Canine Service Pals | Service Dog Training Pittsburgh

Service Dog Training

Canine Service Pals training starts in early puppy hood for our dogs. It is very important to start socializing and basic training for our puppies at a young age to ensure their success. Every pup goes through a very in depth evaluation around 6 months of age to be sure they are a proper fit for our program.

CSP pups live with a puppy raiser off and on for the first year of their life. Our Puppy Raisers are a crucial part of the training process to teach our dogs house manners and basic obedience skills. Puppy Raisers are required to bring their pup to bi weekly training classes at Canine Service Pals facility in Coraopolis, PA. However they have no financial responsibility for the pup being that CSP provides all food, veterinary care, and grooming needs. (If you are interested in becoming a puppy raiser click on the link for our agreement below or contact us!)

Puppy Raiser Agreement

After roughly one year, the dog will then leave the puppy raisers home and come to our facility for intense training. This is where we teach specialized skills and do public training. After a few months of specialized training the dog will then be ready to be placed!

Our chosen applicants must be very dedicated and attend required training as well as pass required quotas before being granted a CSP dog. Once an applicant has been chosen they will come to CSP's facility for a meet and greet with our dogs. After a meet and greet, CSP will pick a dog we feel is best for and most going to benefit the individuals needs. After the meet and greet and the dog has been chosen, the real work begins!

The applicant will be required to attend a training session once a week for one month. This is where we will teach them proper handing, commands, etc. After the first month they must come to daily training sessions for one week. This is where we will go into public settings and practice specific behaviors. After the week is complete they will then take the dog home. CSP will come to their home the first 3 days to be sure the dog is adjusting appropriately and performing their job adequately. CSP will then follow up once a month for 3 months and then annually after that. Follow ups are mandatory. CSP will help additionally with any training issues if needed. We want to ensure our dogs and applicants success! (If you are interested in applying for one of our dogs please click on the application link below!)

Client Application

Our Trainer, Dan Grachen, biggest passion in life is training dogs and helping dog owners. I grew up with dogs and have always been fascinated with how they learn and their endless capabilities.

I was born and raised in Pittsburgh and started working in the dog training field in 2008. Since I began working with dogs I have learned a great deal about their behavior and training. I am certified as a professional dog trainer through the Council Of Professional Dog Trainers and regularly attend seminars and classes to keep up with new training methods. I have worked with dogs in many different fields of training including basic obedience, behavior modification, agility, service dog work, dock diving, and bird dog training.

Education and Certifications: