Transforming a rescue dog—or any dog in our care—into a reliable service animal is a comprehensive process designed to ensure the dog’s readiness to support a disabled veteran or civilian effectively. The journey begins the moment the dog joins Pawz 4 Heroes and involves several critical phases.
Every service dog begins with a foundation of obedience training:
•Basic Obedience: Teaching essential commands like sit, stay, come, and heel to establish communication and discipline.
•Advanced Obedience: Building on these skills to ensure the dog is reliable and responsive in more complex and distracting situations.
Exposure and socialization are crucial to ensure the dog is confident and well-mannered in various public environments. Training sessions take place in:
•Malls and outlet stores
•Hardware stores and pet stores
•Airports and transportation hubs
•Any other environments where the dog may need to provide support
This phase ensures the dog can navigate real-world settings while remaining calm, focused, and responsive.
Once the dog has mastered obedience and public access, we focus on the specific tasks they will perform. Each dog must be trained to perform a minimum of two tasks tailored to the disabled person’s needs, such as:
•Retrieving items
•Opening doors
•Providing mobility support
•Alerting to medical emergencies
To ensure that every dog meets the highest standards, they must pass a series of rigorous tests, including:
•Canine Good Citizen (CGC): Ensures the dog is well-behaved and reliable.
•Canine Good Citizen Advanced (CGCA): Tests advanced obedience in more challenging environments.
•Service Animal Test (2 Parts): Evaluates the dog’s ability to perform specific tasks and maintain behavior under stress.
Once the dog successfully completes all training and testing, they are paired with their disabled veteran or civilian. This pairing marks the beginning of a transformative partnership built on trust, support, and independence.
Commitment to Excellence
At Pawz 4 Heroes, we are committed to producing service animals that excel in their roles. Each step in our training process ensures that these dogs are not only prepared but also set up for a lifetime of success and service.
