HELPING DOGS
Pets and Helping Dogs, LLC (PHD) offers guided training programs for working dogs like Service Dogs, Emotional Support Dogs and Therapy Dogs. This means that the client (human) and dog work with a consultant who is a professional dog trainer. In addition to providing instruction, PHD tracks and documents each team's progress in a standardized curriculum that is individualized to the skillset and socialization needed by the type of helping dog being trained. The team is assigned homework in between sessions, which they practice using resources in the Learning Portal.
A dog that you already love and have in your home may be a good candidate to learn to work for you. Alternately, PHD can assist you in your search to find a dog who is a good candidate. Many dogs find working to be fun and rewarding: both you and your dog could benefit greatly from a working relationship.
ADVANTAGES OF GUIDED TRAINING
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COST. Buying a pre-trained working dog can cost more than you can afford. Waiting lists for donation of a trained dog can be long. Pre-trained dogs generally need regular training tune-ups, during which time you may be separated from your dog. If you don't know how to maintain the training yourself, your dog could experience behavioral problems that could prevent him or her from continuing to work for you.
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INDIVIDUALIZED TRAINING. With a PHD guided training program, you are involved in every step of the process, learning hands-on from a professional dog trainer. Your dog is trained just for what you need: nothing more, nothing less. You are taught skills to maintain the training.
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A LIFETIME OF BENEFITS. When your working dog becomes elderly or ill, you have the skills and knowledge to responsibly train another working dog of the same type just for yourself.
NEXT STEPS
1. Read about differences between Service Dogs, Emotional Support Dogs, and Therapy Dogs (below).
2. Check out our New Client Resource Page where you will find program descriptions and tuition estimates.
GALLERY OF GRADS
Click here to view a partial directory of PHD Service Dog Program graduates in Good Standing.