I am so very grateful for the outside certification program at Canine Support Teams, because I value the ADI standard, the ability to build a strong relationship with my Service Dog from puppyhood, and the respectful, kind, and thoughtful communication style CST employs. My journey in training Emmy for my second Mobility Service Dog began when she was eight weeks old. She arrived from a breeder who places 40-50% of their puppies into Service Dog roles, and prior to seeking ADI, I had training support from multiple sources including my experience from working with my first Mobility Service Dog. From the very beginning with Emmy, I wanted to achieve the ADI standard and acquire certification for international travel. But finding an ADI where I felt supported and nurtured in my goals and training style proved to be more difficult than I could have ever imagined. Initially, Emmy and I joined another ADI program that ultimately proved to be out of alignment with our goals and training style. In spite of that disappointment, I did not give up my dream of achieving ADI, and in time, discovered Canine Support Teams' program. I was forthcoming about our previous ADI experience and commitment to a 100% reward-based training style. I was excited to meet them, but privately, I was still finding it difficult to trust another organization with our energy, money, and time. Thankfully, I quickly realized during our first meeting that the people at CST is what makes their program so very special. From the initial conversation with me and formal temperament test they performed with Emmy, to our base-line PAT at the local pet supply, their sincere kindness was apparent, and I felt my tension and uncertainty ease into the knowing that I had found a safe place to grow with my dog. On entry to the program, I received a structured, yet personalized, six-month training plan. I greatly appreciated the formality and structure, because unlike our first ADI experience, Canine Support Teams' professionalism was apparent in every aspect of their behavior and program. We were paired with Genevieve as our lead trainer, and throughout our program, I was continually impressed by Genevieve's mindfulness and care to maintain a safe space for Emmy and me to continue to grow. The compassion, thoughtfulness, and talent with which she approached our sessions really blew me away. Her kindness and understanding of my specific task needs for Emmy as well as her commitment to a reward-based training style with Emmy made me feel super supported. In short, we felt not only seen and heard, but respected and honored. We also had the opportunity to work with two other CST trainers: Helena and Da'Von each brought something magical to our success. During our program, we had multiple opportunities to work around other teams with various disabilities, working roles, and training styles as well as dogs of multiple different breeds and experience levels. With everyone's help, Emmy and I exceeded our goals. Today, we are such a polished team - and I very much enjoy the experience of being out with Emmy doing our thing with the confidence that comes from being supported by a solid program that is committed to sincere and mindful communication and guidance. read more

Canine Support Teams - Emmy in a down/stay under a table at a festive and lively outdoor charity event. - Pet Training Near Me - Murrieta, California

I highly recommend Canine Support Teams to anyone in need of a service dog. My dog recently finished the Outside Certification program and passed the public access test. My partner and I found the Canine Support Team though the Assistance Dogs International (ADI) program after doing research into what working with an 'ADI certified trainer' actually entailed, and didn't regret our experiences at all. I had full confidence in the training they provided for me and see the changes that it has made on my day to day life. They really do hold every dog to a higher standard. They are honest about whether a dog actually has the temperament and focus for full-time work. It isn't a participation only environment, effort is needed and at times, for us, it definitely felt like a full time job to train. Our trainer, Genevieve E., was a fantastic listener, incredibly talented, and super accommodating in our experience. She helped us navigate the training 'lows' with personalized coaching that never felt like a generalized script. You can tell she is genuinely dedicated to her craft and always growing her own skills. She gave us so much confidence, especially during frustrating lows, and guided us through our training highs! The Training Director, Shara B., went above and beyond from our first meeting, even providing extra lessons and her Puppy Raising 101 manual to help us understand the effect between training, our behaviors, and dogs' behaviors. She consistently shows up and the way was constantly adapting the program to provide better training, hands on lessons, and outside class experiences shows that. If you want a team that is patient, cares about the bond you have with your dog, and the quality of training. I would recommend the Canine Support Team! read more

The team is amazing, they listen and analyze your needs and make sure that you have the best companion. As a disable veteran struggling with multiple problems, having a service dog has changed my life. Thank you Canine Support team!!! read more

