Susquehanna Service Dogs
Who We Are
Susquehanna Service Dogs trains and provides service dogs and hearing dogs to assist children and adults to become more independent.
What We Do
SSD trains service dogs, hearing dogs, balance dogs, service dogs for service men and women, facility dogs, in-home service dogs and companion dogs. Each dog is specially trained to perform specific tasks.
Susquehanna Service Dogs raises and trains services dogs to assist children and adults with disabilities to become more independent. We were founded in 1993 by a group of dedicated volunteers with a vision of training dogs to assist people to live full, independent lives in the community. Today, with the support of over 190 volunteers throughout the state, we have placed over 200 service dogs with individuals with disabilities throughout Pennsylvania and the surrounding states.
We typically have 50 puppies in training with puppy raisers, and we place approximately 15 service dogs each year. SSD is a program of Keystone Human Services Children & Family Services, and we are an accredited member of Assistance Dogs International.
The Dogs
Susquehanna Service Dogs makes sure that each of our dogs is healthy and has the right temperament to be a service dog. We use specially bred dogs that come from our breeding program, other assistance dog organizations or individual breeders. Each dog receives an in-depth health screening, is neutered or spayed and undergoes a rigorous training program. Before being placed with a partner, the dog must display excellent manners at home and in public and perform a variety of specific behaviors and tasks on cue. Each dog is specially trained in specific tasks according to their partner’s needs. A service dog can open and close doors, retrieve various items, pull a manual wheelchair, find the phone, do balance work, turn light switches on and off and much more. Hearing dogs respond to different sounds, which include a knock, the doorbell, oven timer, alarm clock, telephone and the person’s name.
The Individuals
Service dogs can be trained to support men, women and children with a variety of disabilities. They can assist individuals with spinal cord injuries, polio, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, arthritis, stroke and similar disabilities. Some dogs can be trained to support individuals with psychiatric disorders and children and adults with autism. Hearing dogs assist people with hearing impairments. Each dog is specially trained depending on the needs of the person receiving the dog.
To apply for a service dog, please complete our formal application process. Once you are accepted into our program, you and your trained service dog complete a two and a half week training program together where you will learn to work as a team with your dog. We provide follow-up sessions on a regular and as-needed basis, and all of our working service dog teams must pass an annual recertification evaluation. We make every effort to ensure that our dogs continue to do the job they were trained to do.
The Cost
The actual cost of training and placing each service dog or hearing dog is $20,000. Individuals may purchase a service or hearing dog for $5,000. Need-based scholarships are available. The additional funding and scholarships come from fundraising and donations by individuals, groups, and corporations. We do receive funding from the Capital Area United Way. We hold annual special events to raise money, such as PawsAbilities and Black Tie & Tails, and we participate in the Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community. All contributions stay in Pennsylvania and assist people in the community.
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