Duo Assistance Dogs
Duo Dogs breeds, trains, and places Assistance Dogs that provide courage and independence to people who have physical and hearing challenges, Veterans living with PTSD and facilities that serve vulnerable populations.
Every Assistance Dog trained by Duo Dogs meets or exceeds standards established by Assistance Dogs International and is in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Duo Dogs places Assistance Dogs with public access that can accompany their handler in all places of public accommodation. Facility Dogs do not meet the ADA requirements for public access.
While it takes $50,000 and countless staff and volunteer hours to raise and train a Duo Assistance Dog, that cost is not passed along to the client.
Assistance Dogs providing stability + independence
Duo Assistance Dogs provide stability and independence — partnering with an individual to provide courage and independence to those with physical or hearing challenges and Veterans living with PTSD.
Mobility Dogs assist clients with activities like opening and closing doors, picking up dropped items, retrieving objects, undressing and turning lights on and off.
Hearing Dogs alert people who are deaf or hard of hearing to important sounds such as doorbells, alarms, and phones.
PTSD Dogs serve local Veterans with a diagnosis of PTSD to reorient to time and place, reduce anxiety, intervene during nightmares or night terrors, increase confidence in public spaces and provide a social bridge for positive interactions in the community.
The goal of these placements is to increase our client’s independence. Our dogs perform trained skills to complete specific tasks that are otherwise difficult or impossible for our clients to complete because of their identified disabilities.
Facility Dogs providing courage + comfort
Duo Facility Dogs provide courage and comfort —in partnering with an organization, a Duo Dog helps others to overcome emotional barriers, reestablish trust and foster a sense of safety.
Duo Facility Dogs are placed with organizations who serve physically, psychologically or socially at-risk or vulnerable populations. The Facility Dog is used as an adjunct or complement to therapeutic interactions by licensed or certified workers that have been trained as handlers by Duo Dogs. Each facility must provide a minimum of two (2) certified handlers that will complete training.
These amazing dogs are placed with legal, medical and educational organizations to provide strength and support when people are facing some of life’s toughest challenges. In the legal system, they comfort victims during forensic interviews and silently provide support when victims are testifying in court. In medical facilities, they can soothe young children and their families as they’re facing an uncomfortable procedure or calm a patient who is anxious about treatment. In schools, Facility Dogs can assist children with special needs as they learn to overcome barriers or work with school counselors during challenging conversations.
