Beautiful and Skilled Assistance Dogs
UNCOMPROMISED INTEGRITY IS THEIR STANDARD.
Why Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers?
At Golden PAWS Assistance Dogs, we work exclusively with retrievers. The reasons are two-fold.
IDEALLY SUITED FOR SERVICE WORK
First, these breeds are ideally suited for service work, with an extremely high capacity for emotional intelligence and an innate desire to serve. The second reason is that we believe that social reintegration is one of the most important parts of recovery for a veteran suffering from PTSD or physical injuries.
Goldens and Labs, easily facilitate social interactions, drawing people in with their friendly personalities and unrivaled cuteness. At the same time, their tendency to form deep bonds with their handler, along with their specialized training, gives our recipients the comfort of knowing that their canine companion is always looking out for them and ready to serve.
BECOMING AN ASSISTANCE DOG
The Journey of a
Golden PAWS Service Dog
How does one of our retrievers become a Golden PAWS service dog? It’s a long journey that starts before they’re even born.
Breeding
Tapping our network of highly respected breeders, we plan litters based on the health and temperament of the parents and past generations within the dog’s lineage.
Aptitude and
Temperament Testing
We test the litter at 5-8 weeks of age to select the puppies with the best chance of graduating our rigorous training program.
Basic Skills and Obedience
Sit. Stay. Down. Loose-leash walking and focus. The same behaviors you would teach your own dog.
Advance Training (Service Skills)
Service skills including retrieving items, opening and closing doors, wheelchair or bracing work and similar skills. We also focus on proper public behavior.
Matching
The science – choosing a dog with the right skills and personality for a particular recipient. The art – evaluating the strength of the bond between the dog and the recipient. We always say the dog ultimately chooses his recipient.
Paired Training
We work with the recipient and the dog as a team to develop specific skills needed by the recipient based on his or her condition. We also train the recipient to be a proficient service dog handler.
Ongoing Support
We commit to the dog and recipient for life, reinforcing training as needed and even guaranteeing financial assistance for the care of the dog throughout its life if necessary.
Golden PAWS Assistance Dogs serves many in need.
We place a strong emphasis on giving back to the community that supports us. Your financial support drives our mission to help us deliver these critical services.
Support Our Mission Today!
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