Assistance Dogs, Therapy Dogs, Obedience Dogs, Bedbug detection, Obedience

Our passion for training dogs is unmatched as is our belief that trained dogs have immeasurable uses.

About Us

Paradise Dog Training specializes in the training and placement of Certified Assistance Dogs and Certified Facility & Therapy Dogs throughout the state of Michigan.

These dogs help those with disabilities live normal lives and are useful in many settings such as hospitals, schools, business places, and at home.

With more than 30 years of experience in dog training our trainers hold Individual certifications in specific training categories as well as working in public community settings to ensure a great fit for the dog and owner. Our team is passionate about their work, and employs positive reinforcement training methods.

Diabetic Alert Dogs

When a family member has diabetes, it feels like you can never stop thinking about them. You are not alone. Most families worry that their diabetic will be unable to lead an independent life. A properly trained Diabetic Alert Dog allows families to relax a little more each day as it grows to know your diabetic’s signs and smells, granting greater freedom and allowing them to lead a fulfilling life.

Paradise Dog Training trains medial Alert dogs for older children and adults who are insulin-dependent Type 1 Diabetics. These dogs for diabetics are trained to utilize their naturally superior sense of smell to react to drops and increases in insulin levels in real time. When a diabetic experience a high or low, the body releases chemicals that change the scent of secretions and liquids it produces. Though these are unnoticeable to the human nose, service dogs have little difficulty. What the right dog lacks is an advanced level of training. Properly trained scent dogs have been shown to have 85-90% accuracy in the environments for which they are trained. For Diabetic Alert Dogs these environments include at home, in public, and nighttime Responding. Each dog is unique and may have different strengths and weaknesses. PDT evaluates the dog to ensure it has the right temperament to be a reliable scent dog and helps the owner to grow together with the dog.

Facility Therapy Dogs

Paradise Dog Training has successfully placed therapy and facility dogs in various health care facilities and educational environments all over Michigan. These dogs help encourage patients and students with calming demeanors, calming sick or upset patients and children, and helping with reading attentive ears. Their loveable presence can help alleviate stress, concern, and anxiety that is often instilled in the hospital and school atmospheres. Each dog is individually trained to suit each facility’s specific needs. PDT is one of the first in the Nation to place Therapy dogs in facilities such as schools and hospitals where the facility actually owns the dog. In addition to training the dog we assist in training the volunteer handlers, choose the Host Home & help set up the program. One of our most successful programs has been placing numerous Therapy dogs in The Ascension St. John Health Care System. If you have been to an Ascension St. John Facility you have probably met one of our dogs. We have also trained and placed several Facility Therapy Dogs in Henry Ford Hospital in West Bloomfield as well as many public school systems about Southeast Michigan .

Assistance Dogs

What is a service dog?

First, the Americans with Disabilities Act defines a service animal as “Service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of this definition. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the handler´s disability. Examples of work or tasks include, but are not limited to, assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation and other tasks, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds, providing non-violent protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, assisting an individual during a seizure, alerting individuals to the presence of allergens, retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone, providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities, and helping persons with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors. The crime deterrent effects of an animal´s presence and the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition.”

However, there is much more to know about service dogs than the legal definition.

A service dog is a dog that receives extensive training to perform a job which mitigates his or her handler’s specific disability. The relationship between a service dog and his or her handler is commonly referred to as a partnership or a team. The two work together to achieve what, in many cases, was previously impossible for the handler to do independently.

There are many terms used to refer to these dogs, including generic terminology like “assistance”, “working,” and “helper” dogs; and titles that are specific to the types of jobs these dogs perform, like “guide,” “signal,” “medical alert,” “psychiatric service” dogs, etc. While the wording may vary from one team to the next, they are all service dogs. Many individuals associate the term, “service dog,” with guide dogs that assist the visually impaired, and sometimes with assistance dogs that help physically disabled people in wheelchairs. While these are among the most identifiable types of service dogs, there are several other jobs that service dogs perform that are just as important and just as life-changing to their handlers.

