Service Dog Programs
Service dogs are independence on four paws. They help their handler navigate a life with disabilities in a world that isn’t designed for the disabled. However, they are also expensive, hard to obtain, and at times the process is a bit confusing. Saving Duos is here to help with that process. We offer three different programs that are personalized to best fit your lifestyle, budget, and needs.
Puppy Up Program
In our Puppy Up Program, the training starts before your future service dog is even born. This means, Saving Duos helps you select a breed and ethical breeder that has a high probability of producing service dog prospects. We look at the breeding dog’s heritage, genetic testing, titles on parents, health, and more to determine what breeder and puppies make the strongest candidates. Once born, the litter will go through a series of testing and training including the Volhard Puppy Aptitude Testing, early exposure, and early scent introduction. All of these will help us match you to the perfect future service dog. Once your dog is hope, we immediately deep dive into the service dog training process. Check out those details below!
Pet to Pro Program
Did you know any person can become disabled at any time? Sometimes, individuals find themselves looking for a service dog or prospect when they may have a pet that could make a great service dog. For our Pet to Pro Program, there are a few pre-existing requirements. First, your dog must be two years of age or younger, so they can have a long healthy career. Saving Duos also requires veterinary proof of your dog’s health and wellbeing including but not limited to, shoulder and hip health, eye health, up to date on all vaccines, and more. Service dogs must have a stable temperament and be calm and confident in every environment. If your dog meets the prerequisites, Saving Duos will come out to evaluate and see if your dog has the correct temperament for service work. From there, our training process begins. Check out those details below!
Shelter to Helper Program
Saving Duos’ Shelter to Helper Program is designed at a zero cost to you. Working with local shelters, we pull dogs that have amazing temperaments and personalities for service work and match them to you. Once matched, we will create a GoFundMe to help support the cost of service dog training for your dog. Your GoFundMe will be linked on our website, and you will be able to share the fundraiser as well. As you and your dog get to know each other, we will make a promotional YouTube video, so donators can see your progress as well. After being placed, your now service dog candidate will begin our whole training process to become a task trained service dog. Check out those details below!
Socialization
Socialization starts the moment your service dog prospect comes home. While each of our clients have personalized lesson plans, our socialization is most often used with new puppies. Some frequently visited places during socialization include airports, hospitals, fire stations, car washes, museums, and more. Please note, we prioritize your dogs health and safety. Young puppies will need a stroller or wagon for this time period.
Puppy Training
Puppy training helps teach any dogs the basics of how to live life. We focus on helping them gain confidence through exploring and form the base of their commands. While customizable, this training includes items like foundations of recall, confidence building, crate training, walking on a leash, rear-end awareness, learning to settle, vet care, grooming care, and learning how to interact with other dogs.
Basics Training
Basics training is where things start to become more obedience based. Now that you have a confident puppy, we begin working on all the obedience that makes them a service dog. Our basic training is customizable depending on you and your dog. Generally it includes: sit, stay, down, recall, being pet by others, vet care, grooming care, release commands, handler focus, working around other dogs, remaining calm for pets, heel, listening to others, and more.
Advanced Training
By the time your dog has reached advanced training, they are ready for public access! Advanced training is one of our most customized training programs. While being very individualized, handlers can generally expect: task foundations, tucking and settling for long periods of time, off leash manners and working, escalator training, switching sides on command, voice commands only, and more.
Task Training
At Saving Duos we have years of experience with training different tasks. The list of tasks your dog is trained in will be curated by you and your trainer based off of the disability your dog is mitigating. Any weight baring mobility tasks require extensive veterinary testing to confirm good hip and joint health. Some of the tasks we are familiar with training include but are not limited to:
- Sighted Guide
- Medical alerts and response (seizure, migraine, epilepsy, heart rate, narcolepsy, and more)
- Behavior Interruption
- Retrievals
- Forward momentum pull
- Nightmare interruption
- Autism Assistance
- PTSD related tasks
We do not train allergen alerts or guide dogs for the blind. Please reach out for referrals to other programs that offer this training.
Service Dog Final Evaluation
Per the American with Disabilities Act, registry and certification is not a requirement of a service animal; however, all of our graduated service animals must pass a final certification test. Reliance on tools and treats is not allowed during the use of this test. For testing purposes, all dogs must remain on leash. Reasonable accommodations may be made for individual circumstances. Please reach out to the program if you feel this may apply to you. The testing will include:
- Demonstrate ability to tuck and stay settled for 10 minute time period with people, dogs, and toys going by.
- Controlled entering and exiting buildings
- Calmly putting on gear
- Working and ignoring with another dog present
- 2 task minimum OR demonstration of consistency in all known tasks
- Reactions to noises, vehicles, carts, and umbrellas
- Recall on 10 foot longline
- Stay in sight and out of sight
- Remaining calm while being pet (drive-by and with permission)
- Reactions to humans
- Ignoring food and settling in restaurant settings
- Going with another handler
- Walking in a lose to tight heel position
- Demonstrate ability to tuck and stay settled for 10 minute time period with people, dogs, and toys going by
- Dog must be able to demonstrate skills both inside stores and in outside environments
Saving Duos 