Training Service Animals for the Disabled

Organizations for Service Dog Training & Guide Dogs for Blind, Deaf

Sep 19, 2009

Love animals? Interested in volunteering time to raise and train puppies that will eventually help the disabled? Here are some helpful resources to get someone started.

Service dogs can be raised by a family for many purposes. Visually impaired persons use trained guide dogs to help them navigate outside, crossing streets carefully and enjoying the great outdoors. Dogs can also be trained to help assist persons who are hearing impaired, and may need assistance with everyday noises, such as a telephone or doorbell ringing. Canine training can also lead to the ability to do physical tasks, such as turning on and off lights, navigating elevator button, and retrieving dropped items for a wheelchair-bound person.

Most service dog training organizations raise German Shepard or Labrador retriever puppies, or a mixture of both, and have requirements such as puppy housebreaking and leash training. Most puppies are placed with a foster family at the age of eight weeks and remain until around 18 months, although requirements do vary for each organization. These organizations are a great place to contact if someone is interested in raising a service dog to assist others in need.

Guide Dogs of America

Guide Dogs of America: An International Guiding Eyes Program connects puppies at the age of eight weeks with volunteer foster families. The process includes an application and interview before the puppy is placed with its prospective “Puppy Raiser” for puppy training.

This program is available for Southern and Central California residents, as well as some residents of Washington.

Socialization and training are an essential part of Guide Dogs of America’s program. All food is tax deductible, and veterinarian costs are covered by the program. Essentials such as bowls and a training guide are provided as part of the initiation process.

Guiding Eyes for the Blind

Guiding Eyes for the Blind is an organization that is similar to Guide Dogs of America, but is located in New York. Those who live in the Northeast region and would like to be paired with a puppy would be better suited to contact Guiding Eyes for the Blind.

This organization works with residents from Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Guide Dogs for the Blind

Guide Dogs for the Blind organization requires that its residents are from Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah or Washington. Potential “Puppy Raisers” can call 800-295-4050 for more information or start the process online.

Dogs for the Deaf

Dogs for the Deaf adopts their prospective canines from animal shelters located in California, Washington, and Oregon, training them for various opportunities to work with others, from hearing impaired persons to providing safety measures to autistic children.

They also place dogs with individuals who are facing emotional needs, as well as place individuals with dogs who may be facing emotional issues themselves.

Dogs for the Deaf has numerous volunteer programs available, including providing a home to the dogs in training, called Foster Friends. Other volunteer positions include volunteer interviewers, kennel volunteers, office volunteers, and public relations volunteers. For more information, the volunteer contact number is 541-826-9220.

Canine Companions for Independence

This non-profit organization connects disabled persons with a fully-trained dog and follow-up services free of charge. They train primarily service dogs, facility dogs, skilled companions, and hearing dogs. Canine Companions for Independence has five different regional centers, covering every state across the country, providing numerous training areas for prospective “Puppy Raisers”.

International Association of Assistance Dog Partners

A non-profit organization, The International Association of Assistance Dog Partners helps people with numerous disabilities link with guide dogs, hearing and service dogs. This site is a good place to look to get information on numerous organizations that train service dogs.

With a little bit of patience, time, and love, puppy training can be fulfilling and beneficial to those volunteering as well as those in need. Although returning the dog tends to be the hardest task in raising dogs for the disabled, the satisfaction of helping another human being supersedes. Many puppy raisers find themselves continuing the cycle of giving by raising service dogs on a regular basis.

The copyright of the article Training Service Animals for the Disabled in Social Activism is owned by Renee Holmes. Permission to republish Training Service Animals for the Disabled in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.