THCs Dog Training

08/21/2026

EARN AN OFFICIAL AKC TITLE AT HOME

THCS Dog Training is now offering AKC Virtual Home Manners — the official AKC program that lets your dog earn a real AKC title on their record from the comfort of your home. 100% virtual, no travel needed.

This program focuses on real-life manners that matter at home: calm petting & grooming, sit/down, come when called, food manners, doorbell manners, go to place, loose leash exiting the door, and appropriate play with family.

Two Titles Available:
• VHMP - Puppy (12 weeks to 1 year) • VHMA - Adult (1 year and up)
All breeds welcome - purebred and mixed breeds.
How it works: You film the 10 skills at home on your phone, I review and evaluate your video as a Certified AKC Approved Evaluator, and you submit for your official AKC title and certificate.

This is a perfect first AKC title and a natural lead-in to AKC STAR Puppy & Canine Good Citizen.

Your Evaluator: Kendall with THCS Dog Training
Certified AKC Approved Evaluator

To book your evaluation:
📞 805-623-9300 text for quick response
📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.thcsdogtraining.com
Facebook: THCS Dog Training

Serving Orcutt, Santa Maria, and the Central Coast — evaluations done 100% virtually anywhere in the US.

AKC is a registered trademark of the American Kennel Club.

07/28/2026

In California, state laws like the ⁠Unruh Civil Rights Act combine with disability rules to set a minimum penalty of $4,000 per violation when a business wrongfully denies entry or treats a service dog owner poorly.

The Law and PenaltiesMinimum $4,000 fine: You can get at least $4,000 in statutory damages for each time a shop, restaurant, or business turns you away or breaks the law.Extra costs:

The business may also have to pay your lawyer fees.

California rules:
California state laws are stronger than basic federal rules, adding cash penalties that the federal ADA alone does not always provide.Common Business Violations

Denying entry: Stopping you and your service dog from coming inside a public place.

Asking for papers: Demanding a special ID card, medical note, or certificate (law does not require papers).

Asking too much: Asking about your private medical history instead of just the two allowed questions (Is it a service dog? What task is it trained to do?).

Extra fees: Trying to charge a pet fee or deposit for your service animal.

Source: Service Animal Law Center https://www.adalawyer.net/penalty-for-refusing-service-dog/

Despite the very strong protections provided by the Americans with Disabilities Act and California law, the sad reality is that disabled people are denied access in California every day because of their service animals. It is wrong, and it needs to stop.

07/04/2026

Saturday training is moving OUTDOORS! Join THCs Dog Training for Basic Obedience and Puppy Training every Saturday in Orcutt. Fun, positive, real-life practice for sit, stay, come, heel, down, leave it, and leash skills — plus CGC foundations. Must be fully vaccinated Training Helpful CanineS Teaches clear methods that work at home, not just in class. Spots are limited and times vary, so text Kendall at 805-623-9300 or find us on Facebook to grab your Saturday slot and start building the calm, confident companion you've been hoping for.

05/27/2026

🚨🚨 Be aware of the law change 🚨🚨

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued enforcement guidance that tightens the definition of qualified assistance animals.

While trained service dogs that perform specific, disability-related tasks remain fully protected,

the change severely restricts protections for untrained Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) in federally regulated housing.

What the Rule Change Means for Your trained Service Dogs: Landlords are still required to grant reasonable accommodations (waiving no-pets policies and pet fees) for dogs individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.

🚨🚨🚨Emotional Support Animals: Effective immediately, HUD has directed its fair housing offices to stop enforcing federal housing protections for ESAs. 🚨

This means landlords in many jurisdictions may now exclude animals whose sole function is to provide comfort, rather than performing trained, actionable tasks.

No Pet Fees: For legitimate service animals that qualify, landlords cannot charge pet deposits, pet rent, or require the animal to be included in weight or breed restrictions.

State and Local Protections (California)If you reside in California (including Nipomo), state-level protections may offer stronger baseline rules than the federal HUD policy.

California's Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) continues to explicitly cover both trained service dogs and emotional support animals. State laws prevent landlords from charging pet rent or deposits for assistance animals.

What You Should Do to Verify Your Animal's Status: Ensure your dog meets the ADA definition of a service animal (trained to do work or tasks).

Review State Laws: Because federal guidelines are shifting, consult state laws and local tenant organizations, as they may provide greater housing protections for ESAs.

Seek Official Guidance: If you believe you are being wrongly evicted or denied an accommodation, visit the HUD Assistance Animals Guide to verify your rights. You can also contact the California Civil Rights Department to understand your localized tenant protections.

Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) (.gov)

Assistance AnimalsFor some persons with disabilities, an assistance animal may be necessary to afford them equal housing opportunity.

05/21/2026

Let's talk about service animals, ID cards, and certification!

Did you know that, per the ADA, there is no legally recognized or required certification for service animals? It's true! The ADA says the following:

"Q17. Does the ADA require that service animals be certified as service animals?
A. No. Covered entities may not require documentation, such as proof that the animal has been certified, trained, or licensed as a service animal, as a condition for entry.

There are individuals and organizations that sell service animal certification or registration documents online. These documents do not convey any rights under the ADA and the Department of Justice does not recognize them as proof that the dog is a service animal."

https://www.ada.gov/resources/service-animals-faqs/

Some programs that train service animals for handlers do provide certificates or ID cards to their handlers. It's important to note that these cards have no legal standing.

Not only are they not legally necessary, they can cause further confusion with businesses if they are presented upon entry or request. This has a two fold effect - it negatively impacts other handlers who do not have or carry unnecessary IDs, as businesses may come to believe that they can be required as a condition for entry, which is contrary to the ADA. It can also lead businesses to think that IDs which have been purchased online for pets that are not trained service animals are legitimate and that they must permit entry to these untrained pets.

Instead, we encourage our handlers to have the ADA page linked above bookmarked on their phone for easy access to help with working through any access issues that may arise where a business erroneously requests ID as a condition for entry.

So, if IDs and certifications are not legally valid, what can businesses do when someone brings in an animal?

When it is not obvious, businesses may ask two questions - Is this a service animal required for a disability? What work or task is it trained to perform? Businesses may not inquire about the nature of the disability, request a demonstration of a task, or request any sort of documentation. (see Q7 on the ADA FAQ linked above)

If a handler is able to provide an answer to the above questions, but then their dog or mini horse is out of control and they don't take immediate and effective steps to regain control, the handler can be directed to remove the animal. The handler must be permitted to return without the animal, if they so choose.

THCs Dog Training K-9 Training Facebook

05/13/2026

S.T.A.R. TESTING

Week 1:
Crate training
Settle
controlled walking

Week 1:
#1 Shows proof puppy is in care of vet (shot records)
#3 Owner describes exercise plan (discuss importance)
#9 Puppy tolerates collar, harness, etc. (owner choice)
#10-Owner can hug or hold puppy
#14-Walks on leash, follows owner in straight line
#15 Walks by other people

Week 2:
Sit
Bite inhibition

Week 2
#7 Free of aggression toward people
Leave it
#8 Free of aggression toward other puppies
#11 Puppy allows owner to take away treat or toy
#16-Sits on command (owner can use food)

Week 3:
Down
Free of fear

Week 3
#12 - Allows petting by someone other than owner (a)
#17 Down on command (owner can use food)

Week 4:
Coming when called

Week 4
#18 Comes to owner from 5 ft
#19 Reaction to distractions
Quiet
#20 Stay on leash with another person (b)

Week 5
Grooming
First Aid

Week 5:
#6 Owner has obtained some form of ID (e.g. tag)
#13-Grooming (touching, doing actual grooming)

Week 6:
Obedience
Graduation

#2 Puppy appears healthy & active for breed
Week 6:
#4 Attends all 6 classes (c)
#5 Owner brings bags for clean up to class
#7 Free from aggression toward people
#8 - Free from aggression toward other puppies

04/30/2026

Hey everybody If you're looking for puppy obedience please feel free to contact
THCS dog training (Training Helpful Canines) for all of your training needs .
Positive reinforcement training right in the comfort of your own home or where you and your dog are comfortable.
🚨WE TRAVEL TO YOU 🚨

Training Helpful Canines Basic training Puppy training AKC Patriotic confident puppy AKC - CGC Evaluations and training Service

04/30/2026

https://www.thcsdogtraining.com

Training Helpful Canines Basic training Puppy training AKC Patriotic confident puppy AKC - CGC Evaluations and training Service