Disability Assistance Dogs’ mission is to improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities. We work with people to provide Assistance Dogs matched to their individual needs.
Our dogs are trained to meet the training standards established by Assistance Dogs International.
We train the following types of Assistance Dogs:
- Service Dogs (application)
- Facility Dogs (application)
- Companion and Skilled Companion Dogs (application)
Service Dogs
Service Dogs are specially trained to assist a person with a disability. Service dogs perform a range of tasks depending on their individual partner’s disability. Service dogs may accompany their partner in public places. To apply for a Service Dog, complete the Service Dog application.
Mobility Assistance Dogs help people with limited physical mobility with such things as retrieving objects, pulling a wheelchair, bracing to provide additional support while going up and down stairs, helping the handler get dressed and undressed and many other tasks.
Also known as hearing dogs, Signal Dogs alert their deaf partner to sounds such as alarm clocks, telephones, kitchen timers, doorbells, and fire alarms. They also respond to their partner’s name.
Medical Response Dogs assist their partner with immediate medical needs including seizures, diabetes, and psychiatric needs.
- Seizure Response Dogs assist their owners by responding appropriately when a seizure occurs. This may include going to get help, preventing injury or lying beside them to help with reorientation when they become conscious again. Some dogs learn to alert their handler prior to the oncoming seizure.
- Diabetes Response Dogs alert their partner to low or high blood sugar levels, retrieve juice, medications and other items as needed.
- Other Medical Response Dogs may be trained to perform tasks related to their partner’s individual disability. Skills will be determined on an individual basis.
The most well known of the Service Dogs are Guide Dogs. Guide dogs assist people who are blind by leading them around obstacles, navigating through crowds, stopping at curbs and stairs, etc.
For more information, see our page Service Dogs page. To apply, complete this application and return to Disability Assistance Dogs.
Facility Dogs
A Facility Dog is specially trained to provide therapeutic benefits to improve the mental, physical or emotional health of individuals in a care-giving facility. These dogs may be used by schools, rehabilitation programs, psychiatric programs, assisted living facilities, and others. Complete the Facility Dog application to apply for one for your organization.
These dogs help break the monotony of physical therapy exercises and provide rewards and motivation in an educational setting such as a school. Individuals can be encouraged to walk and play with a dog as a form of exercise. At a physical therapy center, a dog might engage patients in simple exercises such as throwing a ball for the dog to retrieve. At a program for people with developmental disabilities, the focus might be on scheduled activities such as feeding time for the dog or grooming. Such experiences can be helpful in broadening daily living skills. In an assisted living center, residents can be encouraged to take the dog for a walk or play games with the dog, providing stimulation and interaction.
Facility dogs are not therapy dogs who visit a facility once in a while. These dogs are trained to help with the specific work of that facility and go to work every day. They are often used in conjunction with therapy dogs who provide support and love during their visits.
For more information, see our Facility Dogs page. To apply, complete this application and return to Disability Assistance Dogs.
Companion and Skilled Companion Dogs
A companion dog is trained to assist individuals in their home. They provide unconditional love and affection to their partner who may be elderly, home-bound or have a psychiatric or other illness. Studies have shown, that people with dogs tend to live longer, are healthier, more active and feel more fulfilled. Our companion dogs are also taught to dial 911 and provide an added measure of safety. Complete the Companion Dog application.
Skilled Companions may do many of the same tasks that a Service Dog does but work in the home not in public. To apply for a Skilled Companion, please complete the Service Dog application and indicate that you are applying for a Skilled Companion.
For more information see our Companion Dogs Page
Our Services
We offer two programs to help individuals who need assistance dogs: Professional Training and Supervised Training.
In Professional Training, a dog that has been trained will be matched to your specific needs. After the dog’s training is complete, you will begin team training with your new dog. Team training lasts 1-4 weeks depending on the training involved. See our Professional Training page for more information.
In Supervised Training, we will teach you to train your own dog to become your Assistance Dog. This is an intensive program generally lasting 12 months to 2 years. See our Supervised Training page for more information.
Regardless of the training program you choose, the first step is to complete a training application listed above.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will I have to wait for a dog?
We are a small program, so we really don’t have a set answer to that question. There are many factors involved including the number of dogs we have in training and puppy raising, having a dog that is a suitable match to you and your needs, and the length of training involved. In general, our best guess is 6 months for a facility or companion dog to 1 year for a service dog. Wait times may be longer when special skills are needed. In time as we have more applicants, our waiting list will probably reach the industry standard which tends to be about 2-4 years. Those who have demonstrated significant work on fund raising may have priority, however an appropriate match is always the highest priority, so someone who has completed less fund raising may receive a dog sooner if a match is found.
How much does it cost?
It is our experience that clients who are most successful in their partnership and improved independence with an assistance dog are those who demonstrate the motivation to play an active role in seeking the funds require to obtain their Disability Assistance Dog. We therefore ask our clients to use their motivation and creativity in a variety of fundraising efforts to offset the cost. The specific amount that must be raised depends on whether the client is in the Supervised or Professional Training program and the type of Assistance Dog that is being trained. Please refer to the program pages for specifics.
I have a dog that I think would make a good Assistance Dog for me, can it be trained?
If your dog meets our minimum health and temperament standards and shows aptitude for the work that will be required of him or her, he or she may certainly enter our Supervised Training Program. Not all dogs will make successful assistance dogs, however, if your dog is not successful, you may begin again wih another dog or apply for a fully trained assistance dog from the Professional training Program.
Dogs may be accepted into our Professional Training Program on a space available basis after all funds for the type of assistance dog are raised by the client. We cannot guarantee the success of any dog in our program regardless of background or temperament, so even if accepted the dog may not graduate from our program. Regardless, you will have a much more highly trained dog as a result and in many cases these dogs will make excellent companions or skilled companions even if not suitable for public access. If your dog does not succeed, you may still apply for another dog from our program.