1 Dog : 1 Person

Matching Dogs to Clients

Since 1995, ADW has placed more than 500 highly-skilled service dogs with client recipients. To serve clients with disabilities, dogs must be skilled in a variety of behaviors. They must be able to perform simple and complex tasks in virtually any environment. Their very high level of proficiency must include the ability to respond promptly and accurately to verbal cues alone, to physical cues alone or a combination. The dog must be able to ignore any distractions, even those that are most intense, and to be creative and flexible as needed.

By the time ADW dogs are placed with clients, the dogs have been positively reinforced hundreds of times for each command by dozens of different trainers, including student trainers, in a huge number of locations.

As each dog develops, we invite him or her to show us individual talents and to choose his or her working path. We then begin to tailor the training to match the dog’s proclivities and abilities.

At ADW, we permit our dogs to select their human partners and thus, to choose their life’s work. During the interview process, we watch the dogs as they interact with prospective clients. We like to see the dog showing signs of his or her desire to work for this person, choosing his or her new person over other rewarding opportunities and familiar trainers in the training room. We also evaluate the prospective client’s behaviors with the dog. A successful match creates a strong working foundation.

We celebrate these partnerships at our annual graduation ceremony. ADW clients receive dogs who are ready, able and eager to perform tasks and to step fully into their working lives as service animals.

We are very proud of our stellar record of client placement success since 1995.