In the professional training program, each dog is trained and matched to individual clients by our professional trainer. Each dog receives a minimum of 3-8 months of training depending on what he or she is being trained to do. After the dog completes training, the client begins Team Training with the dog. Team Training involves 1-4 weeks of intense training with your dog. Each team will receive lifetime support for as long as the dog is working.
Training
All assistance dogs are trained to meet or exceed ADI training standards.
Service Dog
Each Service Dog completes intensive training with our professional trainer.
- Mobility Assistance Dogs: Perform at least 3 tasks to mitigate their partner’s disability. This may include retrieving, support work, opening and closing doors, and other tasks. Team Training usually lasts 4 weeks.
- Signal (Hearing) Dogs: Alert their partner to at least 3 different sounds by making physical contact or some other behavior and then lead the person to the source of the sound. Team Training usually lasts 2 weeks.
- Medical Response Dogs: Respond appropriately to their partner’s symptoms such as alerting their partner to seizure or high/low blood sugar levels, lying on or near them, or alerting others to the situation and perform at least 2 other tasks to mitigate their partner’s disability such as retrieving medication or getting help. Team Training usually lasts 2 weeks.
- Guide Dogs: Guide their partners around obstacles, assist in street crossings, stop at curbs, and other guide tasks. Because there are many well-funded guide dog schools, we encourage clients to look there first. We train guide dogs on a limited basis for clients who cannot travel to other guide dog schools for whatever reason. Team Training usually lasts 4 weeks.
In addition all Service Dogs are trained to dial 9-1-1 in case of an emergency using a special phone.
Facility Dog
Facility Dogs are individually trained based on the type of facility they will work in. They will perform at least 3 tasks relevant to that type of facility. Team Training usually lasts 1 week.
Companion Dog
Companion Dogs are trained to provide love and affection to their partner and to be well behaved at all times. In addition they are trained to dial 9-1-1 in the case of an emergency using a special phone. Team Training usually lasts 1 week.
Skilled Companion Dog
Skilled Companion Dogs are trained to perform the same types of tasks as their Service Dog counterparts but work in their partners home and neighborhood. They may have only 1 or 2 tasks to perform in addition to their Companion Dog duties instead of the 3 minimum required of Service Dogs. Team Training times will be similar to that for Service Dogs and will be determined on an individual basis.
Team Training
During Team Training, partners will be taught to work with their dog learning the commands and behaviors their dog knows as well as how to reinforce the training your dog has received. Partners are responsible for room and board at a local hotel during team training.
Local clients may return home after 4 days provided they have their own transportation to training locations. The first four days are spent in a hotel in order to provide concentrated time with your dog and start the bonding process away from your regular activities. We encourage local clients to spend the majority of the training time in a hotel away from their regular activities for training to be most effective.
Fund Raising
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 a portion of the cost.
Disability Assistance Dogs will do whatever we can to provide fundraising information and assistance in your efforts, including providing information about assistance dogs, our organization and other successful fundraising efforts.
To costs are as follows:
- Mobility Assistance Dog: $12,000
- Guide Dog: $10,000
- Medical Response Dog: $8,000
- Signal/Hearing Dog: $6,000
- Companion Dog: $3,000
- Skilled Companion Dog: Same as a Service Dog with a similar skill set
- Facility Dog: $3,000
In addition, as noted above, clients are responsible for their travel and lodging costs while in training with their dog. Generally partner training lasts from 1-4 weeks.
Teams may also be listed on our website to help them reach their fundraising goals. Partners may also volunteer at our facility to help offset some of their cost. This program is still in development and will not be available until we have moved to our new facility.
In recognition of the possibility that some of our clients may be unable to meet their fundraising goals, the Board of Directors and staff of Disability Assistance Dogs are developing a scholarship fund to assist our clients and donate a great deal of time and effort themselves. Applicants who are unable to generate sufficient funds to offset the total cost of their dog themselves are given the opportunity to apply for a scholarship to make up the difference.
The costs above are only a portion of the total cost of training an Assistance Dog. Disability Assistance Dogs’ own fundraising allows us to run the program and enables us to train these dogs.