To Parents Interested in the Program:
This program is demanding, and we have high expectations for students. There is a rigorous curriculum component where the students learn how to properly care for and train the dogs. Each full-time student handler is then paired with a service dog in training (SDIT) that will be living in your home for four consecutive semesters, including summertime. The students are expected to be responsible for the full-time care and training of the dogs, but will require your help. This includes transportation to and from class, and functions outside of class. There are many field trips required for this class in order to ensure the SDIT's are properly exposed to the public before they are ready to graduate as service dogs (SD's.) Once the SDIT's are ready to graduate they are placed with community members that require a SD, or in careers to serve the public.
There are two types of student handlers:
Resources for Parents of Current Students:
This program is demanding, and we have high expectations for students. There is a rigorous curriculum component where the students learn how to properly care for and train the dogs. Each full-time student handler is then paired with a service dog in training (SDIT) that will be living in your home for four consecutive semesters, including summertime. The students are expected to be responsible for the full-time care and training of the dogs, but will require your help. This includes transportation to and from class, and functions outside of class. There are many field trips required for this class in order to ensure the SDIT's are properly exposed to the public before they are ready to graduate as service dogs (SD's.) Once the SDIT's are ready to graduate they are placed with community members that require a SD, or in careers to serve the public.
There are two types of student handlers:
- Full-time handlers: will be granted a service dog in training. The dog will live with the student for four semesters until the dog is ready to graduate.
- Part-time handlers: are essential participants that get the benefits of learning the skills required to train a service dog, and will get to handle SDITs at school. However, they will not be expected to care for a service dog at home.
Resources for Parents of Current Students: