Our training program involves two phases: training of the canine and training of the assistance dog user. The assistance dog user must be able to bond with canine, learn to care for their canine and know how to use their canine’s training. We work toward that person being able to be independent at home, work, travel and at leisure.
We work in a variety of situations, including public streets and transportation, home situations, work environments, restaurants, motels and parks. If the team does not work together it is the assistance dog user and the dog that are in danger.
For the blind person that might be a speeding vehicle or an open manhole. For the physically or seizure disabled person that might be a medical emergency, a fall or a physical attack. For the deaf person that might be a fire or Intruder.
Our Assistance Dogs are trained in one or more of four areas, guide dog work, signal dog work, service dog work and seizure alert dog work. We also train assistance dogs that are trained for disabled users with more than one disability. Some of our dogs are also trained in personal protection.
Guide dogs can lead a blind or visually impaired handler safely across streets, inside and outside of buildings, guide around overhanging obstacles, stop at curbs, steps, follow people and find doors, cars, elevators, counters and seats.
Service dogs assist a mobility impaired or physically disabled person to retrieve objects, turn on/off lights, open/close doors, pull wheelchairs or carts, assist with transfers and balance, assist with walking, carry objects in a backpack.
Seizure alert dogs are trained in the following areas, to provide physical assistance before, during and after a seizure. Such difficulties as with balance, body position, movement, communication, and awareness. The seizure alert dog will alert to the presence of a seizure 1) to the disabled person, 2) alert others in the home or work environment or 3) activate a switch control emergency system. Since we classify a seizure alert dog as a service dog, seizures must impair quality of life.
Signal dogs can alert the deaf or hearing impaired handler to sounds such as the telephone, door bell, fire or security alarm, person knocking or making noise, baby crying, someone calling them, sirens.
Our assistance dog program is supported by donations. We do not receive any government funding for our assistance dog program. Many disabled persons do not have the fianncial resources to purchase the assistance dog and the long training necessary to train both handler and dog. Currently we can only provide a few assistance dogs per year. If you are interested in donating or sponsoring an assistance dog please contact us.
We train 2-3 year old German Shepherd males with backgrounds of good health, temperament, structure, movement, correct drives to work with experiences in socialization and obedience training. These dogs are placed with a professional and experience instructor for 500 hours of training in service dog work. The service dog must pass rigors standards and work in situations and conditions that simulate the disabled person’s lifestyle and circumstances. Training of a service dog takes approximately 5-6 months.
The dog receives the following training:
The dog may be trained in the following areas depending upon the disabled handler’s needs:
The disabled handler is matched to a service dog. The disabled handler must learn to care for the dog, bond with the dog and learn how to use the service dog as a service dog to assist them to be more independent, mobile and safe. Training of a service dog handler takes 100-150 hours. The service dog handler, the service dog and the instructor work together for approximately 4-6 weeks in a variety of situations and circumstances so the service dog handler passes the final examinations with his or her service dog and is fully qualified to use a service dog in public and private situations.
We are a licensed private vocational school and we expect our students to meet their rehabilitation and vocational goals. The student must have an educational level of a high school diploma or GED. The student must not have serious background problems in the areas of abuse, neglect, criminal behavior, serious sociological, psychological or emotional disorders or a physical disability too severe to handler the service dog. Training with an assistance dog is physically, mentally and emotionally demanding so we require your disability to be medically stable during your training period. We require you to be able to care for yourself during the handler training period. Physically disabled persons may bring an attendant. Home training or training at our center is available.
All Assistance Dog Handler applicants must furnish proof by an appropriate licensed medical physician that they meet the following: For Service Dogs & Seizure Alert Dogs, Physically Impairment such as loss of the use of lower extremities, loss of balance, loss of mobility, paraplegia, quadriplegia, head injury, extreme pain, fatigue, seizures or respiratory function as determined by a licensed physician particularly an orthopedic surgeon, neurologist, respiratory or rehabilitation specialist. We reserve the right to refuse an assistance dog, assistance dog training, or assistance dog handler training to anyone who does not need the use of the assistance to provide independence, mobility and safety. Please inform us if the disabled person has vision loss or hearing loss. Dual-purpose dogs are trained for 600 hours and users for 150 same as service dogs trained in protection skills. If a disabled person has sever vision or hearing loss the following criteria apply to a dual purpose trained dog.
For guide dogs, Legal Blindness as determined by a licensed ophthalmologist or optometrist.
For Signal Dogs, Deafness or Severe Hearing Loss as determined by a physician and/or speech & language pathologist
It is very important that the disabled person be fully involved with the care and use of the service dog. If the dog’s training is not used or the dog looks to another family member or caregiver for his needs, then the dog will begin to lose his training and his desire to work for the service dog user. There are two areas we feel some disabled users may have difficulty caring for their service dog and those are bathing his dog and picking up the dog’s waste. We would suggest that some disabled handler’s arrange for the services of a groomer for bathing and perhaps a yard maintenance program. We would expect that disabled handler’s be in physical condition to relieve their dog 3x a day, brush his dog, feed and water their dog, exercise, play and work with their dog for at least 2-4 hours every day.
Unfortunately fund raising for our programs is a slow process. We ask most of our clients to be active in their fund raising process. Following is a list of the cost it takes to train a service dog. We do accept financial and other types of donations for the disabled user. These donations are placed in a client trust account.
After the canine leaves training we expect the client to provide for the canine’s food, grooming, clean-up and veterinary care.
SERVICE DOG without protection skills
Canine Purchase 4000.00
Canine Training 500 hours 7500.00
Boarding during training 150 days 1500.00
Veterinary Services 500.00
Handler training 100 hours 2500.00
Certification / Equipment 250.00
Motel Travel Expenses for Student Or Instructor (if receiving home training 1650.00
TOTAL $17,900
SERVICE DOG WITH PROTECTION SKILLS
Canine Purchase 6500.00
Canine Training 600 hours 10000.00
Boarding during training 180 days 1800.00
Veterinary Services 500.00
Handler training 150 hours 3750.00
Certification / Equipment 250.00
Motel Travel Expenses for 2450.00
Student if training at the Center OR Instructor if training at home/work.
TOTAL $25,250.00
Some persons have asked for a breakdown of costs over a 5-7 year period of using a service dog. It is a follows:
YEARLY EXPENSES FOR SERVICE DOG
EXPECTED WORKING LIFETIME OF SERVICE DOG 5-7 YEARS.
BASED UPON COST OF Service Dog $17,900 / 25,250.
Copyright © 2007 Colleen Edwards
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