When Hero Dogs was founded in 2009, the organization exclusively trained and placed service dogs with veterans with disabilities. Since 2018, under the leadership of the organization’s Executive Director, Nikki Charles, Hero Dogs has expanded their service dog program to include first responders with disabilities. Additionally, the organization now trains and places facility dogs and therapy dogs, reaching thousands of individuals in need of their assistance.
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When Hero Dogs was founded in 2009, the organization exclusively trained and placed service dogs with veterans with disabilities. Since 2018, under the leadership of the organization’s Executive Director, Nikki Charles, Hero Dogs has expanded their service dog program to include first responders with disabilities. Additionally, the organization now trains and places facility dogs and therapy dogs, reaching thousands of individuals in need of their assistance.
Hero Dogs service dogs are placed exclusively with veterans of the U.S. military and first-responders with disabilities. Disabilities do not need to be service connected. There is no cost to the recipient for the service dogs that Hero Dogs raises, trains, and places, or for the training they provide.
It costs approximately $40,000 over a period of 2.5-3 years to train just one service dog for a veteran or first responder. Dogs are matched with clients based on the dog’s skills, strengths, temperament, and energy level, as well as the client’s needs, experience, personality, and lifestyle. In creating these partnerships, clients achieve a renewed level of independence, rely less on support people in their lives, and improve quality of life.
The program is implemented in three phases:
Phase one - Puppy Program: This includes socialization and training by a volunteer puppy raiser, under the guidance of Hero Dogs staff, until the dog is ~14-18 months of age. Puppy raisers have trainings on site twice a month.
Phase two – Advanced Training: This includes training in specialized assistance dog skills and tasks by professional trainers at our training facility, for approximately eight months. Puppy program graduates move to Hero Dogs’ facility for this phase.
Phase three – Team Training: This includes intensive one-on-one training with a veteran or a first responder and a Hero Dog over the course of twelve months. Hero Dogs continues to support all service dog costs until the Hero Dog is officially released to the client upon graduating the final phase.
Hero Dogs also places facility dogs with qualified clinicians in a variety of mission aligned organizations such as fire and police departments, hospitals, and mental health practices.
Additionally, the organization has a robust therapy dog program where teams do recurring visits to a number of different organizations such as veteran hospitals, 911 call centers, senior living facilities, libraries, and schools. These volunteers serve thousands of area residents every month.
Hero Dogs has, to date, placed 90 highly trained assistance dogs. These Hero Dogs have impacted over 150,000 people in their local communities. Hero Dogs service dogs have a priceless impact on the veterans and first responders they partner with and serve. There are currently 41 assistance dogs in training across the three phases of the program.
Hero Dogs remains connected to their clients for the life of the dog. This is to guarantee the client’s needs are being fully met by their service dog and that they are able to continue supporting the well-being of their dog. Additionally, recertification is required every two years to ensure that the team is still working as intended.
Quantitative impact is measured using baseline assessments on service dog clients, including a quality-of-life scale and the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist 5, both pre- and post- placement to measure impact. Facility dog and therapy dog handlers are all required to submit quarterly reports on a number of performance metrics.
Qualitative feedback from clients on the impact of having a service dog on their personal and professional lives is also a key tool for evaluating the success of the organization. Testimonials from Hero Dogs’ clients attest to the incredible value that Hero Dogs service dogs provide:
Randy, who retired after a serious car accident led to a disability, describes some of the ways his service dog assists him: "Cliff helps me daily with balance and physical mobility tasks. He helps me get up and down out of bed, chairs, or off the ground."
"He picks items up off the floor, and provides support while walking. He is also trained to get help for me, including finding my cell phone, should I fall or need assistance. He has increased my confidence in public to help me get out more."
“People often thank me for my service, but I say – thank him. Because of Cliff, and the people who brought him to me, I am able to get out and enjoy life again. It is through the hard work, dedication, love and support of the puppy raisers, trainers, sponsors, supporters, and kennel and office staff, that Hero Dogs is truly changing lives one paw print at a time.”
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