| Helping families. Training dogs. Changing lives.
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About The Dog Knowledge Service Dog Foundation
Several years ago, The Dog Knowledge, Charlotte, NC’s premier dog training facility began receiving requests to train service dogs. As certified dog trainers, taught to train all dog sports, competitive obedience, pet obedience, behavior modification, etc. we created a non-profit 501c3 and began giving of our time and energy to assist those in need of a trained service dog.
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"The Dog Knowledge Service Dog Foundation"
Helping families. Training dogs. Changing lives.
Therapy vs. Service Dog
There is a lot of confusion about the role of a Therapy Dog versus the role of a Service Dog. Simply put, a Therapy Dog is a dog trained to provide affection and comfort to people in hospitals, retirement homes, nursing homes, schools, hospices, disaster areas, and to people with learning difficulties. A good therapy dog must be friendly, patient, confident, gentle, and at ease in all situations. A Service dog is a type of assistance dog specifically trained to help people who have disabilities including visual difficulties, hearing impairments, mental illness, seizures, diabetes, Autism, and more.
Who Qualifies for a Service Dog?
When The Dog Knowledge Service Dog Foundation receives a request to consider either finding a potential service dog or training the family pet for a specific service, we begin the process by telling the clients that any dog that The Dog Knowledge Service Dog Foundation certifies for service must first produce a letter from a physician somewhat like a prescription for medicine. In the opinion of The Dog Knowledge Service Dog Foundation this letter from a physician, stating that someone has a disability and requires the specific services of a service or assistance dog is similar to someone who applies to social security for disability benefits.
What Dogs are Eligible?
As stated under the definition of a Service Dog, program-trained dogs, (dogs that have already undergone obedience training and have exhibited the characteristics required for a Service Dog) are matched with their future handler/recipient near the end of the training process. By this point, it is nearly certain the candidate dog will complete training and will become a service dog. Advanced training can last six months to one year, but a number of organizations are working to decrease the length of this phase in order to increase the service dog’s working period.