A dog is a big commitment. I thought long and hard before deciding on getting a Service Dog. Do I really need a four footed friend around all the time? Taking care of him/her all the time? Can I handle the dog along with my disability? Once I said yes, the next step was choosing a Service Dog organization to train my dog.
There is a book that has Service Dog training organizations and that you can buy at any book store. If it is not on the shelf, they can order it for you. It was published in 1996, and other places have opened up but this is a start. It is called Assistance Dog Providers in the United States by Carla Stiverson and Norm Pritchett.
There are quit a few questions to ask when choosing the right Service Dog organization from which you will receive your dog. It is best to look at all the organizations you can that train your type of dog for your disability. Please do not choose the first one you find or choose one just because it may be the closest one to you. Here are 27 question's I asked when looking for Tagert.
1. What is the history of the organization?
2. How many other dogs have they placed?
3. What will the final cost be for the dog?
4. How many Service Dog teams were successful?
5. What happens to the dogs that do not make it through the training?
6. Has the organization ever been sued or fined?
7. What are their requirements for accepting me as a candiate for getting a dog?
8. What breeds are used?
9. Will they consider a breed you like?
10 Where do they get their dogs?
11 Will they consider using a dog I already own?
12 How long until you receive the dog?
13 What is the minimum age for the person getting the dog?
14 Will they consider someone with multiple disabilities?
15 How do they decided which dog is for me?
16 Does the facility do all the training?
17 What is their method of training?
18 What are the trainer's qualifications?
19 How many commands will the dog know?
20 Where does training take place: home, facility, or both?
21 How long does the training take?
22 Will you get one on-one training or be in a group?
23 Are there any other costs, such as transportation or lodging, or do you stay at the school?
24 Do I have ownership of the dog?
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