Do you want to volunteer?
Service Dogs of Florida is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people with disabilities and medical conditions receive trained service dogs to improve their quality of life. Our mission is to provide service dogs to people who need them, while also educating the public on the importance of animal welfare.
We wouldn't be able to do anything without our volunteers, who help us to train, socialize, and care for the dogs. If you want to be part of something bigger, join us today.
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How can I help?
PUPPY RAISER PROGRAM
Every service dog starts as a puppy, needing love, care, and training. Volunteer puppy raisers provide these special dogs a safe, warm home, lots of love, and socialization opportunities.They also start the training process by teaching them their first commands: sit, stay, down,come, and a dozen others.
The Puppy Raiser program provides a unique opportunity for volunteers to assist in the mission of SDFL. The first year and a half of a dog's life is the most important. It is at this stage that their behavior, habits,temperament, and skills are formed and carried on throughout their lifetime. It is during this period that SDFL does their intensive training so that the service dog can help adisabled individual later in life.
This period is broken down into three sections, called stages.
Stage 1 is the puppy raising stage where a new puppy is taught their first commands and basic obedience.
During Stage 2 the puppy learns how to behave in various public settings.
Finally, Stage 3 is where the adult dog learns all the tasks that are required for the individual assigned to them. During this time, the dog will learn from 50 to over 100 commands both verbally and with hand signals.
GET INVOLVED
Service Dogs of Florida always accepts donations:
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Dog food
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Gift cards to local stores such as Target, Lowe';s, etc.
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Monetary donations
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Leashes
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Gas cards
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Dog crates
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BECOMING A VOLUNTEER TRAINER
There is not much standardization in the dog training field. There are unique certifications for different specialties. For SDFL, everyone starts out as an apprentice, whether it is a 16-year-old or a 33 year-old; they just want to come in and learn about dogs. They learn basic dog grooming and CPR, and then progress into shadowing another trainer and learning the numerous techniques used. After two years, the apprentice takes a test called the American Kennel Club. CGC Evaluator test. All of the Stage 1 trainers are CGC evaluators. They are all qualified to give the CGC test, which is the basic obedience test. Stage 1 is the lowest class trainer and frthere it moves on according to the apprenticeship. One has to learn from the experienced trainers for several years to learn all the particulars and techniques there are in teaching the dogs.
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