It has been 1.5 yrs since I got a service dog from CST. Enough time has passed to give an honest review. I would like to believe that CST was founded w/ love & respect but has since lost its way. CST was recommended to me by a veteran friend who received a service dog yrs prior. I was in the Navy and have a 100% rating I no longer live in Ca. I arranged to be there for the 2 wks at my own expense. We purchased all the items needed to own a dog In my app I stated my health issues and lifestyle choices. I repeated these in a video meeting with 2 trainers that have since left. I asked that the dog be an excellent traveler since my family travels an extensive amount The first week we learned what it is like to have a service dog, laws, etc. We covered do's and don'ts. CST has a high dog placement rate compared with other service dog orgs I had researched We started working with the dogs taking turns getting comfortable with them. After working with the dogs I was still uncomfortable but selected Peyton as my 1st choice. I was told that she was a Legacy dog which meant that someone paid to name her. I later learned that Peyton was donated & named by her breeder for a friend who had worked with their dogs. That was a heavy burden I would soon feel in its entirety. This dog could not fail Peyton is a highly intelligent dog with so much love. When she was eager to learn & perform she was on point, when she didn't want to do something she refused. I noticed her aversion to getting into vehicles right away. She would plant her butt on the ground and look away. At this point I was always with another dog and she inevitably would get in and lay with the other dog. When I raised awareness I was told it was because I was new and she would adjust I noticed her tendency to get distracted by other dogs & kids. I inquired about this behavior and was told she would adjust to me and my directions It was time to leave Ca and return home. The last day at CST we were to talk and thank the puppy raisers that cared and trained our dogs. When I mentioned flying home I was surprised by the puppy raisers response. She told me that Peyton wasn't a great traveler in any form. She seemed just as shocked that she was placed with a handler that traveled extensively Over the next several months I had difficulties with Peyton. While she was doing amazing at home learning new commands and excelling at old ones she was easily distracted and had a stubbornness I didn't expect from a working dog. If she didn't want to do something she refused. I worked with her daily even with my anxiety rising. These were all problems I was willing to work on. The decision to return her came after I started not wanting to leave my home, and if I did, I didn't want to take her. We live an hour from a city and 1 hr & 45 mins from the VA that I drive to a lot. The thought of having to get her in the truck and listen to her pant heavily, do circles and have anxiety the entire drive both ways became too overwhelming for me I made the arrangements, at my expense, to return her. My family and I were devastated. When I arrived at CST I was already in tears. I was treated with respect from the lead trainer and manager whom are no longer there. What shocked me was the disrespect and blunt rudeness I received from the founder of CST. She couldn't believe I was returning Peyton and in so many words made it clear I was weak & beneath receiving a dog. In her eyes Peyton was a perfect service dog. I also learned that I was at least the 2nd home Peyton had been placed in and they planned on placing her a 3rd-4th time As of Feb '24, 3 of the 4 dogs in my group have been returned and there is no longer a Legacy dog program. My hope is that the admins at CST see the patterns of the past to help provide qualified service dogs to future recipients read more

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This company went above and beyond to help accommodate me. Jo was a big help in facilitating the company to work with my schedule and Helena is a great trainer. 10/10 recommend. read more

Canine Support Teams - This is my service dog Brody. He is very well trained by Canine Support Teams and their staff. - Pet Training Near Me - Murrieta, California

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Forever grateful for CST. My service dog has truly changed my life! I am so thankful for Shara, Helena, Grace and all CST staff for their dedication and support to caring, training, and supplying top notch service dogs to those with disabilities. read more

Canine Support Teams - The best thing that's ever happened to me! - Pet Training Near Me - Murrieta, California

Can't say enough about this School and the staff from the office personnel to the trainers. Everyone is there to guide you through any situation to teach you the proper ways where both you and your dog will succeed. 5 read more

Canine Support Teams - At a Dr appointment. - Pet Training Near Me - Murrieta, California

I have been a long time puppy raiser for Canine Support Teams. I have seen firsthand how these dogs can change lives for those who have disabilities. I love the friends that I have made with the other puppy raisers and all the fun activities that Helena has arranged. Yes it is hard to give up a dog that you have raised for the past 12 months or so, but when you see the impact it will be worth it. read more

