Service Dogs

Service Dogs

At Valor Medical Service Dogs, we believe in the profound impact that a well-trained service dog can have on the lives of individuals with disabilities. Our mission is to train and provide highly skilled service dogs to veterans, disabled children, and others who need assistance, offering them a pathway to greater independence, confidence, and well-being. Each service dog we train is more than just a companion—they are a vital partner in helping their owners navigate the challenges of daily life.

What is a Service Dog?
A service dog is a specially trained dog that performs tasks directly related to the specific needs of an individual with a disability. These tasks go beyond basic companionship, providing essential support that can greatly improve the quality of life for their owner. Some of the key roles our service dogs fulfill include:

Transformative Service Dog Training Programs

Mobility Assistance

Service dogs can help individuals with physical disabilities by retrieving dropped items, opening and closing doors, pushing buttons, providing balance support, and even assisting with wheelchair mobility.

Task-Specific Support

Every service dog is trained to meet the unique needs of their future owner, whether it’s reminding them to take medication, providing stability during walking, or waking them from nightmares.

Autism Support

For children with autism, our service dogs offer calming support, help with social interactions, and provide a sense of security in unfamiliar or overwhelming situations. They can also prevent children from wandering and assist with sensory processing.

Real Warriors. Real Stories.

Frequently Ask and Questions

What tasks do your service dogs perform?

Our service dogs are trained to perform various tasks tailored to the needs of their owners, including:

Mobility assistance (e.g., retrieving items, opening doors)
Medical alert and response (e.g., detecting seizures, alerting to low blood sugar)
Emotional and psychiatric support (e.g., grounding during panic attacks, providing comfort)
Autism support (e.g., calming sensory overload, preventing wandering)

Training a service dog is a comprehensive process that typically takes 18 to 24 months. This includes initial socialization, basic obedience, specialized task training, and environmental conditioning to ensure the dog is fully prepared for their role.
We provide service dogs to veterans, individuals with disabilities, and children with autism. Eligibility is determined through an application process that evaluates the specific needs of the applicant and how a service dog can assist them.
No, our service dogs are provided free of charge to eligible recipients. We believe in making these life-changing companions accessible without financial barriers.
We primarily train German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, and Golden Retrievers, known for their intelligence, temperament, and suitability for service work. However, we also consider other breeds that meet our criteria for service dog candidates.