- Service Dog Training Indianapolis | Big N’ Small Paws 317
- Mobility, psychiatric, autism, PTSD, and medical alert needs
- Handlers who want honest feedback on whether their dog is a good candidate
- Families who need patient coaching as much as dog training
How our service dog program works
- Step-by-step evaluation of your goals, diagnosis, and lifestyle
- Customized training plans that may include in-facility training, board and train, and in-home support
- Practice in real Indianapolis locations like stores, medical offices, and campuses so your dog can stay focused around distractions
What you can expect
- Clear training milestones and regular progress updates
- Coaching for the handler on handling skills, ADA-friendly etiquette, and task maintenance
- Long-term support after graduation, so your team does not feel alone
If you are unsure where to start, we can evaluate your dog and help you decide if service work is the right fit or if another training path would be better.
We work closely with each handler to make sure the training fits the disability, the dog's temperament, and the real-life situations you face daily. Our goal is not to rush results, but to build dependable service dog teams that hold up under real-life conditions.
This formal education is reinforced by extensive, hands-on experience working with dogs in real-world service settings. Our trainers focus on building reliable task performance, stable public access behavior, and clear communication between dog and handler across everyday environments.
Rather than relying on titles or online registrations, our approach prioritizes demonstrated skill, ethical training practices, and real-world results. Every service dog we train is evaluated on behavior, consistency, and task reliability in public spaces, ensuring they meet the practical demands of daily life for their handler.
Our education-backed, experience-driven approach allows us to customize service dog training to the specific needs of each individual, whether the dog is assisting with mobility support, psychiatric tasks, medical response behaviors, or interruption work.
Every service dog is trained with the handler's daily routine in mind. We build task reliability through repetition, proofing, and gradual increases in difficulty so behaviors hold up under real-world pressure. This includes public access manners, impulse control, and task execution even when distractions are present.
Equally important, handlers receive hands-on coaching throughout the process. We teach handling skills, communication timing, and reinforcement strategies so the team functions confidently together beyond formal training sessions.
Unlike emotional support animals, service dogs are trained to perform clearly defined tasks such as mobility assistance, psychiatric interruption behaviors, medical alerts, and grounding support. These dogs must remain calm, focused, and responsive in public places including stores, medical buildings, restaurants, and crowded spaces.
Professional service dog training typically includes public access preparation, task-based skill development, and handler education. Training timelines vary based on the dog's age, temperament, and the complexity of the required tasks, often taking several months or longer to reach dependable real-world performance.
Ethical service dog training prioritizes behavior, task reliability, and handler confidence rather than titles, registrations, or online certifications. The goal is a working team that can function safely and effectively in daily life. Training programs should always be tailored to the individual handler's needs and the dog's ability, not a one-size-fits-all timeline.
You'll gain the confidence to reinforce skills at home and in public.
Plus: Marion County, Greenwood, Avon, Brownsburg, and surrounding areas. In-home sessions, board & train options, and public access training are available.
📍 Serving Greater Indianapolis