Canine Support Teams - Pet Training Near Me - Murrieta, California

Canine Support Teams has improved the quality of my life in so many ways. Having a service dog has allowed me the independence to live happily on my own. Helena was an incredible trainer who took the time to get to know me, and really focus on issues that might arise. I would absolutely recommend getting a service dog from this organization. Thank you CST!!!! read more

I have received 3 service dogs from CST over the last 30 years. When I applied for the first dog, the organization was lead by the founder, Carol Roquemore and one trainer. They literally changed lives "one dog at a time." I traveled to the area and stayed in a hotel for the requisite 2 weeks of training, which was comprehensive, focused on my learning bout dogs in general and service dogs in particular. I learned the importance of bonding with my dog beyond the training period. We had real world practice in a nearby mall, and to leave with the dog to go home with me, I passed a test proving all the skills I had mastered handling a dog both at home and in public. Indeed, my first dog changed my life for the better. When he passed away from cancer I reached out to CST immediately for another dog. They were very accommodating and helpful. Meanwhile, the founder had grown the organization to include multiple trainers providing instruction to numerous recipients and a group of dogs. Training required another 2 week stay in a hotel to select a dog, bond and train with him/her, and pass testing before going home with the dog. CST was available to me anytime I had training issues and set up yearly appointments for us to take a public access test to demonstrate that we had maintained the training and illuminate areas that needed work. When I couldn't travel to CST, I had the option of doing the testing on video. If a trainer was traveling near my home, we could meet and do the test in person. I felt well supported by CST and turned to them again when it was time to get my third dog. I keep going back to CST because they are excellent at matching dogs according to the needs of the recipient, the dogs are extremely well trained, and provide life-changing assistance to individuals with disabilities. I tip my hat to the founder, Carol Roquemore for her incredible leadership of this organization. The dogs are raised by volunteer puppy-raisers who teach them basic obedience and get them used to being out in public. After about a year, the dogs go to specialized training to learn how to assist a person with a disability. This could be by local trainers, or one of two prison pup training programs. Carol oversees everything from fund raising, to puppy donations, puppy raisers, trainers, and recipients. The organization benefits from her compassion and flexibility toward gobs and recipients. Carol sincerely wants the applicants to get a dog and will do her best to help them problem-solve any obstacle, including funding. In the years since I began working with Carol, I have undergone many health challenges that caused me to retire early and get an increasing amount of personal assistance. Carol, who faces her own health challenges, has NEVER wavered from her mission to change the lives of people who need service dogs. 30 years on, I am the luckiest person in the world to be living with the help of my 3rd service dog from this organization. The effort and expense I put into to traveling to training camp, staying in a hotel and keeping up with the training at home has had priceless rewards in my quality of life. I highly recommend CST to any person needing a service dog. Meet Aspen, my 3rd CST dog, pictured below: read more

Canine Support Teams - Aspen, my 3rd service dog, at the conclusion of her training - Pet Training Near Me - Murrieta, California

First, it took us from May 2025 when we applied to a zoom meeting finally on August 20, 2025. During the meeting it was stated that they were more concern with my husband's condition of Bi-polar and PTSD then our 11 month old German Shepherd. Wait, what ? Isn't this what you advertise ? That you specialize in the training of Service Dogs for Veterans with Mental Disorders to help them ? We finally received an evaluation appointment that was on September 5th. This facility is located in the hills of Murrieta off the 15 freeway. The location is located where there are Ranches and huge beautiful homes. Their facility is beautiful but that is where it ends. We knew when we arrived that this was not going to go well. There were employees walking around with dogs, however no one would greet us when we got out of our car. A lady, then came up with an ugly look on her face, no introduction, said once you unload meet us in that building. We can honestly say we were judged from the jump when we got out of our car. We found out her name was Genevieve. We also noticed the other two employees would not speak unless you asked a question. There "evaluation procedure" is unprofessional, extremely frighting for the dog and its owner. They put a slip leash around our dogs neck and tried to pull him from my husband. No commands were given at all. (Our German Shepherd knows a number of commands and performs them very well) Then you put a rubber hand with a fake arm and start touching him. What !!! First our German Shepherd is NOT aggressive at all. He is very loving. Our German Shepherd was bred as a Show Dog. They did not give my husband a chance to show them what our dog can do. My husband walked out of the room, and as our dog always does, he was looking for him, listening for him. My husband and our dog have a very close tight bond. Our dog has been training to be my husband's service dog. He goes to Petco, the market, the donut shops, the casinos, restaurants, children pet him, no issues. The evaluation took less than 5 minutes and they failed him. We believe they knew all along they were going to fail him regardless because of my husband's condition. We are 100 percent sure of this because we took our dog to another facility the next day and he passed 100 percent. They did not use unethical testing procedures as this company did. Our dog listened to their trainers and followed their commands with no problem ! He showed no fear. He was confident. We believe the negative vibes at Canine Supporters, not only made our dog uncomfortable but us as well. I would never recommend a Veteran to take their dog to be trained there, unless it is a poodle. read more

