Labradors are one of the most popular service dog breeds.
There are three types of Assistance Dogs: guide dogs assist blind people by helping them avoid hazards; service dogs help disabled people by performing tasks such as opening doors; and finally, hearing dogs assist deaf people by alerting them to sounds. The Delta Society, a service dog training organization, advises people looking for an assistance dog to carefully screen several trainers in order to determine the quality of each program, the dogs and training methods.
Canine Companions for Independence
One of the first not-for-profit assistance dog training groups in the country is Canine Companions for Independence (CCI). Founded in 1975, CCI trains assistance dogs in five different locations throughout the United States. The specific needs of adults and children with disabilities are matched to one of four different types of service dogs that CCI trains: service dogs who assist adults with disabilities by performing daily tasks; hearing dogs who alert humans to important sounds; skilled dogs who help adults and kids with physical, cognitive and developmental challenges; and facility dogs who provide companionship in institutions such as hospitals and schools. Dogs are not trained for blind persons or to detect medical symptoms.
CCI breeds Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers, or a hybrid of both, for its programs. While CCI does not charge applicants for the service dogs, human candidates who qualify for the program must pay for transportation, meals and incidental costs while attending the rigorous two-week training program where dogs and humans become acquainted with one another.
Canine Companions for Independence
PO Box 446
Santa Rosa, CA 95402
866-224-3647
Guide Dogs of America
Guide Dogs of America (GDA) trains guide dogs for vision-impaired people in the U.S. and Canada. Since 1948, this organization has bred and trained its own dogs to provide mobility and freedom to blind people, at no cost to the recipient. Interested applicants need not be completely blind; however, they must meet the definitions of being legally blind to qualify. GDA breeds its own dogs and works with volunteer foster families to raise puppies until they are approximately 22 months old. Dogs learn obedience and help their humans avoid hazardous situations. All GDA instructors are licensed by the California State Board of Guide Dogs for the Blind, after completing a three year apprenticeship program at a licensed school.
Guide Dogs of America
13445 Glenoaks Blvd.
Sylmar, CA 91342
818-362-5834
guidedogsofamerica.org
Can Do Canines
Since 1987, Can Do Canines has been training dogs to be help children and adults faced with hearing loss, mobility challenges, diabetes, seizures and autism. The organization also trains Special Skills Dogs who combine skills from two or more of these categories. About 50 percent of Can Do Canines are recruited at animal shelters to work in the program, which is a collaborative effort with the Minnesota Department of Corrections. The dogs live on site with incarcerated adults, who prepare the dogs for training as an assistance dogs. Once all training is complete, qualified individuals may receive a dog at no charge other than the $50 application fee.
Can Do Canines
2537 25th Ave. S.
New Hope, MN 55428
763-331-3000
can-do-canines.org
Tags: service dogs, Canine Companions, Canine Companions Independence, Companions Independence, Dogs America