To meet the dire needs of Veterans and shelter dogs, WDFV has designed an innovative training model that trains people and dogs alike. Utilizing three programs all under the umbrella of WDFV; Prison Program (where inmates train service dogs), In-House (where certified volunteer trainers train service dogs in their homes), and Owner-Trained (where Veterans train their dogs and are mentored by certified trainers. On average, about 98% of the service dogs in our organization are rescued from shelters.
No Veteran Left Behind Program
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Allows disabled heroes, to train their own service dogs with professional support.
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We locate volunteers for veteran/dog teams. Volunteers are either a member of our Service Dog training network, local members of Law enforcement, military, or k9 handlers throughout the United States.
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Working Dogs For Vets provides veterans with training instructions from start to finish. Volunteers check in with teams to ensure they are making progress in their training.
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We provide volunteers and disabled heroes with ID badges, information on A.D.A. laws, and information on dog training and task training. Some tasks include medication alerts, blocking someone from approaching too quickly, removing heroes from stressful situations, and much more.
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In return, after hero/service dog teams successfully complete the program, they must help another team. This has resulted in groups meeting at local parks to help each other in training service dogs. That is where the healing is - heroes helping heroes; so No Veteran is Left Behind.
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We hope to have trainers at every military base and in every major city throughout the country within 3-5 years. Our training program's Hero/dog teams receive volunteer support, Training & Testing, Basic/Advanced Obedience, Socialization, and Public Access.
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When your dog reaches service dog In training status you will receive instructions to help with task training so that they will be able to help mitigate your disability. Once your dog learns the tasks and passes the final test your dog will be a Service Dog Graduate.
REMEMBER.....A dog MUST be trained before it can be taken out into public. There is no such thing as a "MAGIC" service dog. You have to train the dog. But with the help of volunteers and your local community, you can do this. Once you contact us we will begin to contact volunteers from the local reserve units, law enforcement, and local dog trainers to help you and your dog with the training. You will train together as a team.
No Veteran Left Behind Program Advantages
In-House Service Dog Program
Working Dogs For Vets also has an "In House" service dog training program. These programs are for disabled heroes whose disability prevents them from training their own service dogs through the No Veteran Left Behind Program. On average, service dog training for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (P.T.S.D.) on average this training takes 6 mo-1 yr, many of the in-house service dogs have been trained in tasks to help P.T.S.D. coupled with other disabilities such as mobility support. Some have been trained for over 2 years and then given to the disabled vet at no cost. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit volunteer-based organization.
About our in-house dogs and shelter. All of our adoptable dogs will be listed on Adoptapet.com. Most of our dogs will be matched with a veteran and trained as a service dogs however some of the dogs that will not make it as service dogs but will make a great emotional support dog or just a pet will be also listed here for the public! Please read their bios.