Atlas Assistance Dogs believes that anyone who would benefit from a qualified assistance dog should be able to have one. To that end, they are an organization that helps disabled dog guardians* to train and certify** their own service dog.

At DBI, we feel strongly about the important work that Atlas Assistance Dogs is doing to help ensure that service dogs are accessible for people who would benefit from them. We have been so impressed with how aligned we are in terms of values and are delighted to have become Certified Team Facilitators this spring (2024).

*We recognize that many practitioners use “person-first” language (i.e., “people with disabilities), and many disabled people use “identity-first” language (i.e., “disabled people), though this varies across individuals. Our practice is to always use the language that someone identifies for themselves.

**Note that legally there is no requirement for service dogs to be certified within the United States. However, it can be beneficial for service dog handlers to have documentation to show that their dogs have been formally assessed for their service work. You can read more about this here.

What do Team Facilitators do?

We work with you and your dog as Atlas clients for nine months to help you teach your dog public access and disability mitigating tasks, helping you build your confidence as a service dog handler. When you’ve completed the program with your dog you will be an Atlas Certified Team.

How can I become an Atlas Client?

Atlas has a number of different programs depending on where you are in the process. There are programs for folks who just got a puppy, who have an adolescent dog, are looking for specialty training, or are ready to work with an Atlas Certified Trainer or Team Facilitator. Click the button below to learn more about Atlas program offerings and determine the best fit for you.