Paws With A Cause is a non-profit organization that trains assistance dog

Assistance dog

An assistance dog is a dog trained to aid or assist a person with a disability. Many are trained by a specific organization, while others are trained by their handler .-Classification:...

s for the people with disabilities. Founded in 1979 by Michael Sapp, Sr., it was originally called "Ears for the Deaf," and specialized in hearing dog

Hearing dog

A hearing dog is a specific type of assistance dog specifically selected and trained to assist people who are deaf or hearing impaired by alerting their handler to important sounds, such as doorbells, smoke alarms, ringing telephones, or alarm clocks...

s. Since then, it has expanded to include mobility assistance

Mobility assistance dog

A mobility assistance dog is a service dog trained to assist a physically disabled person. Among other tasks, they are commonly trained to pick up objects, open and close doors, and operate light switches...

 and seizure response dog

Seizure response dog

Seizure response dogs are a special type of service dog, specifically trained to help someone who has epilepsy or a seizure disorder.Due to the differing needs between each case, every potential seizure dog receives specialized training...

s as well, and services a large part of the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

.

Puppies and Training

Paws With A Cause dogs are donated as puppies by private breeders, bred at PAWS headquarters in Wayland, Michigan

Wayland, Michigan

Wayland is a city in Allegan County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,939 at the 2000 census.The city is located at the northwest corner of Wayland Township, but is politically independent. The city has also incorporated a portion of land in the south of adjacent Leighton...

, or rescued from animal shelters. While most of the dogs are golden retrievers or Labrador retriever

Labrador Retriever

The Labrador Retriever is one of several kinds of retriever, a type of gun dog. A breed characteristic is webbed paws for swimming, useful for the breed's original purpose of retrieving fishing nets. The Labrador is the most popular breed of dog by registered ownership in Canada, the United...

s, other pure-breds such as Cairn terrier

Cairn Terrier

The Cairn Terrier is the oldest of the terrier breeds, originating in the Scottish Highlands and recognized as one of Scotland's earliest working dogs...

s, Papillion

Papillion

Papillion may refer to:*Papillion, Nebraska, U.S.**Papillion-La Vista Public Schools**Papillion-La Vista Senior High School**Papillion Junior High*Papillion Creek, Nebraska, U.S....

s, and mixes such as labradoodle

Labradoodle

A Labradoodle is a crossbred dog created by crossing the Labrador Retriever and the Standard or Miniature Poodle.-History:The first known use of the term "Labradoodle" was by Sir Donald Campbell to describe his Labrador/Poodle cross dog in his 1955 book, "Into the Water Barrier"...

s have been used as well. In all cases, however, donated puppies' parents' hips must be OFA

Orthopedic Foundation for Animals

The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals is a not-for-profit organization based in Columbia, Missouri that aims to research and prevent orthopedic and hereditary diseases in companion animals....

-certified as good or excellent, and all dogs are X-ray

X-ray

X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma...

-screened before entering formal training. At an average of eight weeks, puppies are placed with raisers who are responsible for basic obedience training

Obedience training

Obedience training usually refers to the training of a dog and the term is most commonly used in that context. Obedience training ranges from very basic training, such as teaching the dog to reliably respond to basic commands such as "sit", "down", "come", and "stay", to high level competition...

 and socialization

Socialization

Socialization is a term used by sociologists, social psychologists, anthropologists, political scientists and educationalists to refer to the process of inheriting and disseminating norms, customs and ideologies...

. When the Foster Puppies reach 14-18 months of age, they are transported to PAWS National Headquarters for formal training.

After a short period to get used to kennel-life, dogs start "Phase 1" training, lasting roughly two months, in which their basic obedience skills are further honed. Phase 2, which consists of retrieve training, is done concurrently. Once both Phase 1 and 2 are complete, the dog moves into "Phase 3". At this point, what sort of assistance dog it will be, and who it will go to, will be determined. The specialized training of Phase 3 may take anywhere from four months up to a year to train some service dogs. Each dog is custom trained for the specific tasks needed by its future client.

Hearing Dogs go through an obedience phase, where basic obedience and sign language commands are taught. They concurrently go through sounds training, where they will be taught to alert to common household sounds, such as a doorknock, smoke alarm, telephone, or baby's cry. Each dog is custom trained to respond the sounds needed by its future client.

The Clients

After applying for an assistance dog, future clients are visited by an area representative to assess the person's needs. Once accepted, they are placed on a waiting list for their state. Although PAWS dogs are completely free for clients, internal costs ordinarily exceed $30,000 for the breeding/rescuing and training of the dog. Once funding is in place, a dog is selected to best match that person's lifestyle, and is specifically trained for that person's specific needs. People may also raise money for or pay for their own dog.

Once a dog has completed its formal training, it is taken to its future partner's home and the team begins its in-home training, overseen by the area's representative. Approximately six months after the first meeting, the team is officially certified and ownership of the dog transferred to the client. Additionally, PAWS dogs must undergo a re-certification every two years, to ensure the dog is still doing its job correctly, and to address any additional training the dog may need. Ideally, the dogs will work for ten or more years, after which they are retired and may go to live with a family member or friend. "Successor" dogs are provided free of charge and as soon as possible after the retiring of the previous dog, and are funded by Paws' Endowment Fund.

Career-changing

Some dogs might lack the right temperament, physical health, or stress-resistance for being an assistance dog. At any point in training, from puppies to even having been with a person several months, a dog may be "washed-out" and/or career-changed. Some dogs are determined to become "social-support" dogs during formal training. While these may have some training as assistance dogs, they do not have rights of access that allow them to visit public places. If a dog is unable to complete PAWS' training, but still has the right temperament for assistance dog work, it may be transferred to PAWS' guide dog

Guide dog

Guide dogs are assistance dogs trained to lead blind and visually impaired people around obstacles.Although the dogs can be trained to navigate various obstacles, they are partially color blind and are not capable of interpreting street signs...

 partner, Leader Dogs for the Blind

Leader Dogs for the Blind

Leader Dogs for the Blind is a guide dog training school located in Rochester Hills, Michigan. It was founded in 1939 by Lions Club members, Charles Nutting, Don Schuur and S.A. Dodge , as the second guide dog school founded in the U.S....

for training there. Other "working careers" are also options for former Paws dogs, including working for US Customs, Police Departments, and therapy work. Many others are simply returned to the breeder or puppy raiser, or are adopted by families as pets.
www.pawswithacause.org