Support NSD today and make a forever impact on those in need of a life-changing partnership. Our NSD Labrador and Golden Retrievers assist Autistic children and their families by increasing safety levels, improving socialization, and suppressing behavioural outbursts. Our CAI Dogs are matched with various treatment professionals to work as partners in therapy, addressing health and wellness in communities across Ontario.
Our Skilled Companion Dogs are placed with children with various disabilities. Their training emulates our service dog programs, helping children overcome daily challenges at home. Our VIPs are adopted when the decision to transition a dog into a pet is made. As they are not made for the working life, NSD looks for internal placements or waiting list for these Very Important Pets. Access to healthy, temperamentally-sound puppies that will have a long working career as service dogs starts with breeding.
This program is the heart of our dog development. NSD standards ensure we accept the best breeders who are held to high health and temperament requirements. Here, our Puppy Raisers and Adult Raisers provide them with care, training, house manners, socialization, and exposure to new people, places, and experiences. At this stage, the dogs are assessed for their responses to interactions with people and various stimuli such as physical contact, noises, and objects.
Dogs who are deemed suitable are admitted to a full-time training program with NSD trainers, Monday through Friday. The tireless efforts of our staff, and volunteers allow our dogs in training to succeed, with social workers and mental health professionals present to ensure our process stays people-centric.
After about 2 years of training and assessment, our NSD graduates are successfully partnered with a client. This Labrador Retriever was named by her currently puppy raiser, who she is now with. She is being taught essential cues and house manners that will enable her to adapt to any social situation with ease and confidence.
