Course Description:

At Deer Creek we have the unique position to raise and evaluate potential service dogs from birth, shaping them from day one into the very important role they will have in their new family.   We have several of our Deer Creek Alumni working as Mobility, PTSD, Anxiety Alert/Response and Autism Service Dogs and are hoping to add Seizure Alert to the program in the near future.  We provide temperament tested Service potential candidates with Kindergarten training all the way through fully finished Service Dogs. Each puppy has his or her own unique personality and natural abilities making them excel in the different facets of service work. We are very humbled and proud of our opportunity to find these characteristics at an early age through strategic breeding and our puppy raising protocols to then develop this gift with our puppies into fruition as working Service Dogs. 

 Puppies completing our Service Dog program start at $20,000 and are specially selected for the particular home that will compliment their unique abilities. Our Service dog program is tailored with many task options to select a total of 4 tasks to serve their family's needs. Our Service dogs go home at 1 year through 1 year 4 months of age and must be delivered by one of our trainers to their new family's home for a good transition. Family's are encouraged to visit their Service dog in training as often as they can for bonding and training opportunities to make the placement successful. 

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Our main Service dog specialty programs include:

• Psychiatric Services including PTSD and Anxiety Alert/Response

• Mobility

• Autism Assistance

• Seizure Alert/ Response

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Below is a list of our optional Service Dog skills. We strongly recommend no more than 4 trained tasks for a Service dog. If you have a task you would like to request that does not appear on this list, please contact our team and we will be happy to accommodate any specific request in our area of expertise. 

• Alert/Interrupt Touch

• Deep pressure Lay

• Tethering (Autism Assistance)

• Emergency Down (Autism Assistance) 

• Trailing (search and locate an individual)

• Open and Close (Mobility)

• Retrieve (Mobility)

• Light Switch (Mobility)

• Bracing Stand (Mobility)

• Signal Alert

• Block and Cover

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Prerequisites for a puppy to enter our Service Dog program:

• The puppy must exhibit an impressive temperament testing score in line with service dog requirements including a high score in resiliency and confidence.

• The puppy must complete puppy Preschool and Kindergarten courses with a high level of enthusiasm and comprehension showing a high motivation to work and learn.

• The puppy must visit the home of at least two of our trainers and reliably demonstrating the intelligence and behavior needed for working in both environments. 

• The puppy must have excellent behavior observed in public as well as in vehicles.

• The puppy must complete and hold the Canine Good Citizen Graduate Title 

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Course Objectives: At the completion of this class, dogs will be able to:

• Be reliably house trained and crate trained in the trainers' home

• Be further socialized in public with a variety of people and other dogs in pet friendly and regular stores as well as restaurants, malls etc.)

• Exhibit appropriate car riding etiquette (If big enough will enter and exit car on command)

• Follow the verbal obedience commands "sit, look, down, implied stay, place, heel, in your bed, no, come, up (car), Break!, "Leave it", and "go potty" (some commands have associated hand signals as well)

• Know 4 role specific Tasks for aiding their new handler/family

• Present their learned commands with distractions such as other dogs, people, and background noise in public

• Exhibit appropriate public behavior in line with the Service dog Public Access Test including stores and restaurants

• Exhibit appropriate house manners in their trainers' homes 

• Stand for grooming and be comfortable with all methods of handling and care

• Use stairs and enter doors appropriately

 

Final Exam:  

Once the puppy is 1 year of age and has completed their task training and public obedience with Deer Creek, they must pass the Assistance Dogs International Public Access Test prior to becoming a certified service dog with their handler. At completion of the Public Access Test and video demonstration of their task work, they will be issued a certificate as a working Service Dog. 

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Graduation Package - Puppy will receive the following package for going home with their

new family:

• A valuable in home training session with one of our trainers and follow-up 

• Lifetime breeder and trainer support

• A full set of shots and rabies completed for the year and current on worming/flea/tick/heartworm medication

• Spayed/ Neutered at the appropriate age

• Leash, collar, ball, bully stick and food sample

• Doggy door bells

• Canine Good Citizen Certificate and ribbon

• Service Dog Certificate and Letter of training from Deer Creek for school, work and housing requirements

• Vest with Service dog patches

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*Please note: in order to successfully integrate a trained service dog into a family we require that there only be  one (1) other dog present in the home.