Service dogs come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and breeds. Some of the most common breeds associated with service work are Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and German Shepherd Dogs. However, other breeds like Standard Poodles, Papillons, Doberman Pinschers, Australian Shepherds, Boxers, Australian Cattle Dogs and Border Collies are gaining in popularity as service dogs. Each breed has its own unique characteristics that make a dog more likely to meet the needs of a handler with a particular disability.

Just as there is a wide variety of service dogs, there is a far wider variety of disabilities. Not all disabilities are immediately apparent to others. Such conditions are commonly referred to as invisible disabilities. Service dogs assist people with invisible disabilities just as much as they do for those with more recognizable disabilities. Whether the dog is guiding a visually impaired person, picking up a dropped item, alerting to an impending panic attack or doing any other work, the service dog has a very important job and is improving the quality of his or her handler’s life.

How our Assistance Dog program works

At Paradise Dog Training we train Assistance dogs for all sorts of disabilities other than visually impaired including Diabetic alert dogs and Hearing impaired dogs.

We typically use Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers due to their temperament.

If you are looking into having a dog trained to be your Service Dog we feel that it is best to let us provide the dog as it takes a very special dog to do this kind of work. Also, there are a lot of things to consider when matching a dog with a client.

Paradise Dog Training has a Foster Puppy program that raises our puppies until they are old enough to come in for training.

Usually 16-18 months old. They will spend the next 7-8 months in training at our facility before going to their new home. Once the dog is placed one of our Field trainers will spend 3-4 months working with the client and dog, teaching the dog to work with their new person in their new home.. Our company specializes in both onsite and offsite group dog training programs and individually focused dog training programs for use in these environments.

Bedbug Detection

Paradise Dog Training is a leader in bed bug canine detection. Our program has two areas: 1) actual detection; and 2) providing trained dogs for reputable handlers. As a detection service, our dogs will discreetly sniff out the scent. The Handler visually confirms the infestation and marks the area for a certified pest control operator to decontaminate the area. This service is confidential, minimally disruptive, non-threatening (no harsh chemicals) and quickly completed.

PDT also trains and places dogs with handlers for detection service. Typically the Handler works closely with a pest control service to rid homes, private and public areas of the bed bug.

They are currently running four dogs to meet demands. Rock Star Rudy, Cross Eyed Willy, Jill and Jazzy. All Labrador Retrievers

Lori, and Jack are certified through Wayne Booth’s K9 University & are members of the North American Canine Pest Inspectors where they certify once a year. They also continually train with one of the top scent detection trainers in the Country.

Lori and Jack are available by appointment to search your house or company building for bed bugs (cost is based on the size of the facility and length of time it takes the dogs to search it). In addition, the two of them also train and place dogs with handlers for their own bed bug businesses. . The cost to receive one of the trained bed bug sniffing dogs is $10,000 – $12,000 depending on the initial cost of acquiring the dog before training. For more information on purchasing a bed bug detection dog, or to find out more about Lori and Jack’s services, please email them at lgrigg@paradise-dogtraining.com or jack@paradise-dogtraining.com

Staff

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Lori Grigg

Lori is the founder and director of Paradise Dog Training. She has over 30 years of experience training assistance and hearing dogs, and over 40 years of experience as an obedience instructor. In addition to training dogs for individuals, Lori has also successfully developed programs for schools and hospitals, as well as placing numerous dogs in these facilities. Lori graduated as a certified Dog Trainer through the Penn Foster Career School.

Lori is available for obedience classes, private lessons, facility program design, meet & greets, and other events. You can email Lori at lgrigg@paradise-dogtraining.com

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Jack Grigg

Jack is co-Founder and Assistant Director of Paradise Dog Training. His responsibilities include assisting in acquiring and training assistance dogs for clients with special needs, training Diabetic Alert & bed bug detection dogs thru scent detection training. He also has over 30 years of experience in assisting with teaching household obedience class in various locations throughout Livingston & Oakland County and has placed CGC & TDI titles on numerous Assistance & Therapy dogs prior to placement. He also heads up the H.R. and and I.T. departments as well as Billing & Accounting and Maintenance Dept. Jack is also a AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator. Jack can be reached by email at Jack@paradise-dogtraining.com

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Scott Dingwall

“RIP 1/6/87 – 1/17/17, STILL LOVED, STILL MISSED”

I will have been performing dog training for three years now this April. It has been a wonderful and worthwhile adventure. I have enjoyed all of the dogs that I have worked with since I have been a part of Paradise Dog Training. The part that I enjoy the most is working with all different kinds of dogs that I have met. I’ve worked with Golden Retrievers, Portuguese Water Dogs, Basset Hounds, Schnauzers, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Newfoundlands and Labrador Retrievers.