Nice people Service did not work for us. But you need to try them. It could be a fit for you Everyone is different. So you have to test them out read more

Absolutely Amazing Company! As a puppy raiser we had so much support with raising a future service dog.. The classes that Helena teaches you helps support your goal in raising a pup. If an issue ever came up the staff was always there to help and support you 24 hours a day. They truly want the best for you and the dog. If you ever thought about raising a future service dog for someone in need this is the place to go. You will feel 100% supported! You will never feel alone or like you are doing it with no guidance. I can't express enough how amazing this program and am so thankful to be apart of it! read more

Canine Support Teams - Pet Training Near Me - Murrieta, California

I have been able to have the pleasure of working with Helena and her team and to see how much the Canine support team does in the community and it brings me so much joy. The passion the team has to train dogs to help those in needs is impressive. The quality of dog that they train because of the passion everyone has makes me so happy. Canine support brings so much to those in need and I am honored to help out in any way possible. read more

I am going through the process of obtaining a service animal and I enjoy the process because you learn so much. The interview was informative and please be patient if you are seeking to obtain a service animal because they want to ensure that both of you are a good fit. Trust the process! Great staff! Great location! read more

Some of the most Advance Dog Training I've seen. Awesome training programs and staff providing service dogs to clients such as Veterans and Children with autism amongst other disabilities. Had the pleasure to see CST staff members Shara and Grace train dogs in action...very impressive. The knowledge and attitude of these two ladies was top notch. read more

CST is a great organization that helps those with four legged besties. I have used CST twice and what they do far exceeds expectations. I live on the east coast and yes it was worth traveling across country to receive what they do. My first service dog was the greatest friend and helper I ever had experienced. And the second one is great match as well. Again thank you Helena, Grace and other bestie Shara. Shara was there when I received Merry Berry is what I called her and now with Denver or Mr. D. Thank you so much for you all do. read more

Canine Support Teams has a mission our family appreciates. Our family helped raise a puppy for the organization. We entered their scene post-covid and the organization was still unfolding from that nightmare! The transition was very professional. It was the perfect time to help out because, our son (who helped the most) is beginning college to become a veterinarian. This experience provided new perspectives for him while giving us as a family the joy knowing Lu would eventually be gracing someone's life in ways we cannot even begin to comprehend! Since we are all animal lovers at heart, we hoped to extend ourselves and share in Canine Support Teams' success. We all learned so much in the puppy raising process. We love the idea of Canine Support Teams rescuing some dogs from local shelters. We really had no idea what to expect but our experience working with the organization as a puppy raiser was unique and amazing! I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to share love from the comfort of home. As a part of our local community, Canine Support Teams should be reveled as a value in our California landscape. The never-ending love and commitment coming from this organization needs to be recognized more often! From the time we applied, until the time we had to relinquish the pup for higher level training, each employee we encountered was extremely professional. Helena was such an asset to the organization and our first in line contact. If we had questions or needed immediate assistance, Helena was available! The facility in Murrieta is amazing too. It truly was heart-warming to partner with Canine Support Teams and hopefully change a person's life for the better! Any one considering raising a puppy, I would say YES! DO IT!! read more

