Dunkin pup cup!!
My best to you!”

- Fondly Patricia & Charlie xoxo

Dear Sue,

“Rala and I had our dream come true today. We went into the Ranger Station at El Morro and introduced ourselves. The ranger was delighted we had come in before using the trails and let them know that Rala is a Service Dog. We are in!”

“Hi Sue!
Wanted to say a big thank you for all the help these last 5 months! Without your guidance and humor we wouldn’t have been able to feel confident to bring Sona with us. She did great, just slept at our feet the entire time on the plane.
Thank you again!”
- Agrima

“Dear Sue,

Cienna and I cannot thank you enough for training our little Ruby to be the best service dog we can ever imagine.

She was flawless in the airport, on the airplane and throughout all the hotels and restaurants that we have frequented. She is perfect on a leash. And responds to all the commands that you taught us. Even when people gawk at Ruby, she maintains her composure and stays close to us. I never thought it would be this easy to travel with Ruby. It’s your training that enabled us to do this and it has really made our lives so much better.

We cannot thank you enough!! You are truly the best !!”

- David and Cienna

“Hi Sue!
How are you?
We got into FL late last night. Pebbles and I had a lovely trip.
2 planes, 1 airport train, 2 escalators (I carried her on the 2nd one because she wasn’t fond of the first one).
She took a little time to get settled into the tight quarters of the passenger seat foot locker (on each flight). She wasn’t fond of it (being cramped) and tried to back out of the seat but I had some cat food on hand, which saved the day.
We were complimented very often after each flight by how well Pebbles behaved on the flight. Folks walked up after and said it, almost like a teacher’s grade after a test.
Babies cried and an emotional support dog whined and wimpered all flight but my Pebby (your Pippy L-S) was silent, sleeping or a calm observer.
Now we are here visiting my mom and she is impressed with how well-behaved Pebbles is compared to in April.
She does you proud. Grateful for your patience, comedy and guidance this year.
Kind regards,”
- Ana

“Hi Sue,

Everyone aays hello from here!

Fiadh was excellent on the flight. She was great thru the airport and slept at my feet for the entire flight (over 10 hours). Attached is a photo. Thank you very much for all of the training to get her to this level. She is having so much fun here now with all of the space.

Hope all is well and keep in touch!”

- James

Dear Sue,

I hope you’re doing well! Thank you for the adorable Christmas card! I also want to thank you for a wonderful training experience and for enabling me to bring Milo on my recent trip to visit my family for the holidays! We flew from Orange County to Eugene Oregon with a layover in San Francisco and it couldn’t have gone more smoothly! :)

After we finished our service dog certification, I started using the Halti again, and conducted rigorous training exercises for the next several weeks leading up to our flight. I took Milo to places such as Starbucks to practice extended down-stays under the table in a public setting, I took him to target and the grocery store, and practiced all the things you taught us. I also took him to John Wayne a few days before our flight so we could walk about the check-in area to familiarize him with it. I got so many comments on his good behavior and not once was questioned about his anything related to his service dog status.

He did an outstanding job in all areas. Security was a breeze. He did an excellent job at “disappearing”. In fact, while de-planing after the first leg of our trip, the woman sitting in the seat behind me stood up and saw Milo and said “oh wow, I didn’t realize we had a cute little travel companion in our section”. On one of the legs of the trip we got delayed on the runway for over an hour, and I was even able to get up and go use the restroom and he remained seated and didn’t move while I was gone.

Here’s a couple pictures of him on the plane!

He was the life of the party this weekend and my family absolutely adores him, and his presence wouldn’t have been possible without you. Thank you again for everything! We’ll likely be back for the Emergency Come when Called and CGC classes.

Best regards, Rob and Milo