WHY BREED LABRADORS INSTEAD OF TRAINING RESCUE DOGS?
When it comes to training service dogs, pedigree and nurturing make an incredible impact.
ONLY 1 OF 12 RESCUE DOGS
BECOME SUCCESSFUL SERVICE DOGS.
For puppies, the most important phase of development occurs during the first 12 weeks of life. In fact, two thirds of what a puppy will become as an adult dog is determined by the nurturing, training, and socialization it experiences during this time. The remaining one third is determined by its genetic lineage.
When it comes to service dog training, there is no breed better suited than the Labrador Retriever. Their confident-yet-forgiving temperament and physical build as adults make them ideal for the unique situations involved in service work. There is a reason Labradors are the preferred breed in the service dog industry.
WHAT DOES OUR PROCESS OF NURTURING AND SOCIALIZATION ENTAIL?
Our unique mission requires a unique process.
ENRICHING PUPPIES FROM BIRTH
to DONATION.
Project 2 Heal is the only nonprofit in the United States that works to reduce the cost and time necessary to place a service dog with a person in need by breeding, nurturing, socializing, and training Labrador Retriever puppies for donation to carefully selected service dog organizations.
HERE'S OUR PROCESS, FROM A PUPPY'S
SECOND DAY OF LIFE TO DONATION:
Day | 2 - 16
EARLY NEUROLOGICAL STIMULATION
To produce puppies best suited for service dog training, our nurturing exercises begin at just two days of age, when our puppies are introduced to a process called Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS). This process jumpstarts the development of a puppy's nervous system and encourages a tolerance for novel tactile and olfactory stimuli.
Day | 17- 32
PUPPY PRODIGY
The Puppy Prodigy stage of our nurturing process exposes puppies to the task-reward correlation via a series of new tasks, scents, cues, and rewards. This process of cultivating early associations is vital to the development of service dogs.
Day | 33 - 56
socialization & basic training
Proper socialization as a puppy is imperative to the success of a service dog. That's why at nearly five weeks old, we expose our puppies to slight stressors like sudden noise and motion during activities we affectionately call, "Puppy Parties."
SEE OUR PUPPIES WORK
AS SERVICE DOGS IN ACTION.
