At Domino Service Dogs (DSD), we empower individuals with disabilities to train their own life-saving service dogs. Over the course of our comprehensive two-year owner-trained program, you will attend weekly hands-on classes at our dedicated facility in Lakewood, CO, working side-by-side with experienced, certified professional trainers to build a reliable, life-changing working partnership.
Our structured curriculum guides you through every milestone—from foundational obedience and specialized task training to public access navigation and real-world environmental exposure—ensuring you and your dog develop deep trust, precise focus, and dependable skills.
We specialize in guiding handler-dog teams through the multi-stage training required to address specific disability needs. Every service dog's training plan is customized to perform practical, daily tasks that increase independence, mitigate symptoms, and enhance overall safety:
Hearing Assistance
Designed for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, this program trains dogs to serve as their handler's ears. Dogs learn to make direct physical contact—such as a gentle nose nudge, paw touch, or leg press—to alert their handler to specific sounds and lead them directly to the source. Trained tasks include:
Alerting to household sounds: doorbells, door knocks, kitchen timers, microwave/oven beeps, and running water or overflowing sinks.
Safety and emergency alerts: smoke detectors, carbon monoxide alarms, intruder alarms, and siren sounds.
Personal and environmental alerts: phone ringtones, alarm clocks, crying babies or dropped items, someone calling the handler’s name, or vehicles approaching from behind while walking outdoors.
Epilepsy & Seizure Alert / Response
Focused on safety, independence, and rapid assistance before, during, and after a seizure event. Trained tasks include:
Seizure Response: Activating dedicated medical alert buttons or foot-pedals to summon family or emergency services, bringing medication pouches, retrieving an emergency phone, or carrying a medical info card to bystanders.
Environmental Safety & Protection: Clearing hazardous or sharp objects away from the handler, positioning themselves under or beside the handler to break or cushion a fall, and staying continuously by the handler’s side during tonic-clonic episodes.
Post-Seizure Recovery: Performing Deep Pressure Therapy (DPT) to assist in regaining consciousness and reducing post-ictal recovery time, licking the handler's hands/face to speed grounding, and guiding a disoriented handler away from danger or back to a home/safe zone.
Natural Seizure Alerting: Identifying and shaping subtle, innate behavioral cues or physiological shifts prior to an oncoming seizure event to give handlers crucial advance warning to sit or lie down safely.
Mobility Support
Tailored to assist individuals with physical disabilities, movement disorders, paralysis, chronic pain, or severe balance limitations. Trained tasks include:
Precision Retrievals: Picking up small, dropped, or hard-to-reach items from any floor surface or shelf (keys, credit cards, coins, dropped leashes, pens, medication bottles, TV remotes, or clothing).
Accessibility & Environmental Controls: Opening and closing heavy doors, cabinets, refrigerators, and drawers using pull-straps; pressing automatic door push-buttons, handicap pads, and wall light switches.
Physical Assistance: Handing items to cashiers, carrying mail/groceries, pulling off socks, jackets, or gloves, pulling laundry from machines, and assisting with wheelchair or walker proximity.
Stability & Positioning: Providing steady counter-balancing or bracing during standing transitions, transfers from chairs/beds, sitting down, or navigating stairs and uneven terrain.
POTS & Dysautonomia
Tailored specifically for handlers managing Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) and autonomic nervous system dysfunction. Trained tasks include:
Physiological Alerts: Detecting subtle heart rate spikes, blood pressure drops, or hormonal changes prior to syncope (fainting) or severe dizziness, giving the handler early warning to sit or lay down in a safe position.
Fainting & Medical Response: Performing targeted Deep Pressure Therapy (DPT) on the handler's legs or torso to stimulate circulation, return blood flow to the brain, and accelerate recovery.
Emergency Retrieval: Retrieving water bottles, electrolyte drinks, sodium packs, cooling towels, or emergency medication bags from designated areas or nearby tables upon request or automatically during an episode.
Positional & Safety Support: Barking or pressing an emergency button for help if the handler is unconscious, bracing or cushioning the handler as they lower themselves to the ground, and retrieving a phone to call emergency contacts.
Psychiatric Support
Created for individuals navigating PTSD, severe anxiety disorders, panic disorders, traumatic brain injuries, or other psychiatric conditions. Trained tasks include:
Symptom & Distress Interruption: Nudging, pawing, or leaning to interrupt dissociation, hypervigilance, flashbacks, night terrors, panic attacks, or self-harming behaviors (like skin-picking or head-banging).
Deep Pressure Therapy (DPT) & Grounding: Applying targeted body weight across the handler's lap, chest, or legs to regulate the nervous system, lower heart rate, and anchor the handler in the present moment.
Spatial Buffering & Crowd Control: Position commands such as "Block" (standing perpendicular in front of the handler) or "Cover" (standing behind the handler) to create a comfortable, protective physical boundary in public spaces.
Navigation & Environmental Sweeps: Turning on room lights prior to the handler entering dark spaces, conducting room checks, and guiding a disoriented or panic-stricken handler through crowds to the nearest building exit or quiet safe space.
Our owner-trainer model is built on step-by-step progression, ongoing professional evaluation, and comprehensive community support to ensure long-term success:
Weekly In-Person Facility Classes
Held at our Lakewood center, these mandatory weekly group sessions provide structured learning, progressive skill development, and real-time feedback from professional trainers. You will master effective handler mechanics, leash handling, marking behaviors, and troubleshooting challenges in a controlled environment.
Public Access Coaching & Field Outings
Service dogs must maintain flawless focus and behavior in non-dog-friendly public settings. We conduct guided group training field trips to local stores, malls, public transit hubs, restaurants, and outdoor events throughout the Denver metro area to ensure your dog operates calmly, quietly, and confidently under Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines.
Positive, Evidence-Based Training Methods
We utilize force-free, reward-based training techniques grounded in modern canine behavior science. This humane approach fosters high enthusiasm for work, clear communication between handler and dog, and a resilient, stress-free working relationship.
Legal Rights, Self-Advocacy & Legal Education
Navigating life with a service dog requires a clear understanding of federal and state accessibility laws. We provide detailed education on your rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Fair Housing Act (FHA), Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), and Colorado state laws, empowering you with the knowledge to advocate for yourself and your dog confidently.
Peer Support & Community Alumni Network
Owner-training a service dog requires dedication, time, and patience. Our program connects you with a compassionate network of fellow owner-trainers who understand the daily realities of living with a disability. From shared class experiences to alumni support after graduation, you will never have to navigate the journey alone.
Visit & Contact UsDomino Service Dogs
1455 Newland St
Lakewood, CO 80214
Phone: 720-347-5979
Whether you are seeking to evaluate a prospective puppy candidate or ready to begin foundational training with an eligible dog, our team is here to support you.
Contact us today at 720-347-5979 or complete our application to take the first step toward working together.
