Paws 4 Life

Obedience classes are offered at basic, intermediate, and advanced levels, moving from manners and foundation commands up through drills, distraction work, and airport-style training before a dog can advance to the service dog ring.

Canine Good Citizen, Urban CGC, and Advanced Urban CGC testing are offered with in-house certified evaluators, ahead of a dog’s entry into the service dog program.

Service dogs go through an 18 month training program that includes group training, tasks work, and real-world distraction exposure with local Fire, Police, Sheriff, and water and horse encounters, plus public demonstrations at schools and events. Therapy dog training and miniature pony service animal training are also offered.

Pricing Summary

Classes run on a suggested donation basis: $5.00 per one hour class and $10.00 per private lesson. CGC testing asks for a $10.00 donation to cover American Kennel Club paperwork costs. Annual membership, which includes phone consultations and event participation, is $25.00.

Policies

To start the dog training program, owners must submit proof of their dog’s vaccinations and spay or neuter status before receiving orientation night details, which is held the evening before each new class cycle begins. Dogs entering the service dog program must be microchipped. Classes run in six week cycles, with progression testing during the final week required to advance to the next class ring.

Paws 4 Life is a nonprofit, volunteer-run organization that provides dog obedience training and service dog training to families in the East Valley of Arizona. They have operated since 2007 and hold classes at the Apache Greyhound Park in Apache Junction.

Training runs through basic, intermediate, and advanced obedience levels in six week class cycles, with an orientation session recommended before a dog’s first class. Advanced students and service dog candidates work on distraction training around airports, schools, and events, with support from local Fire, Police, and Sheriff departments.

The organization also offers Canine Good Citizen and Urban CGC testing, therapy dog training, and an 18 month service dog program that ends with registration through a statewide service dog registry. Miniature pony service animal training is available as well. Out of state dog owners can follow along with training concepts through videos posted on the site.

Because every trainer is a volunteer and the group is a registered nonprofit, classes are offered on a donation basis rather than set commercial pricing. Paws 4 Life also runs a student volunteer apprenticeship program and the Deano Brandt Scholarship for students headed into animal care careers, giving the organization deep roots in the local community.

Accomplishments

Paws 4 Life has been a 501(c)(3) nonprofit since 2007 and is run entirely by volunteer trainers, with no paid staff. The organization partners with Williams Gateway to train service dogs for TSA checks, boarding and exiting planes, luggage exposure, and airport crowds, and its dogs demonstrate their skills at local schools and events. It also runs a student volunteer apprenticeship program and awards the Deano Brandt Scholarship to students pursuing animal husbandry studies.

How to Get Started!

New clients start by submitting the dog training application along with proof of their dog’s shots and spay or neuter status, then call one of the listed phone numbers for orientation details before their first class.