High School Service Dog Training (page content)

The Foundation for Service Dog Support, Inc. (FSDS) and the Peoria Unified School District (PUSD) are proud to announce an innovative and exciting new Puppy Raising Partnership Program.

About the Puppy Raising Partnership program

[image] Student Stephanie with Service Dog Hope This program will provide high school students with a unique opportunity to earn HS credits, while learning puppy raising, canine obedience and canine safety programming. At the end of three semesters, the teams must successfully pass the FSDS Certification test, and the dogs will then be matched with individuals in the community with disabilities who require service dogs.

Student participants are given puppies by the FSDS, and these puppies and their student handlers live, work and play together for the next 3 semesters plus one summer. The puppies accompany the students everywhere, including to class each day. Once fully trained and certified, these service dogs are then granted to individuals with disabilities who have served their communities and are in need of assistance.

Upon graduation from the program and upon their 18th birthday, students will:

Qualify as Canine Safety Instructors for the FSDS
Qualify as SD Evaluators for the FSDS
Qualify for hire as Junior Obedience Instructors for the FSDS

We are currently seeking community support for the Puppy Raising Partnership Program. We are in need of the following:

Foster parents for new puppies, until they are placed with students
Individual and Corporate sponsors for dogs
MONETARY donations

For more information, please contact CJ Betancourt, MD by filling out the form below: