• How does a puppy go from birth to a recipient?
When puppies are available from CST, they are placed with volunteer puppy raisers at about eight weeks of age.  In these homes they receive their vaccinations, are housebroken, taught house manners and basic obedience, and are exposed to many people and places.  At about 18 to 20 months of age, the puppies are brought in for advanced testing and training.  They will first undergo extensive health screening and temperament evaluations.  If all the tests are passed, the intense training begins.  Each dog is required to complete a minimum of six months of training.  Person and dog are matched based on many criteria, including skill level, personality style, exercise needs and living situation.  The new team then completes a two-week, one-on-one Team Training class.
  • How old is the puppy when it's received by the puppy raiser?
The puppies are given to their new families at about eight weeks of age, unless they are donated at an older age.
  • Where does CST get the puppies?
CST has a small breeding program.  CST also has several breeders who regularly donate puppies.
  • Are all puppies in all litters accepted into the program?
CST carefully evaluates available puppies for health and temperament and only chooses those with the highest likelihood of being successful.
  • How much exercise does a puppy in training need?
Regular exercise is important.  Exercise builds strength, endurance and good condition.  It also helps the puppy to be calm during outings.  CST does not permit Frisbee catching or "forced" exercise.
  • During training, what types of places are the puppies taken?
Raisers are encouraged to take their puppies anywhere they go.  The purpose of the outings is to socialize the puppies to sights, sounds and smells that they may encounter while in service to a disabled person.
  • As a volunteer puppy raiser, what is my financial responsibility?
The same as if you owned the dog  yourself.  You will need to provide high quality dog food, regular veterinary visits and at least two sets of obedience classes.  As a puppy raiser, you are not only contributing your time and home, but all costs in raising a puppy.
  • If I cannot afford the financial responsibility, can CST help?
No, unfortunately not.  However, we do recommend that you seek local individual and company sponsors.  Many major pet supply chains offer free dog food.  Some veterinarians also offer discounts on their services for assistance dogs in training.
  • At what point can the puppy go out in public?
The puppy can begin to go on public outings only after he has received his rabies vaccination at about four months of age.  The puppy must wear a jacket which indicates that he is a puppy in training.  CST issues jackets and collars after the vaccinations are complete.
  • Is there any way to begin socializing the puppy before it is 4 months old?
Not in public.  The puppy should not be exposed to other dogs and people outside the household until after vaccinations are completed.  Many of the most dangerous viruses are airborne and can be transferred by people and other dogs.
  • What house breaking technique does CST recommend?
CST has successfully used the “crate” training method.  CST recommends that all training be done gently with positive reinforcement.
  • How soon after I receive the puppy can I begin their training??
You can begin to train your puppy as soon as you and he/she get home AND the puppy has had time to adjust to the change in environment.  Remember, your home may be a very large adjustment to the puppy.
  • What are the first commands to teach the puppy?
SIT (sit - rear end down), DOWN (lay all the way down), WAIT (hold where/how you are), BETTER GO NOW (toileting command)
  • How many commands is the puppy supposed to learn during raising?
CST needs happy, well adjusted, well socialized puppies first and foremost.  Commands can be taught when the dog begins formal training, but if the dog grows up poorly adjusted the problem is much more difficult to correct.  There are many commands, with instructions on how to teach them, outlined in the Puppy Raiser Manual.
  • Where does the puppy sleep?
The puppy must sleep near the raiser (after all, they will sleep near the recipient once in service).  Some puppies sleep in their crate, some beside the raisers’ bed.
  • Where does the dog go when you "turn it in"?
The dogs go to one of the Training Centers for at least six months of advanced, or formal, training.  The dogs are taught to meet the custom needs of their future partners.
  • How can a person part with a dog after raising it for 18 - 20 months?
Although every puppy raiser handles this differently, most simply take joy knowing the good the dog will do for the recipient.  
Knowing the quality that their work can add to someone else's life makes it easier.
  • How much is a Service Dog worth after Advanced Training?
After all training, care and health testing is completed and matching him and training him with a new partner the estimate of all costs involved are about $12,000. To the graduate he is priceless for the service and joy that he provides.
  • How much does CST charge the recipient for a Service Dog?
Application: Include a $50 non-refundable Application donation with your completed application.   
Placement: Once a potential match has been identified, the applicant will be expected to contribute towards a portion of the cost of preparing the service dog during the two years it is in the training program.   The placement donation is $150.00 which will be due on the day of the applicant's interview.
No person will be denied the opportunity to be considered as a recipient because of limited financial ability.  
There are no hidden costs or fees charged to the recipient. (although fundraising is always appreciated)
  • What is the average waiting period for a Service Dog?
Once a client is approved and added to the list, the wait can be up to 2 years. ( but may be sooner depending on availability of a dog that meets the needs of the client)
  • Do the dogs ever forget their commands?
Some dogs can become confused or work sloppily if the commands are not used fairly regularly.  Once properly given a refresher session and reinforcement the dog is back in tip-top shape.
  • What happens if a dog is not accepted as a Service Dog after being raised?
The dog is first offered back to his raiser as a family pet.  He is then offered back to his breeder/donator.  If neither of these options is available then the dog is offered to an approved family waiting for such a dog.  The adoption fee to the new family is $700.  Neither the puppy raiser nor the breeder pay the adoption fee.
  • What happens when a dog is too old to continue assisting the recipient?
When a service or social dog grows too old to serve his partner, he or she has the option of keeping the dog as a pet.  If the partner chooses to have a new working dog this may be difficult on his or her old partner.  If the dog needs to enter into retirement in a new home he may return to his raiser or be adopted by a family waiting for a "career change" dog.  
  • Public Access  (Sample PAT test)
The term "public access" refers to the legal rights given to people with disabilities to be accompanied by an assistance dog in all areas open to the general public. An assistance dog is a guide dog, hearing (also referred to as "signal") dog or service dog individually trained to perform tasks to benefit a person with a disability, including but not limited to, guiding people with impaired vision, alerting people with impaired hearing to various sounds, and performing tasks such as retrieving dropped or hard-to-reach items, pulling wheelchairs, opening and closing doors, pushing elevator buttons, and assisting with walking for people with mobility limitations.

