Paragon Service Dogs

The mission of Paragon Service Dogs is to empower individuals with disabilities through the purposeful training of specially selected pups, the meticulous pairing of dog and handler, and unwavering support of the dog/handler team for the lifetime of the match.

Through our commitment to excellence in training, meticulous matching processes, and lifelong support, we aim to create extraordinary partnerships between individuals and their service dogs. Together, we are not just enhancing mobility and independence but fostering a lasting connection that transcends boundaries, enabling our community to embrace life with newfound strength and confidence. At Paragon, we don't just provide service dogs; we cultivate life-changing companionships, empowering each individual to navigate their unique journey with resilience, dignity, and the unyielding support of their four-legged ally.

With over 50 million people in the United States experiencing hearing loss, demand increases for Paragon's specialized hearing service dogs as professional aides, trusted partners, and loyal companions. If not for Paragon's intervention, people with hearing loss, particularly those who lost their hearing in adulthood, are at an increased risk of social isolation, mental health difficulties, unemployment, loss of independence, risk of accidents, and impaired quality of life. Paragon offers a reliable and life-affirming solution -- hearing service dogs. A hearing service dog is an active listening partner who consistently keeps their handler alerted to conditions at home and in public. For instance, a hearing service dog can alert to a siren at the grocery store, a doorbell at home, and a phone call at the office. Additionally, a hearing service dog's legal access to public places opens the door for clients to increase exercise, gain exposure to experiences, utilize community assets, and partake in social encounters with community members, neighbors, friends, and family.

Each hearing service dog is trained and equipped to be a professional aid on alert 24/7, 365 days a year, and every client is prepared to become a skilled handler. As a result, the team successfully navigates home and public environments.

Client Darwin reports, "Before Hearing Dog Crispy became my helper, I was becoming a bit reclusive. My life is much richer now. As my constant companion, Crispy alerts me to the door and smoke alarm and finds my cell phone and my wife for me." Additionally, Crispy's alerts afford Darwin the confidence to engage in active pastimes such as hiking and partake in social outings such as attending church. Darwin shares, "One of the greatest things about having him with me is that people see his vest and see my hearing aids and respond by assisting me to understand them."

Paragon aims to create reliable and enriching service dog teams for individuals with disabilities (age 18 plus, meeting minimum criteria) to lead more fulfilling, independent lives with greater safety, positive community engagements, and increased inclusion.

Paragon serves our clients and builds support through the following activities:

Puppy Raiser Program - Purposefully selected puppies are partnered with prison and community-based volunteer Puppy Raisers who provide a crucial foundation through daily care, socialization experiences, puppy raiser classes, and behavioral training (over 10 to 12 months) that puppies need to become future service dogs.

Advanced Training Program - Intentionally designed, the program (ranging from 6 to 9 months) extensively focuses on Public Access and Sound Alert training.

Client Preparation Training Program - Clients receive and must complete comprehensive virtual and, when feasible, in-person training geared toward readying clients for their role as hearing dog handlers and the integration of a hearing service dog into their lives.

Team Training Program - 12 days of training onsite at Paragon's training facility incorporating matched hearing service dogs in training and clients with the preset objective to pass the Public Access and Sound Alert Tests and become a certified hearing dog team.

Extended Support Program - Paragon staff provides comprehensive support to established teams to solidify bonds and improve skills throughout the life of the match.

Volunteer Program - Unquestionably, volunteers play an essential part in the advancement of Paragon, mainly as Puppy Raisers and ambassadors at special events.

Outreach and Education Program - Through presentations and demonstrations, this program promotes the hearing service dog's role to d/Deaf and hard of hearing audiences and the general public.

Paragon Service Dogs has a long and rich history. The training of dogs to assist the d/Deaf did not exist until the early 1970s when Mrs. Elva Janke's, a hard of hearing woman in Minnesota, dog passed away. Her dog had, just naturally, alerted her to sounds. When he died, Mrs. Janke reached out to a local news station to see if they could find her a way to have a dog trained to alert in the way her previous dog had done. Mrs. Janke was eventually connected with a local dog trainer in Minnesota by the name of Agnes McGrath, and the rest, as they say, is history. Agnes initially trained six hearing dogs, including one for Mrs Janke. These were the first six hearing dogs to be trained. This training project was called the "Hearing Ear Program" and operated with financial support from the Minnesota Lions Club and the then Minnesota Governor Wendell Anderson.

In 1974, as interest in the project grew, Agnes added three additional women, Martha Foss, Emlynn Wood, and Sand Sterker, and the four embarked on a pilot project to examine the benefits and sustainability of hearing dogs. After four years of collaborations with the d/Deaf community, testing different dog breeds, and developing a sound training method, the study results demonstrated that dogs were a viable choice to assist people who were d/Deaf and hard of hearing. These four visionary women became our Founders. Officially founded in 1978, Hearing Dog, Inc. was formed - the first hearing dog training organization in the United States. Soon after, the name was changed to International Hearing Dog, Inc. (IHDI) in order to include IHDl's work in Canada. In 2024, IHDI transitioned its name to Paragon Service Dogs. Doing so reflects our aspirations to set the highest standard in providing specialized service dogs and amplify our mission by expanding services to cater to a broader spectrum of individuals in need of service dogs.

Over 45 years later, Paragon persists in successfully creating resilient service dog teams and has successfully partnered, at no cost to our clients, over 1,400 service dog teams. As an Assistance Dogs International Accredited Member, Paragon works to address the daily challenges underserved adults who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing face, from education to personal relationships to quality of life. We accomplish this by raising and training 15 dogs, matching and placing 8-12 hearing service dogs, training 8-12 clients, and supporting over 100 established teams annually. Additionally, Paragon has helped support the development of similar programs in Norway, Japan, and Australia.

"I'm the most blessed person in the world to have Charlie as my companion in life and Service Dog. He is my ears and my heart. I had so much anxiety after losing my hearing, but having him has changed my entire world and has helped me 'hear' again." - Kelsey (partnered with Hearing Service Dog Charlie)