Service dogs are specially trained to assist people with disabilities. Tasks a service dog performs might include turning on lights, alerting a deaf person to a knock on the door or pulling a person in a wheelchair. Some people are able to train their own service dogs, while others enlist the help of service dog organizations. Some service dog organizations provide training and resources to owners and their dogs, while others breed, raise and train the dogs, which are then provided to the disabled.
Canine Companions for Independence
Canine Companions for Independence was founded in 1975 and is now the largest assistance dog organization in the world. CCI has its own breeding program, and enlists volunteer breeder caretakers and puppy raisers. Dogs go through extensive training and evaluation before being partnered with disabled people.
Guide Dogs for the Blind
Guide Dogs for the Blind was organized in 1942 and has graduated more than 10,000 dog-human teams since then. GDB strictly raises and trains dogs to assist the legally blind, and partners with other organizations to place dogs that are better suited to other work. Like CCI, GDB has its own breeding program and enlists volunteers to care for breeding dogs and puppies.
National Education for Assistance Dog Services
National Education for Assistance Dog Services was originally called the Hearing Ear Dog Program, and was established in 1976 with the goal of training dogs to assist deaf people. In 1987, the program expanded to include training assistance dogs for the physically disabled, and the name changed to reflect the broader services and national scope of the program. NEADS does not have its own breeding program; most hearing dogs are obtained from New England animal shelters, while breeders across the U.S. donate puppies for the physically disabled assistance dog program.
Tags: breeding program, Assistance Services, breeding program enlists, Canine Companions, Canine Companions Independence