Program Eligibility

HOUSTON 501(C)(3) PROVIDING FREE SERVICE DOG TRAINING FOR VETERANS AND
PAID TRAINING FOR CIVILIANS SUFFERING FROM PTSD AND OTHER DISABILITIES

SERVICE DOGS

Give Us Paws is dedicated to enhancing the lives of individuals with disabilities through the transformative power of service dogs. We welcome applications from veterans and civilians with a documented disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.”

Our Focus:

Give Us Paws prioritizes veterans with PTS and other disabilities for training and financial assistance. We are committed to creating successful service dog teams by:

Providing comprehensive training: We empower individuals to become skilled handlers capable of training their own service dogs.
Ensuring suitability: We carefully evaluate both the potential handler’s commitment to the training process and the dog’s aptitude for service work.

Application Process:

To apply, please have the following documentation ready:

Veterans: A copy of your VA Awards and Benefits Document.
Civilians: A documented disability covered under the ADA.

Please note that we accept a limited number of applications each year.

Important Considerations:

ADA Requirements: To qualify for a service dog, you must have a disability as defined by the ADA. The dog must be trained to perform specific tasks that directly mitigate your disability and behave appropriately in public settings.
Lifestyle Commitment: Training a service dog requires dedication and significant lifestyle adjustments.

Ready to explore the possibilities? Contact us today to learn more about our program and application process.

Give Us Paws Requirements:

To ensure a successful partnership with a service dog, Give Us Paws requires handlers to meet the following criteria:
- Financial Commitment: Handlers must be able to provide for their dog’s needs, including food, routine and emergency veterinary care, and suitable living arrangements within their home. (Many veterinarians offer discounts for service dogs trained in qualified programs.)
- Daily Care: If a handler cannot consistently meet their dog’s physical and mental needs (exercise, feeding, etc.) due to their disability, another household member must be designated to assist with these responsibilities.
- Active Participation: Handlers must be physically and cognitively able to participate in daily training sessions (up to one hour) and independently handle their service dog in public. Give Us Paws provides individualized instruction using various techniques, including verbal cues and hand signals, to accommodate each handler’s needs.
- Ongoing Training: Handlers must commit to participating in follow-up training sessions to reinforce skills and address any challenges that may arise.
- Medical Support: All handlers must be under the care of a physician or licensed therapist. Your healthcare providers can offer valuable insights into how a service dog might benefit you and whether you are prepared for the responsibilities involved. They can also assist with necessary documentation. (Note: You are not required to disclose your disability or provide documentation to anyone other than Give Us Paws.)
Additional Information
- While not required, participation in fundraising or public relations activities to support Give Us Paws is greatly appreciated.
- Give Us Paws primarily serves the Greater Houston metropolitan area.

If you fit our qualifications, please apply now.

ANIMAL ELIGIBILITY

To be considered for our service dog training program, your dog must meet the following criteria:

Age: Ideally between 6 months and 3 years old. While older dogs can be trained, the investment of time and resources may not be proportionate to their remaining years of service.
Health:
- Spayed or neutered. (We understand the research regarding delayed altering, but breeding is not permitted for service dog candidates.)
- Current on vaccinations.
- Free of internal and external parasites.
- Clean and well-groomed.
- A veterinarian’s statement confirming overall health and absence of any conditions that may interfere with service work.
- We recommend orthopedic and ophthalmologic evaluations, especially for dogs intended for mobility support.
Temperament: Stable, friendly, and receptive to training. Dogs with a history of aggression, resource guarding, significant fear, or difficulty with handling are not suitable for service work.
Aptitude: Demonstrates an ability to learn and focus.

Important Notes:

- You must already own the dog you wish to have evaluated. We no longer assess shelter dogs for potential placement.
- Only a limited number of dogs meet the rigorous standards for our program.
- Training a service dog is a significant commitment. Please ensure your dog is a good candidate before applying.

Important temperament traits we look at:

Confident vs. Timid — Service dogs are confident, friendly, and curious.
Secure vs. Insecure — Service Dogs must be able to relax in new places and new situations, including those that are loud, busy, and crowded.
Calm vs. Frenetic — “over the top” energy is indicative of a dog’s inability to exhibit self-control and may be indicative of anxiety.
Gentle vs. Rough — hard mouths, taking treats roughly, playing roughly with other dogs and people may be indicative of stress and anxiety.
People-Centered vs. Environment-Centered — Service Dogs choose to interact with people over exploring the environment.
Attentive vs. Distracted — The dog should mostly be paying attention to you, not what is going on everywhere else.
Dependent vs. Independent — A Service Dog needs to look to its handler for direction but be independent enough to not need constant cues or attention.

Breed Characteristics

Dogs have been bred for hundreds of generations to have certain characteristics that help them perform certain tasks for humans, including herding, guarding, hunting, vermin killing, fighting with other dogs, sitting on people’s laps, and more. In our society, we have many mixes of multiple breeds. The most commonly seen service dogs and those bred for service dog work tend to be Labrador and Golden retrievers – sporting breeds developed to work closely with their handlers, responding to cues to find and pick up game. Small breeds are well-represented in service dog work, jumping down from their handlers’ wheelchairs to retrieve dropped items, laundry from the washer or dryer, and more. Mixed breeds can provide achievement of many of the qualities desired for a service dog: ease of fitting under a table or airplane seat, the type of coat desired by a handler for ease of grooming or tactile stimulation, and often a desirable temperament for training.

We recommend a potential client look objectively at the dog he or she owns, considering what breed characteristics are represented as well as what temperament qualities the dog shows. We will consider almost any breed or mix that will meet the requirements of a client; certain tasks like opening and closing doors may require a larger dog, or a handler’s disability may require a dog of a particular height for ease of handling. We will thoroughly evaluate every dog and accept only those that meet the criteria shown to be necessary for success because we want our client handlers to succeed in achieving the status of a functional service dog team.

We will speak with you extensively about your needs, your dog’s suitability, and what might be the right dog for you during the interview process.

Program Eligibility

SERVICE DOGS

ANIMAL ELIGIBILITY

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