It’s National Service Dog month! In honor of the special occasion, we’re sharing a few tips on how you can get started raising a service dog.
The first thing you’ll want to do is find an organization the you can work with to help raise a service dog. There are different organizations for different types of service dogs. Here are a few:
Canine Companions for Independence
The Seeing Eye
Guide Dog Foundation
Most of these organizations have similar guidelines. Here are some of the big ones that you will need to know before volunteering.
Your puppy will be less than 1 year old so they will need a lot of attention and care.
You will be working closely with the organization, taking the puppy to regular classes and meetings so, you will want to be within driving distance to the location.
There will be some training involved, such as instilling manners and basic abilities in the puppy.
It is up to the organization to determine what you will be financially responsible for, but you may need to cover food, necessities and vet costs.
You will need to bring the puppy to most outings, including trips to the grocery store, casual outings and even long trips or airport visits. (This shouldn’t be a problem because your puppy will have an official service dog vest, allowing it legal access to all of these locations.)
You will have the puppy until s/he is about 14 to 18 months old.
Ready to volunteer? Submit your application to one of the websites listed above.