FAQ
Q. How do I get service dog from Paws In Partnership?
A. Click here for more information and an application.
Q. What areas do you serve?
A. New York Tri-State Area
Q. Do you train dogs for the blind or hearing impaired?
A. No. For those organizations, visit Assistance Dogs International, Inc. for information and links to appropriate sites.
Q. For what types of disabilities are the dogs trained?
A. Our dogs are trained to assist individuals with mobility impairments. Occasionally with the right dog, we also partner dogs with individuals who have psychological disorders.
Q. Do you train seizure-alert dogs?
A. At this time it is unclear what these dogs are actually alerting to (behavior, pheromone, etc). We are unable to teach the dog to respond to a specific cue and therefore are not comfortable placing reliable dogs for seizure disorders at this time.
Q. Do you ever place an assistance dog with a child?
A. Yes, children are the inspiration of Paws In Partnership, however, family support must be strong.
Q. I have an autistic child... can we get an assistance dog from you?
A. Yes, however, you must live within a reasonable driving distance from our training facility. Since training skills for dogs placed with Autistic children is so individualized, after-placement trainings are often needed.
Q. What training method do you use?
A. We use reward-based training that can be used by the recipient once the partnership is made so that they can continue to teach the dog new skills as necessary.
Q. What breed of dog do you train and why?
A. We primarily train Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers as they are intelligent, eager to please, not aggressive, and retrieving comes easily to them. They also are large enough and strong enough for a human partner to lean briefly on for balance or to pull a wheel chair if necessary.
Q. Where do you get your dogs?
A. We breed most of the dogs that we train, but we also get them from other breeders, from donations and sometimes a shelter.
Q. How long does it take to train a dog?
A. It takes up to two years of training before a dog can be placed. Early Puppy Education begins at 3-4 weeks of age. At 6-8 months of age, pups are placed in Puppy Parenting homes. They return to be matched with a recipient when they are about 2 years old.
Q. Are your dogs allowed in public?
A. Service dogs are granted access rights by state and federal law in all public places and accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
If we haven’t answered your questions, please contact us directly at, Info@PawsInPartnership.org