Ian CheesemanMy cousin recently asked if I knew any good dog training spots in the city, so I sent her a list of Toronto’s best dog trainers. A few minutes later, she messaged me back—she meant service dog training.
Turns out, her coworker is living with a medical condition and needed a fully trained service dog to help with daily tasks.
After that mix-up, I decided to dig a little deeper to find the best of the best when it comes to service dog training in Toronto. So here’s my curated list of pros that local service dog owners totally trust.
How much does service dog training cost in Toronto?
Service dog training in Toronto costs $100 to $300 per hour, with weekly sessions spanning several months to a few years. This adds up to an average total of $10,000 to $25,000 and up.
The final cost depends on the dog’s needs, the trainer’s expertise, and whether you choose owner-assisted or full-service programs. Some organizations may also offer financial aid or fundraising support to help with expenses.
1. Canine Partners Canada
Business Address: Guelph
Website: https://caninepartnerscanada.ca/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caninepartnerscanada/
Contact Details: (437) 992-8282
Business Hours: Depends on the program
Canine Partners Canada was founded by Amanda Lombardo, a certified service and therapy dog trainer, as well as a behavior modification expert.
Her company works with a wide range of disabilities, training service dogs for autism support, migraine and mobility assistance, psychiatric service, seizure alert, and more.
And we like how customized their training is. From temperament testing and early puppy socialization to advanced task training in adulthood, they cover the full spectrum.
Another great offering is their owner-assisted program, where you can be hands-on in your dog’s service training journey. A trainer works alongside you, teaching you how to build a strong working relationship with your dog.
One possible downside is their limited availability. Because the training is so personalized and thorough, there may be a waitlist or limited openings at times.
I see such a huge improvement in my and Luma’s skills
“Amanda has been amazing to work with, and both my service dog Luma and I love working with her. She helped me pick Luma out from her litter through temperament testing and took Luma in as a four-month board and train, where Luma was well-loved and cared for by Amanda. I see such a huge improvement in both my and Luma’s skills thanks to Amanda. I would absolutely recommend Canine Partners Canada to anyone looking for a service dog.”
Avery “Ave” Nickerson, Google Review
Really cares for the dogs she trains and the clients
“We are working with Amanda. She is walking us through the journey of training my daughter’s future service dog, Luna. She is an amazing, smart, and compassionate young woman. She really cares for the dogs she trains and the clients. She has been such a blessing for my daughter, our dog Luna, and me. I feel really blessed to have been connected with her for this journey. Thank you so much for the dogs that you train.”
Crystal F, Google Review
2. Imagine Dog Training
Business Address: Toronto
Website: https://imaginedogtraining.ca/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imaginedogtraining/p/C7xW3uvNCh2/
Contact Details: (416) 455-9630
Business Hours: Mon – Sun: Open 24 hours
Imagine Dog Training’s philosophy is built around making your dog smarter, attentive, enjoyable, and responsive—just as you imagined them to be (hence the name).
In their Psychiatric Service Dog Program, your dog will be trained to perform deep-pressure therapy. He or she will also learn how to retrieve your phone or medication and remind you about appointments.
One-on-one private consultations and access to over 85 teaching games are included.
And each month, the program focuses on one of 15 key behaviors, including everything from focus, calmness, and confidence to waiting, stationing, and blocking.
We also appreciate their online resource portal full of video demonstrations, so you can see exactly how training is supposed to look. This is helpful if you want to reinforce a specific lesson.
However, some clients have mentioned their steep prices—an important consideration.
Started seeing changes in our dog’s behaviour right away
“A friend from the dog park strongly recommended that we ask Carina for some help with our over-excitable dog. I’m so glad she did. Carina has been a life (dog) saver. From the beginning, she took time to get to know our dog and us, and quickly understood the issues and the objective. She designed a step-by-step program that addresses our dog’s challenges and that, equally, works for us. We started seeing changes in our dog’s behaviour right away, and we are confident that over time, Carina will manage to solve everything. Our dog loves Carina and has been having fun with the training exercises that Carina has devised. Carina makes the training a happy experience for all of us. She is a pleasure to work with, and we’ve been recommending Carina to our friends with dogs.”
Scott Feltman, Google Review
Helped our Bear get a service dog certification
“I met with Carina to see if she could assist me in getting my 9-year-old dog, Bear, certified as my Service Dog who already performs services for me & is very well behaved. Carina gave me lots of great advice & guidance & required me to provide several videos to prove Bear is worthy of Service Dog certification. Without her support & knowledge, we could not have achieved our goal. I can’t thank her enough!”
Laurie Mountford, Google Review
3. Born 2B Wild Canine Academy
Business Address: Toronto
Website: https://born2bwild.ca/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/born2bwild.ca/
Contact Details: (416) 903-9122
Business Hours: Mon – Sun: 10 AM – 8 PM
Born 2B Wild Canine Academy is run by Laura Cavallin, an author, lead trainer, and canine behaviorist. She brings over 20 years of hands-on experience in feral dog behaviour and reactive rehabilitation.
