Service Dog Blog

(picture July 12, 2015) Everyone enjoys going to a summer blockbuster and here’s some tips to enjoy the movie with your service dog! Before going to the theater, I recommend taking the dog on a long walk, letting them run around and playing with them, or whatever else you can … Read More

Something important for service dogs to learn, actually important for all dogs, is the “Sit (or down), stay” command. This is where the dog lays down or goes into a sit position and stays there while you walk away about six to eight feet out of sight until you give … Read More

Genetics are very important to those who breed service dogs. While it is true that it is possible to purchase and train your own dog to become a service dog, the vast majority of these never go on to be fully functioning service dogs. Organizations, such as Canine Companions specifically … Read More

Sometimes trainers will train the newer service dogs with the older dogs who have already been trained. The trainers have observed that it helps the dog who is being trained to see the task they are being asked to do performed ahead of time. They also do this with the … Read More

This is Calvin, a three year old Newfoundland autism service dog placed with a teenage boy named Morgan. Calvin is trained to interrupt Morgan’s pacing, helps keep him from eloping (wandering away from a caregiver), and can provide deep pressure therapy when Morgan is overstimulated.  This allows Morgan and his … Read More

This is Bones and his trainer Dimi as they get ready to meet the person he had been matched with. Bones is both a psychiatric and mobility assistance service dog trained by The Service Dog Connection, He can interrupt signs of anxiety, provide deep pressure therapy, open doors, push handicap buttons, … Read More

Just like anyone else, people with service dogs like to go out to eat and this blog is to help anyone who is a host or hostess. When you see someone with a service dog enter your establishment, here are a few recommendations on what to do. First, most, but … Read More

One very important task Nyssa does for Nick is what’s called “Deep Pressure Therapy” (DPT).  This is when the dog uses its warmth or even its body weight to ease anxiety or another psychiatric symptom (this can also lower blood pressure for those with that disorder). When Nyssa senses Nick … Read More

Did you know not all service dogs have to be trained at a facility? Meet Luna, a four year old service dog trained at Doggonit Training by Kelly Bourgeois. Luna goes into every store with Kaeden and all his doctors appts. She is also there to support him during medical … Read More

Training to be a service dog is very hard work, not only for the puppy raisers at the Northern New England Volunteer Chapter of Canine Companions, but for these two dogs, Whitt and Freeman III as well! Whitt is almost ready to be sent off to Medford, New York, on … Read More

This is Whitt, a one year and four month old black Labrador who will be trained as a service dog for Canine Companions. He is being fostered by Kelly Schwarze Goss and her family. She is the president of the Northern New England Volunteer Chapter but her husband, son, and … Read More

This is Aaron and his Psychiatric Service Dog, Arvin. I have talked about “owner trained” service dogs in the past and Aaron trained Arvin himself! Aaron served with the Marines in Afghanistan and suffers from PTSD. So, after coming home he got Arvin and trained him to help him deal … Read More

This is Basil, a three years old psychiatric service dog trained at Doggonit Training by Kelly Bourgeois for Alyssa LaFoe. Upkeep is very important and even though he is a fully trained service dog, she still needs to practice his tasks with him. Like humans, dogs can forget the skills … Read More

Did you know that to motivate children to read, they train service dogs to lay there and read with them? By hiding treats between the pages of the book, the dog learns to lay there quietly and listen to you read, focusing on the book! Now with these “Teach Your … Read More

This is Nyssa, a four year old English Labrador PTSD service dog trained at Hero Pups, a New Hampshire based organization that was founded by Laura Barker after her son was wounded in Afghanistan. Hero Pups provides veterans and first responders with service dogs and Nick is a retired fire-fighter … Read More

“Where can I apply for a service dog?” is one of the most common questions we get, and while we only provide financial assistance after you have your service dog, here are a few organizations that do place service dogs. Canine Companions in Santa Rosa CA (but with trainers and … Read More

NHCSSD Inspiration This is Japhy, a service dog trained to assist Brendan Madden, founder of the New Hampshire Coalition for the Support of Service Dogs. He received his training at the Paws With A Cause facility in Wayland Michigan but was flown out to him in New Hampshire in 2005. … Read More

This is Ash, a service dog in training for Little Angels Service Dogs. Alyssa LaFoe is fostering and training her to do some basic tasks. Recently, she took Ash out to a McDonald’s, an arcade, and a kitchen store. Despite all the distractions, Ash performed all of her tasks very … Read More

Meet Wallis VII, a four month old puppy training to be a service dog. She is being raised and trained by Helena and Tim Mahoney of Exeter NH volunteers for the Northern New England Volunteer Chapter. This was her first outing at Kittery Trading Post and it was training both … Read More

She is a puppy in training with Canine Companions. She was born on 11/29/2022 and arrived at Boston Logan Airport on January 25th to be raised by Ainsley Harrington. Marcy will be with the Harrington’s through May of 2024. Then, she will go off to Puppy College to learn more … Read More

Newest Puppy Jixi He’s the newest puppy in training for the Canine Companions Northern New England Volunteer Chapter. Did you know service dog training can start at eight weeks? He flew in from California into Logan airport on Friday to stay with Stacey Luoma and her family in Peterborough, New Hampshire and … Read More

March is National Puppy Month This is Freeman III and he is a future service dog in training. On February 27th of 2023 at 9:30 pm, he flew in at Hanscom Field in Massachusetts from Santa Rosa, California, where all Canine Companions puppies are born. At eight weeks old he … Read More