Service Dogs and Specialty Dogs

Service dogs are trained to assist people who are physically disabled.  National Education for Assistance Dog Services (NEADS) has trained over 1500 assistance dogs.  The dogs are trained to retrieve things that drop, portable telephones, or items from shelves and other hard-to-reach places; open refrigerator and other doors; push elevator buttons; turn on light switches; carry items in their mouth or backpacks; pull wheelchairs up ramps or short distances; go get help should  human assistance be  needed; and more.



Dogs are donated as puppies by breeders and raised by volunteer foster families before returning to  NEADS for 6-months of skill training. Trainers then match them with qualified applicants.  Individuals who are eligible to receive a Service Dog must spend 2 weeks at the NEADS campus in Princeton, MA and learn how to work as a team with their new dog.

Specialty Dogs: dogs trained to provide assistance for multiple disabilities. If you wish to apply for a dog, call NEADS at (978) 422-9064

Balance dogs: dogs trained to assist people who use canes or crutches by providing balance and stability. 

Service Dogs for Classroom and Therapy:  These specially trained dogs are paired with social workers, therapists, and teachers who work with children who have physical, emotional or developmental disabilities. They are integrated into the educational curriculum as motivators and serve as an innovative teaching tool for the children.