FSD SERVICE DOGS

Under the ADA, a service animal is defined as a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. The task(s) performed by the dog must be directly related to the person's disability. Freedom Service Dogs provides custom-trained service dogs for autism assist, mobility assist, and PTSD assist for veterans.

katana1

OUR DOGS

  • Are raised from birth to become assistance dogs
  • Are provided to clients free of charge
  • Receive up to 20 months of training, including custom training to meet the unique needs of each client
  • Can learn 65+ cues to assist with daily living tasks
  • Relieve PTSD symptoms, such as anxiety and hypervigilance
  • Provide a calming presence
  • Retire from assistance dog work when needed

PTSD Assist for Veterans

We provide custom-trained service dogs to assist veterans who have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury, and loss of limbs or mobility due to combat-related injuries. With a Freedom Service Dog at their side, veterans and active-duty service members can experience greater independence, self-confidence, happiness, and hope.

Our highly skilled service dogs can assist veterans who have PTSD by waking them from nightmares, interrupting flashbacks, creating space around them in public places to reduce anxiety, and providing devoted companionship.

For veterans with mobility challenges, our service dogs can help with everyday tasks, such as turning lights on and off, opening doors and drawers, retrieving dropped items, and more.

Freedom Service Dogs is certified by PsychArmor Institute, a national nonprofit that provides free education and support for those who live, work, or care for veterans. PsychArmor courses are designed to help bridge the civilian-military gap. We felt it was vital that our staff attend these online courses to enable them to better serve our applicants and graduates.

psycharmor badge

Mobility Assist

We provide custom-trained service dogs to individuals with mobility challenges resulting from cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injuries, stroke, and traumatic brain injury.

Our service dogs bring greater independence and confidence to our clients with disabilities by helping them perform daily living tasks. Depending on the unique needs of each client, our dogs can be custom trained to perform as many as 65 tasks, including opening and closing doors and drawers, turning lights on and off, retrieving phones, keys, and other items, pushing emergency buttons, and much more. While our dogs can support clients by helping with tasks that require strength and endurance, we cannot serve clients who need brace and balance support.

Mobility clients must commit to attending a two-week placement class at FSD’s training facility in Englewood, Colorado, where they learn to bond with their service dog and work together. Clients must also be prepared and physically able to provide basic care to their service dog, including regular feeding, exercise, and potty breaks, and to reinforce the training that their service dog has received.

Please note that we are not accepting new applications for the mobility assist program at this time. 

K and Patriot (6) - Copy

Autism Assist

We provide specially trained service dogs to families who have children age 5 and up on the autism spectrum or with other neurodevelopmental disabilities. Our dogs can help relieve emotional outbursts by redirecting the child’s attention, interrupt repetitive behaviors, improve social skills, increase self-confidence, and more.

Please note that we are not accepting new applications for the autism assist  program at this time.