We like that she has worked with everything from rescue dogs to exotic animals like lions, leopards, monkeys, and even giraffes in Canada, the U.S., and Thailand.
Her company takes a customized and results-driven approach. For instance, their medical assistance dog training is tailored to fit your body, lifestyle, and specific needs.
And they also integrate behavioral expertise into the training. They’ll be able to deal with dogs showing anxiety, reactivity, or other challenging behaviors.
A free assessment is offered, which is a great, low-risk way to start.
One thing to look out for—we’ve heard concerns of unprofessional behavior during sessions.
Experience with Laura was nothing short of phenomenal
“Absolutely unbelievable! Our experience with Laura was nothing short of phenomenal. Truly a highly skilled professional! She breaks everything down in ways you can truly digest & understand, and that makes all the difference! Our highly anxious dog walks turned into a completely different walk within minutes. It’s obvious that she really cares about her work, and she is 100% in it at all times. Laura recommended amazing tools to assist in our situation, and it’s given us a lot of hope. We look forward to continue building proper skills and expanding our knowledge based on this experience. This was more than a 10/10, and if you’re at all on the fence… contact her today and thank me later.”
Jessica Lajner, Google Review
Helped us establish an amazing relationship with our dog
“Laura is such a phenomenal trainer, working with us after we adopted a 3-year-old Aussie with reactivity to other dogs in his new home downtown Toronto. Laura’s training style has worked so effectively and has really helped us establish an amazing relationship with our dog as he adjusts to his new home. I will be giving Laura a call again for any training we might need in the future. Highly recommend Born2BWild!”
Emma Patterson, Google Review
4. Alliance Service Dogs
Business Address: 32 Sousa Mendes St
Website: https://allianceservicedogs.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alliance.service.dogs
Contact Details: https://allianceservicedogs.com/contact-us
Business Hours: Depends on arrangement
Alliance Service Dogs was founded by Claire, who has been working with dogs since 2015. She holds a CPDT-KA certification and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Concordia University.
Her company helps individuals with disabilities train their own service dogs. Their programs cover mobility assistance, psychiatric support, hearing alerts, scent-based medical alerts, and multipurpose service dogs.
Their Day Training option is pretty unique—an instructor picks up your dog and takes them on a customized training session. Each session could last from 1 to 3 hours.
Private weekly and bi-weekly lessons are available, as well as budget-friendly group classes, in a private space. Both cover practical skills in real-world environments.
Sadly, we heard about a lack of program customization. Before committing, you might want to ask detailed questions about their training path.
She is a great trainer and works 100% at your pace
“Claire is patient, knowledgeable, and funny. She is a great trainer and works 100% at your pace. She’s willing to change lessons if you ask, go back and cover old stuff, or really anything you need. Highly recommend her and her business!”
elliot andrew, Google Review
Uses effective and ethical training methods
“I have been with Alliance for almost a year now, and I cannot say enough good things about them! When I first joined, I wasn’t even sure my dog Ruby had what it takes to be a service dog, but thanks to the guidance of Claire and Ari, she is now working full-time and even coming with me to college. Alliance uses effective and ethical training methods for both the dog and the handler, and customizes our training plan to fit my training abilities and Ruby‘s individual learning needs. Thank you so much to all the amazing people (and dogs) at Alliance for giving Ruby the skills needed to help me live my life to the fullest!”
Sarah R, Google Review
5. National Service Dogs
Business Address: 1286 Cedar Creek Rd, Cambridge
Website: https://nsd.on.ca/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natlservicedogs/
Contact Details: (519) 623-4188
Business Hours: Mon – Fri: 8 AM – 5 PM
As a non-profit, National Service Dogs’ mission is to help people reach their full potential by pairing them with carefully trained service dogs.
NSD is known for its Service Dogs for Autism program. They help train Labradors and Golden Retrievers to assist autistic children and their families by increasing safety, improving social skills, and managing behavior outbursts.
They also train Service Dogs for PTSD, working closely with veterans and first responders. Dogs will learn how to reduce hypervigilance, offer reality checks during distress, and encourage handlers to stay active.
A cool bonus is that they offer Skilled Companion Dogs, which go through a similar training to service dogs. These dogs are placed with children with a range of disabilities.
Just remember that slots tend to fill up quickly, so it’s smart to sign up right away.
Amazing foundation, as well as the people that run it
“Amazing foundation as well as the people that run it. Assisting in raising a puppy has been a great experience, and hearing about them being placed/helping a family in need makes it all worth the effort put in.”
Jacob Malcolmson, Google Review
Changing lives one dog at a time
“What an amazing organization that is changing lives one dog at a time.”
Marti Wisniewski, Google Review
