Service Dog FAQs

Eligibility: In order to qualify for our service dog program, the applicant must:

• Be active, retired, or inactive military (honorably discharged)
• Have been diagnosed with and be in on-going treatment for U.S. military service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by a licensed health care professional, or be diagnosed and in need of mobility assistance, seizure response, or hearing alert.
• Be at least 18 years of age
• Reside in one of the 48 contiguous United States or Alaska
• You must have no felony convictions, history/charges of violent crime, or protection orders against you.
• Have the cognitive ability to learn training concepts and apply them consistently
• Have the financial ability to cover the expenses associated with the proper maintenance and care for the life of a service dog, including food, monthly preventatives, and veterinary expenses
• Be able to provide a safe, loving, healthy, and stable home for a service dog
• Pass an in-home interview with a certified service dog trainer
• Be able to complete a 12-day training course in Palmetto, FL
• Be able to demonstrate the physical and mental ability to consistently handle and work a 50-80 lb service dog
• Have no more than two other dogs at the residence

Please be aware that any of the following conditions automatically disqualify an applicant from acceptance: bi-polar disorder, antisocial personality disorder, schizoid personality disorder, delusional disorder, delirium, borderline personality disorder, histrionic personality disorder, dependent personality disorder, schizophrenia, paranoid personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, unspecified personality disorder, dementia, recent attempts or thoughts of self-harm

Applicants must complete our Service Dog Application in full. This application includes:

• Contact information for the applicant’s current mental health care provider
• Contact information for the applicant’s current primary care physician
• Contact information for three (3) personal references
• Consent form
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) checklist, when applicable – military
• Documentation of military service (an official memo signed by applicant’s commanding officer is required of active duty servicemen/women; or a copy of DD-214 is required for retired/separated/inactive servicemen/women)

Our admissions process is broken down into three main phases:

• Application is processed – report/questionnaires are faxed, mailed, or emailed to providers and references, and a criminal background screen is run to begin establishing the applicant’s eligibility and learn about the need for a service dog.
• Once all forms are returned, the applicant’s file has its first review before moving forward to an in-home interview with a trainer.
• If accepted into the program, applicants are notified and then wait to be matched with the appropriate dog and invited to a training class.

Please note that the initial phase of the application process can take several months to complete. This timeframe depends on many factors, such as the accuracy of contact information provided by the applicant and speed of paperwork submission by providers and references. In the meantime, if you experience a change in your contact information, please advise admissions as soon as possible so that we may keep your information current.

If at any time during the application process, it is determined that the applicant does not qualify for the program, the applicant will be notified via letter.

The waiting period varies depending on how long it takes for paperwork to be submitted and any unique requirements an individual may need from a dog. On average, the waiting period is six months to a year.

Southeastern Guide Dogs provides our dogs and training to students free of charge. The school provides the dog, equipment, training, housing and most meals during your training. There may be meals off-campus which may be your responsibility, but estimate that this expense will be under $50.

Once you adopt one of our service dogs, the maintenance of your dog and all associated medical expenses become your responsibility. We estimate this cost to be between $900 and $1,200 annually.

The minimum age is 18, with no maximum age. Handlers must physically be able to care for a large-breed dog, and must be able to keep up with a fairly rigorous training schedule.

The training class is 12 days, with travel days on day 1 and day 12.

At Southeastern Guide Dogs, we breed Labradors, golden retrievers, and a mix of the two called a goldador.

For additional questions or concerns, contact our Admissions Department at allison.aldrich@guidedogs.org or 941.803.7539.