This is the highest quality level service dog training I've seen. Their team from puppy raisers to their prison training program to their lead training team develop the most reliable & dependable service dogs. Wether you're looking for a service dog or want to be involved as a volunteer I highly recommend this organization! read more

I am really concerned about the reviews not showing up for CST. They are an outstanding organization. They deserve to have all their reviews showing. If you get a chance, check out the reviews that yelp has decided not to post. CST really helped with our service dog. Their instructors, especially Shara, have helped us for several years now. Our dog Holly is learning new things all the time. My husband is a 100% Disabled Veteran. He has a real need for a Service Dog. She picks things up for him. Fetches things for him. Turns on and off lights. Carries things for him. She braces his back when he is in severe pain. And yes, she instinctively knows when he is in need of emotional support when the pain in unbearable. Thanks to CST she is able to go with us where ever we go. She was recently able to go on a cruise our daughter surprised us with. It was great having her there for him. I can't say enough about how highly I regard CST!! A sincere thank you!!! read more

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How refreshing to find a non-profit whose primary mission is to provide a well-trained service dog. In the current environment where there are few regulations and minimal quality control, it is comforting to know CST was established based on a need and not on what is fashionable. One of the several highlights I appreciate about CST is the experienced trainers that have been part of the program for years and are an example of commitment to the mission and purpose of the non-profit. Every dog is not a great candidate to become a service dog and the experience of the trainers at CST have shown they are willing to turn away bundles of furry joy because they do not have the right stuff and would not serve the needs of their clients. CST is one of the best-kept secrets that deserves to be shared with clients who can benefit from a well-trained service canine. A new world of options become available with a CST trained service dog because of a raised level of comfort knowing you are no longer alone, reduction of anxiety since your canine can alert others when you may be in a distressed situation and increased personal confidence knowing you have a well-trained companion. The staff understands that it is the training of the canine that creates the bond which increases the peace of mind of clients. Kudo's for the staff who have been committed to the mission of the organization and the work of training service dogs before it became well known, recognized and popular. CST provides well-trained service dogs, has excellent trainers who make that happen and has a positive impact on the lives of veterans, physically challenged adults and autistic youth. I have witnessed the impact of their work and what they do with limited resources and know the more who discover and support their purpose, the increased number of lives will change for the better. read more

I was struggling with anxiety and depression for a long time and finally decided to get a service dog. Canine Support Teams, specifically Max, went above and beyond with helping me get my own service dog who has changed my life. Thank you and I'm eternally grateful! read more

Wonderful Trainers with years of experience and Credentials to train Service Dogs. If your pup needs training, this is the place to go! Offering AKC Star Puppy - a 6 week course for pups 4 months through 12 months, Premier Puppy - 2 weeks, Board & Train plus 3 private sessions in your home. AKC Canine Good Citizen - 6 weeks course, certificated. Plus personalized Private Training for specific issues you and your pup may have. read more

Great instructors! These folks LOVE dogs and KNOW how to bring out the best in your dog and YOU! (Yes, it's a team effort!) These are the same trainers who prepare Service Dogs ad they bring that same level of expertise to meet YOUR needs. And ALL the proceeds of the training benefit the Canine Support Teams' mission! read more

Canine Support Teams is a wonderful organization! I am a 100% Disabled Veteran and they worked with me to train my dog to be my service dog. Their training and techniques are amazing and provided predictable, repeatable and consistent results. Holly now serves me as my service dog and is a shining credit to CST and all their hard work. I constantly get comments from people who want to know "HOW did I get such a wonderful service dog?" "Who trained her?", "How did you get her to do that?" and so on. I am proud to tell them about CST and the great work they do. I refer a lot of people to CST and I would recommend them to anyone looking to get obedience training or are working on getting a service dog of their own. I recently took 2 different cross-country trips and took Holly with me. She did perfectly on extremely long flights. The stewards and stewardesses on the flights were amazed at how calm and well behaved she was. They even wanted to take selfies with her. Holly is a great ambassador to the great work Canine Support Teams does every day. I highly recommend them!!! read more