Frequently Asked Questions
I was denied by other service dog organizations, can I still apply?
Yes, Precision evaluates clients on a case-by-case scenario and works to meet their individual needs.
Are your service dogs health tested?
Yes. All of our program service dogs must pass eye, cardiac (echocardiogram), hip, and elbow OFAs in order to be placed as service dogs. If a dog does not pass their health testing, they will be placed as a pet.
Our focus is working with individuals who have dysautonomia and/or autism. We place medical alert and response as well as autism assistance dogs. Many of our dogs are multipurpose service dogs if their handler requests more than one area of task training.
What types of service dogs does PSDF place?
Precision primarily works with labrador retrievers for their fully-trained service dogs but occasionally has golden retrievers or standard poodles available upon request.
What breeds do you work with?
What is the timeline to get a fully trained service dog from PSDF?
Most of our clients are on the waitlist for between 1-2 years. Our dogs are hand-picked from ethical breeders and go to trainers around 9 weeks of age. At 1 year old, all dogs get preliminary health testing done. Once they pass their health testing, Precision introduces the dog to several different potential matches and selects the best possible match. Over the next several months, the dog learns specialized tasks for their handler. Precision will provide multiple "go home" lessons to ensure the transition goes smoothly and that the handler is prepared for their new service dog. All Precision dogs are spayed/neutered, microchipped, up to date on vaccines, and on monthly heartworm & flea prevention prior to being placed with the handler. Precision dogs will have limited AKC registration only (if applicable).
I have my own service dog. Can I still be a puppy raiser for PSDF?
Yes! We have many puppy raisers who have service dogs themselves. Having a role model can be a great way to show a puppy the ropes. Precision's puppy raising program is also very flexible and we can work to accommodate the length you're able to puppy raise whether you're only able to raise for a few months or for several years.
I have other dogs and pets in my home, can I still get a service or facility dog from PSDF?
All pets in the home must be evaluated by a third-party qualified trainer that is approved by PSDF, cannot have a history of any aggression or severe reactivity, and cannot be a bite risk. PSDF service and facility dogs may only be placed in homes with a maximum of one other dog. Homes with cats or small animals are approved on a case by case basis. PSDF has the right to refuse any homes we feel are not a good fit and/or pose a safety hazard for our dogs.
I have other animals, can I still puppy raise for PSDF?
Possibly! Many of our raisers have other animals from dogs, cats, small animals, and even livestock! However, we do not like to place our puppies in homes where any animal has a history of aggression as this is a safety issue for our puppies and could potentially be a negative influence on them. If you are unsure about whether or not your situation would be conducive to puppy raising, please fill out a puppy raising application and we will get back to you.
Do you train Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) or Comfort Animals?
No, we do not train dogs as ESAs or comfort animals. We only train and place task-trained service dogs and facility dogs.