It’s this right here. The connection. The time you spend just being with your dog. These moments aren’t separate from training—they’re a huge part of it. When you take time in between sessions to get on the floor, love on your dog, play a little, or just give them your full attention… you’re building something way bigger than a behavior. You’re building trust, you’re building engagement. You’re becoming their favorite place to be! And when you pair that kind of connection with your actual training sessions—whether you’re working on desensitization, obedience, or a specific task—it changes everything. Training becomes more rewarding. More valuable. More fun for the dog. Because now it’s not just “do the thing.” It’s: 👉 do the thing 👉 get rewarded 👉 AND spend time with your favorite person That combination is what makes dogs love the training game! So yes… the bonding moments? They’re the best part for us. But they matter just as much—if not more—for them. 💛🐾

One of our recently graduated ASA Service Dog teams put this video together as part of a feature with WebMD!! 🐕‍🦺 Nurse Joy ✨ the precious poodle in pink showing off her service dog tasks, public access skills, and the incredible bond this team has developed through consistent communication and training 🐾 Thank you for sharing your adventures, Stepho and Joy Joy!!

✂️🐕‍🦺 Grooming prep starts LONG before the actual grooming appointment. One of the ways we help prepare future service dogs for grooming is through early desensitization to the sounds, sights, vibrations, and handling involved in the grooming process. In this video, we’re introducing a puppy to an electric toothbrush while it’s turned OFF first. The toothbrush safely mimics grooming clippers and helps puppies begin building positive associations with grooming equipment. The goal right now isn’t perfection — it’s confidence. 🙌 ✔️ Let them investigate ✔️ Mark and reward calm curiosity ✔️ No pressure ✔️ No forcing We want puppies learning: 🐶 “Weird objects predict good things.” This kind of foundation work helps create dogs that are more relaxed during grooming, vet care, handling, and everyday life experiences later on. For service dogs especially, cooperative care and confidence around handling is a HUGE skill set to build early. 🐕‍🦺

Wishing you a day filled with joy, love, and some quality time with your pups! What are you and/or your doggos up to today?! 🐾

We’re so excited to officially share something we’ve been working on behind the scenes… In addition to our highly trained service dogs, ASA Service Dogs is now offering fully trained Service Goats. Yes—you read that right. Service goats bring a unique set of skills to the table, including: • Natural terrain stability and balance support 🏔️ • Gentle grounding presence • Highly motivated food-driven task work (seriously… very motivated) • And of course… unmatched personality Our team has been carefully developing this program to expand accessibility and provide alternative options for individuals who may benefit from a different type of working partner. We are currently accepting a limited number of applications for our first group of Service Goat placements. More details coming soon! … APRIL FOOLS 😂🐐 We’ll stick to the dogs—but you’ve gotta admit… a service goat would be pretty great 😆