Let’s start with the definition of a service dog:

A dog that is a service animal and defined by the following titles: Title II and Title III of the ADA. A service animal is any K9 that is trained to work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability. A disability could be physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or any other mental disability.

Service dogs can have a remarkable impact on an individual with a disability – potentially making the difference between a peaceful night’s sleep or sleeping in fear, having someone to comfort them during times of stress, or even signalling a warning for a diabetic or epileptic. Service animals work to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities and keep a constant presence in providing support.  While service animals’ primary benefit is to serve the individual with a disability, most people with service dogs say the dog takes on a significance that a small number of people are fortunate enough to understand.

Getting Started With Buying a Service Dog

There are multiple ways to start looking for a service dog: contacting a non-profit organization, going directly to a breeder, or consulting with a professional service dog trainer. This can be a slow process, with each option having pros, cons, and cost considerations that aren’t for everyone. Buying a service dog doesn’t mean going to a mill and coming home with a dog to comfort you. Service animals require careful selection to match with an individual’s needs, one to three years of training, and a clean bill of health.

When we receive inquiries for service animals, the common challenge people tell us about before they contacted us is the waiting pool for a dog or the cost of the animal is way outside the individual’s budget. The more we’ve heard about these outside complaints and the more people we’ve helped in sourcing and training high caliber service dogs, the more we knew that there was a serious void that we should fill as professional Schutzhund/IPO working dog trainers with incredible amount  knowledge in our training toolbox.

A key part of what separates us from many organizations and trainers is our flexibility in both finding the right dog for an individual and the diversity in our skill-sets as trainers. Our bio’s are not rhetoric, but tested at the highest levels of the dog sport world and proven time and time again from  one competition to the next. Of course, you should also read our testimonials and online reviews as an indicator of how we can help bring a service animal into your life.

Next steps…

Get in touch with John Soares today. Your introductory call with John is meant to understand your needs, your values, and what you’re looking for in a service animal. After that call, John will either work with you in bringing the right animal into your life or he would have provided you with invaluable resources and answers to your questions.