Mobility assistance dogs assist people who have a disability that interferes with their ability to walk, allowing them to more freely interact with their environment and other people. Mobility dogs include balance dogs and wheelchair assistance dogs. Specific tasks may include:
Autism service dogs are trained to assist a person with autism to improve their social interactions and relationships and expand their verbal and/or nonverbal communication. The dog can also intervene when their handler becomes over-stimulated, helping to alleviate stress. An autism dog can help a person deal with transitions from place to place or activity to activity, increase responsibility, and add consistency to each day. Examples of how a service dog may assist a person with autism include:
If a child or adult is unable to safely handle a dog independently, at least one adult must be trained to handle the dog in conjunction with the applicant and/or provide handling supervision depending on the placement requirements.
Please note: Susquehanna Service Dogs does not permit tethering of an individual to a dog to prevent elopement.
Psychiatric service dogs are trained to minimize the symptoms of post-traumatic stress (PTSD) and other psychiatric disabilities. In addition to performing specific tasks, the dogs give the person something to focus on rather than negative or fearful thoughts. Susquehanna Service Dogs trains psychiatric services dogs for veterans and non-veterans.
Dogs may be trained to:
Seizure response dogs respond to their partner during and after a seizure. They may provide some intervention to prevent injury during the seizure, get help within the home, or remain with their partner to assist them in recovering from the event. We do not train dogs to alert to oncoming seizures.
Dogs may be trained to:
Facility dogs work with professionals in a variety of settings, such as courthouses, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, mental health facilities, and oncology clinics. They are trained specific skills to motivate and inspire, improve social behavior, encourage communication, and help people feel more comfortable and positive.
Facility dogs may be trained to:
With the assistance of hearing dogs, people who are deaf or hard of hearing do not need to rely solely on visual signals. Hearing dogs alert to specific sounds by touching the person with their nose and taking them to the source of the sound, with the exception of the smoke alarm. To alert to a smoke alarm, the dog touches the person with their nose and lies down.
Sounds may include, but aren’t limited to:
In-home service dogs provide assistance and perform tasks but do not have public access. These dogs are beneficial to children and adults who need a specially trained dog in their home but do not need their assistance in public settings.
In-home service dogs may be trained to:
Companion dogs are specially trained dogs that provide comfort, companionship and motivation within the home for one or more family members. Companion dogs do not have public access and must follow local dog laws and access rules for housing and public accommodations.
Families must live within two hours of Grantville, PA.
Leave a legacy and make a difference in the community by naming a puppy or an entire litter of future assistance dogs. Email [email protected] or call 717-599-5920 ext. 2 to learn more.
*Due to COVID-19, we are not currently holding puppy socialization events.
Would you like to hold puppy hugging at your organization or event?
Susquehanna Service Dogs’ litters of puppies are available for special puppy socialization events. We ask for a minimum donation to support our work to train and place the puppies as life-changing service dogs.
Please note that events are subject to the availability of our puppies.
For a $100 donation, you can provide a harness for one of our assistance dogs to wear in public with their partner.
For a $200 donation, you can provide all of the items that are given to a partner when they complete Team Training with their new assistance dog. Items include a leash and collar, treat pouch, clicker, food bowl, grooming tools, starter bag of dog food, heartworm and flea and tick preventatives, and more.
Donate items we use regularly, such as food for our dogs in advanced training, cleaning supplies, dogs crates, toys, and more. Items can be dropped off at our facility in Grantville, PA or you can call 717-599-5920 ext. 4 to make other arrangements.
Raising, training, and placing assistance dogs is a community effort. Volunteers, donors, and the community all play a role in supporting our puppies-in-training as they grow to become highly skilled, life-changing working dogs.
It takes over $30,000 to fully fund an assistance dog from the moment they’re born through their entire working life. We receive no government funding and only a small portion of our funding comes from fee for service, adoption fees, and merchandise sales. We rely on philanthropic support from corporations, foundations, and individuals to make it possible for dogs to change lives.
An assistance dog can make a huge difference in someone’s life, giving them independence, confidence, and hope. When you support Susquehanna Service Dogs, you share in that impact.
Learn more about Susquehanna Service Dogs and what service dogs can do.