Credibility rooted in excellence and safety.
Why our certification carries weight.
In South Africa, there is no centralized state department for service dog registration. Because of this regulatory gap, body corporates and managing agents look closely at a trainer's metrics. We train strictly to international benchmarks to ensure your paperwork stands up to legal scrutiny.
The numbers we train toward.
Our graduates complete a minimum of 120+ total hours of structured training, including at least 30+ meticulously logged public access hours.
Complete neutrality. Every environment.
Every dog we certify must demonstrate complete neutrality to strangers, children, traffic, loud noises, and other animals, and must pass a rigorous behavioural safety test modelled after the Canine Good Citizen framework.
- ✓Neutrality toward strangers, children, and unfamiliar dogs
- ✓Calm response to traffic, loud noises, and sudden movement
- ✓Restaurant & cafe etiquette — tucked, settled, ignoring dropped food
- ✓Busy retail navigation, tills, and lifts without startling
- ✓Recovery from environmental change and handler-focused work under distress
- ✓Clean toileting habits on cue and off-cue in public spaces
Flawless residential manners.
We enforce flawless residential manners. Certified dogs do not bark inappropriately, whine, display territorial guarding, or cause disruptions on common property.
This standard is what makes our graduate teams welcome in sectional title schemes, estates, and rental properties — and it is non-negotiable for certification.
Craig Kinnear.
Founder of Kinnear Dog Training, committed to expanding access to professionally trained medical service dogs across South Africa.
“Animals are my passion and my life, and I truly believe that dogs are one of God’s special gifts to us. It is known that dogs have the capability to comfort and protect people — they are genuinely man’s best friend. Dogs naturally console people, improve mental health, and give unconditional love. The fact that their incredible sense of smell and ability to learn tasks can be used to help people in need is the cherry on top. I believe the option to have a medical service dog should be extended to everybody who needs it in South Africa, and if we can make it as affordable as possible, we can help more people.”