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Finding the right dog for service work is an extremely difficult task. Without a successful breeding program, many service dog organizations struggle to acquire suitable dogs for their program. 

 

If a dog or puppy comes from a shelter or rescue, the chances of that dog becoming a service dog is extremely low. In fact, a longitudinal study has shown that on average only about 8.33% (1 of 12) of rescue dogs graduate to become service dogs, even when trained in a professional organization. In an effort to decrease the time it takes someone to receive a service dog, we have developed a program that gives service dog organizations access to older, trained dogs that have shown to have the temperament needed for service work.

 

There are two tier options for our Started 4 Service program. The first tier covers 2-3 months of basic puppy training, so puppies are placed with service dog organizations around 4-5 months of age. The second tier covers 5-8 months of advanced obedience training. These 8-10 month old dogs have hundreds of hours of professional training and public access skills prior to being matched with an organization. To help cover the costs of breeding, raising, and training these Started 4 Service dogs, we ask for a contribution that will range from $3000- $10,000 per dog depending on the dog's age and level of training. 

 

For more information about acquiring Started 4 Service dogs for your program or organization, please email Rebecca at rgolian@project2heal.org