Meet the Trainer

Candace Bighead

Training Director – Prairieland Service Dog Training

I’m Candace, the founder of Prairieland Service Dog Training. I’m a full-time mom, service dog handler, and trainer who believes in building real-world partnerships between dogs and the people who depend on them.

Before PSDT was ever a business, it was quiet support. I spent years helping owner-trainers who felt stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure how to move forward. Step by step, we built handler skill, confidence, and structure. I’ve retrained program dogs that entered partnerships with gaps in obedience or public stability. I’ve helped handlers get out of ruts and rediscover the motivation to work their dogs again.

I specialize in working with owner-trainers because I am one.

My service dog, Bentley, stood beside me through parenting, health challenges, and the kind of days that knock the wind out of you. I know what it means to rely on your dog not just for tasks, but for calm, confidence, and survival.

Bentley was trained and handled exclusively by me. He exceeded operational public access standards, was nominated for the Purina Animal Hall of Fame, and developed a global online following of over 50,000 people with nearly two million engagements. His work reached far beyond Saskatchewan, helping people see what a stable, well-trained service dog actually looks like.

He is now retired. His duty is fulfilled. His legacy remains the benchmark within Prairieland.

Some trainers talk about how great their dogs are or chase trending methods. We train dogs to help people live. That’s the difference.

I work with individuals navigating disability, trauma, neurodivergence, and the reality of training a service dog while juggling life, kids, work, and everything in between. My approach is structured, honest, and deeply respectful of the bond between dog and handler.

We don’t chase perfection. We build trust, clarity, and capability step by step.

My role isn’t to fix you. It’s to help you train your dog. It’s to help you become the handler your dog needs even when life is messy.

Prairieland Service Dog Training began with my journey to train Bentley. That journey revealed the barriers owner-trainers face: confusion, misinformation, and a lack of transparent standards. Through hard work, research, and dedication, Bentley became my loyal and skilled partner.

That process changed my life. It also shaped this program.

PSDT exists to provide the tools, guidance, and accountability owner-trainers need to create dependable, life-changing partnerships — not based on titles or inflated claims, but on real skill and real-world reliability.