When Aaron told us he was going to take her to Home Depot, parks, and places where she was going to see lots of people and other dogs, I was skeptical. We have used more trainers than I can count...
Service Dog Training in the St. Louis Metro East
Task and public-access training, led by a disabled Army veteran. A straight answer on whether your dog is a candidate, one trainer start to finish.
You want a trainer who has depended on a dog in public.
If you are a veteran weighing a service dog, you want someone who has been there. Aaron Marmon is a disabled U.S. Army veteran, 82nd Airborne, with 11 years training dogs. He knows what it takes to depend on a dog in public, under pressure.
Service dog work runs the same way as every dog: one trainer start to finish, a short daily video recap, a hands-on handoff so it holds at home. The difference is the bar. The work has to be reliable in the real world, not just a living room.
Do you train service dogs?
Marmon Family Dog Training does train service dogs, focused on task training and public-access foundation work. Aaron Marmon is a disabled U.S. Army veteran from the 82nd Airborne with 11 years of experience. He does not certify dogs or claim ADI accreditation. Candidacy and the honest path forward are worked out in a free phone consultation.
What does public-access training involve?
Public-access training teaches a service dog to work calmly in real environments: stores, restaurants, sidewalks, crowds, and vehicles, ignoring distractions and holding position while its handler focuses on daily life. Marmon Family Dog Training proofs this the same way Aaron trains every dog, in the actual places you go, not a quiet practice room.
What service dog training covers
- Task training. Specific, repeatable tasks tied to a real need, trained until the dog does them reliably.
- Public-access foundation. Calm, focused behavior in stores, restaurants, crowds, and vehicles, with distractions all around.
- Real-world proofing. The work is tested in the actual places you go, the same way Aaron proofed Bishop the Weimaraner in Home Depot and Busch Stadium.
- A short daily video recap. You see exactly what your dog is learning and how to handle it yourself.
- Hands-on handoff and follow-up. Aaron hands the dog back to you in person and stays available so the training holds at home.
- An honest assessment first. If your dog is not a candidate for the work, Aaron will tell you before you spend a dollar.
Who is a good candidate for a service dog?
A good service dog candidate is calm under pressure, healthy, biddable, and steady around noise, strangers, and other dogs. Not every dog is suited to the work, and Aaron will tell you straight. Marmon Family Dog Training assesses temperament and drive in a free phone consultation before recommending task training or another path.
An honest word on certification
According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s ADA guidance, service animals are not required to be professionally certified or registered, and there is no federal license that makes a dog a service dog. Marmon Family Dog Training does not certify service dogs or claim ADI accreditation. What Aaron trains is the part that actually matters: reliable tasks and a solid public-access foundation. Whether a service dog is the right call for your situation is a straight, no-pressure conversation, and Aaron has it with you in the free phone consultation before any training starts.
Source: ADA.gov, Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADA.
Trained where it counts, out in the world.
Real-world behavior is not a claim, it is something you watch happen. Here is what Metro East owners saw.
Great trainer! Jaxson is one of the best behaved German Shepherds I’ve ever seen since working with Aaron. Thank you for the hard work, it paid off in Spades!
Thanks to your help training Aina, we have been able to take her into the woods off leash for a walk and have been able to call her off squirrels.
Other training at Marmon Family Dog Training
Your dog stays and trains
Your dog lives and works with Aaron for a set stretch, then comes home with the foundation and public-access work already built in. A daily video.
Board & trainOne-on-one at your home
Aaron works with you and your dog where the problems actually happen, and hands you the tips and tricks to keep building on the training.
Private trainingCommon questions
Do you certify service dogs or offer ADI-certified training?
Do you train service dogs for veterans?
Can you train my own dog to be a service dog?
How long does service dog training take?
Do you serve Illinois and the St. Louis area for service dog training?
Thinking about a service dog? Let’s talk it through.
Start with a free phone consultation. Aaron gives you an honest read on whether your dog is a candidate and how the training runs. Veteran to veteran, no sales pitch.
★★★★★ 5.0 from 42 Google reviews