More than a dozen dogs graduate from Service Dogs Inc. in Dripping Springs
14 dogs graduated from Service Dogs Inc., their handlers proud of the extensive training the dogs and the owners had to undergo.
Jessica Wilson met four or five dogs before she finally decided Jigsaw was the right match for her. Jigsaw is special, he is trained to retrieve things for Wilson, open doors and help ease her muscle spasms.
Most importantly Jigsaw has the perfect temperament for Wilson. "He likes to sleep which is great for my job because I'm a librarian let him a sleep under my desk all day being quiet is perfect," Wilson said.
Service Dogs Inc. has been around for 30 years. It rescues dogs that have been abandoned or were in shelters and then trains them to work with people who have disabilities.
Service Dogs Inc. Manager of Training Becky Keir said each dog undergoes training for about a year, beginner training, advanced and in home training with their selected handler.
"When we get them initially, they come with some work, often times they come with some different habits,” Keir said. “We take a little bit more time with them upfront you can definitely find some little gems in the shelter that have the right temperament."
Some pups are trained to help with mobility assistance like Jigsaw while others those help the hearing impaired and those who need therapy.
Vancouver is a mental health and therapy dog for the Atascocita Fire Department. District Chief Edward Roth says Vancouver has a need to help people.
The dog works 40-hours a week and is on call for four hospitals in Humble, Texas. "He goes with our first responders to offset some PTSD it goes on some critical calls part of it is the stress management team he and he helps them not take the emotion home with them," Roth said. "Well go room to room in a children's hospital and he just never gets tired I have to make him take a break."
Service Dogs Inc provides trains and provides dogs for their clients free of cost.