Frequently Asked Questions
Do you work with clients out of state?
Yes! We offer phone support and an online coaching program that works with you and your dog live online through a meeting link. We have also had clients stop in for a few days and shadow us during the week and watch us work dogs in action. We have also placed dog across the nation as a matched team from our available dogs.
How much does a service dog cost?
This is a very loaded question, but we believe in being honest and open. A Service Dog is an investment! We have found that what you pay for reflects what you get.
Our rule of thumb is about $1,200 a month the dog is in training.
A well-bred puppy from a reputable breeder without any training starts at $2,000.
Basic and Advanced training is easily another $3,000.
Public Access can take a few months, so around another $4,000.
And task training is the finish, usually a few more months, and another estimated $4,000.
Timetable of around 1.5 years and around $13,000 total.
We will sometimes have a dog sponsored and be available for free*.
how often do you get new dogs in training?
Our program is growing every year, so we seem to always be adding more as time goes on. We hope to bring in our own breeding program in 2026 and be able to offer bloodlines we love and trust to the public as started and finished dogs.
what kind of public exposure do you cover?
Great question! We expose and train our dogs for shopping malls, grocery stores, pet stores, farm stores, convivence stores, gas stations, restaurants, buffets, public transportation, and hotels. Everywhere you would usually go during a normal week, we try to cover.
We also work our dogs through TSA airport security scenarios.
who can get one of twisted clovers service dogs?
We ask for proof of psychiatric disorder by a doctor or physician or therapist and the prescription for a Service Dog to purchase a dog from our program. Start the process by filling out a Dog Application Form.
do you offer board and train programs?
We have found better success for the team if the dog is not separated from their handler for long periods of time. We have switched our program to include in-home lessons for those interested in hands on training.
what kind of leash is that?
We can usually be spotted using two types of leashed. We have a 4-foot leash that says “in training” along the length of the leash or a 6-way leather European hands-free leash. This equipment will be discussed in training and placement to better fit your individual needs.
Where are you located? Do you have a training facility?
We are located in small town, Edgewood, Iowa. A stunning home nestled in the rolling hills of Northeast Iowa. We train directly from our home and do in-home lessons at client’s locations and currently do not have a facility. We have also flown Service Dogs to their new matches out of state.
how do i pay for my service dog?
As a for-profit business, we are unable to assist clients with fundraising. Financing options that are available to those needing a way to pay for training include crowd sourcing like a go fund me page, payments made from health savings accounts or similar, personal loans, grants, or seeking funds from other non-profit organizations.
how long does it take to train a service dog?
Each dog is different and each program takes different lengths of time. To prep a dog for basic and advanced obedience training is within the first 6-months of their life. Public access can begin after that in pet friendly stores and then transition to harder locations around 8-9 months old. We start task training around 1-year-old. We select dogs that have a natural connection to helping people and some of these task training practices come naturally to the dogs and we just shape and test them. By 1.5 years old, we expect the dog to be fully finished with their training as a working Service Dog.
We enjoy dog sports with the dogs in our program that also put them into unique situations where they are judged against their peers by a third-party judge. Dog sports we do with Service Dogs in training include: Rally, Obedience, Family Dog Testing, and Trick Dog.
what is the differeENCE BETWEEN an esa and a service dog?
Service dogs are working dogs that are highly trained to perform specific tasks related to limitations imposed by a medically recognized disability. These dogs undergo intense training and are protected under the Americans Disability Act (ADA). This gives them protected access to all public locations and access to travel such as in cabin flight. Emotional Support Animals (ESA) receive obedience training, and may receive some advanced training, to help mitigate symptoms by providing comfort and companionship. ESAs are only protected by the Fair Housing Act with a prescription from a physician, otherwise they have similar rights to a pet.
what kind of training practices do you use to train the dogs?
We use balanced positive-reinforcement training that encourages the dog to work towards a common goal and food rewards. Much like going to your day job and bringing home a paycheck, our dogs also go to work and expect a paycheck, theirs just happens to be food. We eventually wean off of food lures and rewards and the dog will work independently off praise.