SERVICE DOGS OF VIRGINIA INC

Service Dogs of Virginia trains dogs in the following areas:

Physical Assistance – these dogs are trained to assist people in wheelchairs with tasks such as opening doors, picking up items, getting the phone, and so much more. 

Autism Service – these dogs are trained to assist autistic children and their families by preventing children from impulsively running off, facilitating easier transitions from one activity to the next, assisting with social interactions, improving communication, and more.

Medical Alert – these dogs are trained to alert owners to low blood glucose thereby helping to prevent short-term health consequences such as passing out or having seizures, as well as long-term consequences such as early death, loss of limbs and blindness that result from uncontrolled blood sugar swings. Amazingly, a well-trained dog is more reliable than available technology for “brittle” diabetics. Dogs are also trained to alert for low cortisol in order to prevent life-threatening Addisonian crisis in those with Addison's disease and to alert for increased histamine levels in Mast Cell Activation syndrome in order to prevent anaphylaxis.

Military and First Responder related PTSD - these dogs are trained to interrupt common anxiety symptoms, night mars, or body language indicating social withdrawal. These interventions can keep a person from spiraling into a dark place.

Facility - these are working dogs specifically trained to help more than one person in facilities like courthouses, schools, counseling centers or hospitals. These dogs work with a handler to serve those who need social interaction, recovery motivation, comfort and/or a feeling of safety.

Education - In addition to the above programs, we consider educating the general public about service dogs an important adjunct program.

We only place service dogs with clients who live in Virginia as both dogs and people require periodic “tune ups.”  When a program is geographically inaccessible, people go without help reducing the effectiveness of their canine helpmates.

SDV makes a commitment to provide ongoing training and support for each individual with which it places a dog. If an individual’s needs change, SDV provides additional training to customize their dog’s commands and tasks. This ongoing relationship also provides us the opportunity to observe each dog’s progress and to ensure it is being utilized to its maximum benefit.