Who We Are: The "Domino Effect"
Based in Lakewood, Colorado, Domino Service Dogs is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit built on a simple but revolutionary philosophy: “By us, for us.” We are a disability-led organization, founded in 2013 and run by people with disabilities, for people with disabilities.
The traditional model of acquiring a service dog is deeply flawed. Professionally trained service dogs often cost between $25,000 and $45,000 and come with waitlists lasting up to five ... Read More
Who We Are: The "Domino Effect"
Based in Lakewood, Colorado, Domino Service Dogs is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit built on a simple but revolutionary philosophy: “By us, for us.” We are a disability-led organization, founded in 2013 and run by people with disabilities, for people with disabilities.
The traditional model of acquiring a service dog is deeply flawed. Professionally trained service dogs often cost between $25,000 and $45,000 and come with waitlists lasting up to five years. For many individuals with physical, neurological, or psychiatric disabilities, these barriers mean continuing to live in isolation and at risk.
DSD "flips the script." Instead of handing our clients a pre-trained dog, we provide a rigorous, professional, 24-month owner-trainer program. We teach our handlers to train their own dogs. This not only dramatically reduces the cost, but it builds a profound, therapeutic bond between dog and handler, restores personal autonomy, and shatters social isolation. We call this the "Domino Effect"—remove one barrier, and independence, confidence, and community integration naturally follow.
What We Do
Our comprehensive two-year curriculum is designed to create safe, legally compliant, and highly skilled service dog teams. We provide:
Custom Task Training: Tailoring canine tasks to specific needs, such as retrieving dropped items for wheelchair users, deep pressure therapy (DPT) for panic disorders, or medical alerts.
Public Access Mastery: Systematically guiding teams through high-distraction public environments (grocery stores, transit, hospitals) to ensure safety and focus.
Positive Reinforcement: Utilizing 100% humane, science-based, positive-reward training methods.
Legal Advocacy: Educating handlers on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) so they can confidently advocate for their rights in public and housing.
Your Impact: Where Your Donation Goes
The true cost of supporting a service dog team through two years of elite instruction, facility usage, and equipment is upwards of $25,000. Because financial strain is intrinsically linked to living with a disability, we rely on community and corporate giving to subsidize these costs.
When you donate to Domino Service Dogs through Benevity, your funds directly support The Caitlin Tyra Brady Training Fund, providing crucial scholarships to low-income handlers.
$50 provides specialized training treats and clickers for a new class.
$100 covers the cost of ADA-compliant service dog vests and essential working gear.
$250 funds a private, one-on-one customized task-training session for a handler with complex medical needs.
$1,000+ provides a substantial tuition scholarship, ensuring financial hardship never prevents someone from gaining independence.
Volunteer With Us
Looking to log volunteer hours for a corporate grant? We actively rely on community volunteers in the Denver Metro area to help our program thrive! Opportunities include:
Training Distractions: Acting as "controlled distractions" (e.g., dropping items, using shopping carts, creating safe crowds) during our advanced public access training classes.
Administrative Support: Assisting with data entry, grant research, and mailings.
Event Support: Helping run our community fundraisers and accessibility education events.
Thank you for investing in independence, accessibility, and the incredible bond between humans and working dogs.
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