Service dog agencies operate with a pretty standard format. You fill out the paperwork, pay tons of money, wait a long time, spend four or five days at the agency, then bring home your fully trained, qualified, bonafide, certified, all the -ied's, service dog.
This is NOT what we do.
One of our biggest differences, of course, is that we work with rescue dogs. Because of this, we never know exactly where our baseline will be. We get dogs that are almost fully trained, we get dogs with absolutely no training at all, and we get dogs that are at any point in between. Obviously that makes it difficult to have a specific training program.
However, that is not our biggest difference.
Our biggest difference is that we don't deliver a fully trained service dog to your door. When you apply for one of our dogs, the long process of acquiring a service dog begins. After assessing present and incoming dogs, our experienced behaviorist picks a dog that she thinks will be a good fit for your specific needs.
That's when the work begins, and it isn't just work for us.
Here's where the real difference kicks in: we work with the dog AND you. You and your family are an integral part of the training process. Some of our dogs move in with their prospective families long before they even begin training for service work. You will attend regular training sessions with your dog, and you will have homework. Yes, that's right--homework. Part of the training is your responsibility!
We feel this is a vital aspect in the bond that is eventually formed between the dog and his or her new family. Not only that, you are gaining vital experience in the handling and training of your dog! We want our dogs to go in to families that are comfortable and qualified to be the owners these dogs deserve. There is no better way to ensure this happens than to include the families throughout the training process.
Training a service dog takes time. That waiting period you experience with a traditional service dog agency isn't just arbitrary. They are training your dog. The difference with K9s to Furkids is that you get to join in the process. This process may take many months, even a year or more. Again, a lot depends on the individual dog. Does the dog need even the most basic obedience training, or are they already compliant? Does the dog have negative behaviors that need rehabilitation? How old is the dog? All of these questions, and their subsequent answers, are determining factors in the training process.
So yes, when you decide you want to work with K9s to Furkids in acquiring a service dog, there is some work ahead of you. We expect a lot from our clients and their families, but that's only because we know the rewards are great.
You will have confidence in handling your dog, and best of all, as different needs arise in your life, you have the ability to train your dog for new tasks! We are always available for continued training support and advice throughout the life of your dog.
We love our dogs and we want them in the best situations possible. We might ask a little more than other agencies, but our sincere hope is that you will find the benefits far outweigh the time investment in training your amazing service dog.
So give us a call. Read our success stories and talk to our people. You won't regret it. Different can be scary, but it can also be awesome!