During the evolution of the guide dog industry in the early 1900's, public access rights were hard fought and eventually won. In the early 1970's, service and hearing dogs began being trained
and placed throughout the U.S. However, there were no laws giving public access rights to these dogs and their partners. Assistance dog providers and those partnered with these dogs worked hard to gain the same rights granted to guide dogs and their partners. Even today we still struggle with access issues. Comments like, "If that isn't a seeing-eye dog, it can't come in here" are commonly heard by service dog partners and trainers. However, public access issues will continue to educate the public.

The largest threat to the current public access rights is poorly or untrained assistance dogs and assistance dog partners. The public has come to expect a standard of behavior for the working assistance dog, and those who fall short of that standard bring criticism to the entire assistance dog community.

All Assistance Dogs International members, including CST, must conform to minimum training standards and must conduct a public access test to all its graduate teams given public access rights. The test is given upon certification and then yearly thereafter.

There are several areas of focus of public access training and testing. Aggression, whether natural or trained, is the first concern, and is strictly forbidden. Dogs trained to be personal protection dogs, guarding or attacking upon direction or perceived threat, are strictly prohibited. Assistance dogs are not to provide actual physical safety, other than serving as a visual deterrent.

Overall control is another concern. The assistance dog team needs to be able to maneuver in public settings without being obtrusive in even the most distracting environments. The dog should be "all but invisible" when encountering food distractions, noise distractions, people, other animals, traffic, etc.

The safety of the person partnered with the assistance dog is another focus. For example, a person using a wheelchair being pulled off a curb or into something by the dog is very dangerous, as is a person using a dog for stability being pulled or knocked over by that dog distracted by food. A dog can be unsafe for his partner if he threatens or is otherwise distracted by other dogs, or if he "protects" his partner from medical personnel during an emergency.

Dog related dangers are those threats to the dog's health, life, and emotional well-being. Dog related hazards include the physical position of the dog in relation to his partner. A dog improperly attached to a wheelchair or wearing an ill-fitting pulling harness can cause discomfort and eventual deterioration of the dog's muscular system. Humane handling procedures are required. For instance, chain, shock and prong collars are not to be used, and corrections are limited to verbal and minimal physical ones. The dog should appear comfortable with his role and be responsive to his partner, as well as well-cared for and clean.

Public access training and testing is the largest component of the assistance dog training, placement, certification, and follow-up process. Properly instructed assistance dog partners are very aware of the extreme importance of public access issues. They have a great responsibility to represent the assistance dog community in a positive manner.
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Canine Support Teams, Inc.
"Changing the way the world thinks about disabilities, one dog at a time" ®
951-301-3625
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