RIOS Canine Institute
Service Dogs

Service Dog Foundations

Assessment-led foundations for disability-mitigating work, including psychiatric service dogs

Individual plan after evaluationEvaluation-led recommendation
(520) 839-5124

We start with suitability, not a sales pitch. That means assessing the dog, talking through what the handler actually needs, and looking at the environments the team has to navigate together before we build a plan with checkpoints you can hold us to.

Psychiatric service dog teams go through the same process — task work for PTSD, anxiety, and related conditions gets the same rigor as mobility or medical-alert work, no shortcuts because the disability is less visible.

Who this is for

  • Handlers exploring whether their dog is suited to service work
  • Teams building reliable public-access foundations
  • Handlers who need coaching around a specific disability-mitigating task
  • Handlers pursuing psychiatric service dog tasking for PTSD, anxiety, or a related condition

What's included

  • Temperament and suitability assessment
  • Public-access foundation skills
  • Handler coaching and task foundations
  • Psychiatric service dog tasking (interruption, grounding, deep-pressure work)
  • Honest checkpoints with no certification guarantees

What you get

  • An honest suitability conversation
  • A staged training plan with measurable checkpoints
  • Owner education, homework, and transfer support throughout

Frequently asked questions

Can you certify my dog?
There is no federally recognized service-dog certification in the United States. We train and document skills, but we won't tell you every dog is cut out for this work.
Do you train psychiatric service dogs specifically?
Yes. Interruption, grounding, deep-pressure work for PTSD, anxiety, and related conditions — same suitability assessment and staged training as any other service dog task, never a lesser track.
How do I know whether my dog is a candidate?
It comes down to temperament, nerve strength, and trainability under real-world distraction. Public-access work is an extreme standard and not every dog is a fit. Tell us about your dog's background and we will give you a straight answer on candidacy before you commit to anything.
What happens if my dog is not suited to service work?
We tell you early, and we say why. That is the point of leading with suitability instead of a sales pitch. A dog that is not a service-work candidate is very often an excellent candidate for obedience or behavior work, and we would rather move you there than take money for a plan that was never going to land.
Do you guarantee my dog will pass public access?
No, and be careful with anyone who does. What you get is a staged plan with measurable checkpoints you can hold us to, and an honest assessment at each one. No format guarantees a specific behavior result.
Can you work with a dog I already own?
Yes. Most handlers we work with start with the dog they have. It begins with the same suitability assessment either way; the dog being yours already does not change the standard the work has to meet.

Other programs

Obedience & Behavior

Basic Obedience & Public Access

Calm, clear behavior where real life happens

Everyday obedience, leash skills, neutrality, and handler communication built for the home, neighborhood, patios, stores, and other dog-appropriate public spaces.

  • Reliable everyday cues
  • Loose-leash walking and settling
  • Neutrality around people and dogs
  • Owner homework and handler transfer
Knowledge guideLessons or Board & Train, based on evaluation
Read the training guide
(520) 839-5124
Family Protection

Family Protection & Security K9s

Five tiers, from a calm deterrent to a high-travel executive protection companion

Five tiers of protection training, from presence-based deterrence up to executive protection for a principal who travels. We evaluate every dog, yours or one we source, before agreeing to train it.

  • Five defined tiers, deterrent through executive protection
  • Every dog is temperament- and health-screened before we accept it
  • I'm personally involved in evaluation and selection at Tier 2 and above
  • All-inclusive sourcing available if you don't already have a candidate dog
  • A decoy and maintenance trainer lined up for every graduate
Knowledge guide6 to 12 weeks of training, depending on tier
Read the training guide
(520) 839-5124
Single & Dual Purpose

Working Breeds & Advanced Obedience

Give drive a clear, useful job

Advanced engagement, neutrality, control, and real-world reliability for high-drive dogs and handlers who want more than household basics.

  • Advanced obedience around pressure and distraction
  • Drive management and purposeful outlets
  • Neutrality, clarity, and reliable outs
  • Aligned Lessons, Hybrid, and Board & Train goal tracks with format-specific responsibilities
Knowledge guideLessons, Hybrid, or Board & Train
Read the training guide
(520) 839-5124
Single & Dual Purpose

Scent Work & Tracking

Purposeful mental work for capable dogs

Introductory scent games, odor work, tracking foundations, and advanced enrichment for owners who want a productive outlet beyond obedience.

  • Structured nose-work foundations
  • Tracking and search-pattern basics
  • Confidence and handler observation
  • A continuing outlet for high-drive dogs
Knowledge guideLessons, workshops, and continuing training
Read the training guide
(520) 839-5124
Obedience & Behavior

Puppy Foundations

Start the relationship off right

Early socialization, crate and potty routines, and the first building blocks of obedience for puppies just getting started.

  • Socialization and confidence building
  • Crate, potty, and household routines
  • Name recognition, sit, and basic recall
  • Bite inhibition and settling skills
Knowledge guide4–6 weeks, weekly sessions
Read the training guide
(520) 839-5124
Obedience & Behavior

Private / Handler Lessons

One-on-one coaching for you and your dog

In-person sessions focused on real-world obedience, leash manners, and handler skills so training holds up outside the training room.

  • Leash manners and loose-leash walking
  • Obedience commands built for daily life
  • Handler technique and communication
  • Flexible scheduling at your location or ours
Knowledge guide45–60 min per session
Read the training guide
(520) 839-5124
Obedience & Behavior

Board & Train

Immersive, structured training with our team

Your dog lives and trains with us — consistency, leadership, and off-leash reliability built through daily structured work, then transferred back to you.

  • Off-leash reliability and public-access manners
  • Daily structured training and consistency
  • Handler transfer sessions before pickup
  • Ongoing support after your dog comes home
Knowledge guide2–7 weeks, depending on the evaluated plan
Read the training guide
(520) 839-5124
Obedience & Behavior

Behavior Rehab

Assessment-led lessons for reactivity, fear, anxiety, and aggression

Assessment-led private lessons for dogs working through reactivity, fear, anxiety, or aggression, with boarding considered only for appropriate non-aggression cases.

  • Starts with a behavior assessment call
  • Customized lesson plan for reactivity, fear, anxiety, or aggression
  • Counter-conditioning and desensitization work
  • Close coordination with you throughout
Knowledge guideVaries by case; private lessons begin after assessment
Read the training guide
(520) 839-5124

Want to know whether Service Dog Foundations is the right fit?

(520) 839-5124