I have also enjoyed socializing the dogs. I train the dogs for them to feel comfortable in public and to assist clients that I’m working with. When I see them go off to do their job is when I get the feeling of completion, and I say, “Hey, that’s mine!” Besides training the dogs to socialize, I also train them to do tasks such as retrieving, recalls and scent training.

I also enjoy that part of my job. Another part I enjoy about my job is going to dog Expos, attending our other dog events, and doing public speaking about what I do for Paradise Dog Training and how I became interested in being a dog trainer. I can’t see myself having any other job but this one. Working with animals is something I’ve always wanted to do. I also have many interesting hobbies: singing, acting, going to movies and having fun

Jennifer DuRocher

Jennifer has been involved in some type of dog training and competition since 1990 always with Retrievers. She started with Labradors, but once a Golden joined the pack, she was con-verted ! Jennifer has been training service dogs since the early 1990’s. She started as the foster puppy coordinator at paws with a cause and moved into client services, while also working as a field instructor and dog trainer, so she has extensive experience in all aspects of the service dog arena. She has trained dogs in all aspects of service dog work; including brace and mobility, hearing, diabetic response , autism response and facility support. She has been an approved NAFA flyball judge since 1990. She also instructs Agility and Obedience classes at two of the premier training facilities in SE Michigan. Her dogs have qualified for the AKC Agility Nationals every year that they have been eligible to compete as well as qualifying for the AKC Invitational in both Obedience and Agility. Heads Up Red Zinger, Zinga, won the preferred Agility at the 2015 Golden Re-triever National Specialty and went on to finish 5th that same year at the Invitational in the very competitive 20" class. Her current Agility partners are MACH 5 Heads Up Shine on Crzy Diamond, who is currently in the GRCA top 20 Agility Rankings and her young dog, Wynwood's Stori of My Life, is working on completing her Agility Championship. She has put 15 Master Championship titles on five dogs in multiple venues as well as con-sistently being ranked in the Agility Top 20 for Golden Retrievers, and all of her dogs are in the GR Agility Dog Hall of Fame. Jennifer has competed in obedience, where she has two OTCH titled dogs with multiple High In Trials and High Combined's as well as achieving advanced Obedience and Rally titles. She is also involved with field work, where she will be starting to campaign her young dog, Stori for her Master Hunter ti-tle.

Lynn Hoekstra

Lynn came to PDT in 2021 with over 30 years experience training Assistance Dogs and Facility Therapy Dogs. She has also competed in Obedience trials as well as instructed obedience classes. Prior to joining Paradise Dog Training she was regional Director for a large national Assistance Dog program. She also helped develop and administer the accreditation program for Assistance Dog International. Since retiring Lynn enjoys working with Paradise Dog Training and spending time with a lot of dogs and a few horses.

Sgt David Denhardt U.S. Army Ret

David (AKA David the whelper) came to Paradise Dog Training in 2013 in search of an Assistance Dog after being wounded in combat while in Afghanistan. We ended up placing Tank, a Golden Retriever with Dave and since then David and his lovely family have not gone away. Since then David and his family have fostered numerous puppies and even whelped a couple litters . He has done such a phenomenal job with our Foster program that we have brought him on as one of our field trainers. David is now on his second Assistance dog with us since loosing Tank in 2021.

CATHY KIRBACH

Cathy came to PDT in 2022 with more than 30 years of experience in Client Services, over 10 years of dog training experience and 10 years of experience training and running her own bed bug detection dogs. When PDT places a Therapy Dog with a school, Cathy is one of the people we use to train the school’s new handlers in how best to work with their new dog. She always has the dog’s best interest at heart, so she also monitors and assists the dog in making a smooth transition to the school. Cathy is also our Company photographer, taking photos of our dogs and posting them on our Facebook page.