ECAD is proud to be a fully accredited, voting member of Assistance Dogs International.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Service Dog?
Service dogs help a disabled person gain greater independence and mobility by doing things like picking up dropped items, opening doors, turning on lights, pulling a wheelchair, helping with balance, retrieving a phone, alerting, or pulling an alarm in case of emergency.

Is it the same as a guide dog?
No. Our clients are not blind or hearing impaired. They have illnesses or injuries that result in a physical limitation affecting the use of their their balance, coordination, strength, or mobility.

Are the requirements for raising a Service Dog the same as a guide dog?
No. The skills and temperament for a Service Dog are very different, and so is our training program. We are strong believers in early education, and all our pups attend ECADemy training classes as soon as they are weaned. Since the dogs are in school Monday to Thursday, they are only in homes part-time. Occasionally people are able to pick up and drop off a dog daily; however most people choose weekends or weeknights only.

What is a HOME for the Weekend volunteer responsible for?
· Picking up the dog from an ECAD facility on Thursday or Friday, providing a safe and loving home for a Service Dog in training on weekends and holidays, and bringing the dog back to school on Monday morning. (Weeknights are also available in addition to or instead of weekends).
· Providing Nutro brand dog food, a metal bowl, a leash, collar and ID tag, and a crate large enough for the dog to sleep in.
· Attending all three days of the HOME weekend training seminar to learn ECAD's rules,  procedures, and training methods.
· Teaching and enforcing basic obedience and proper house manners.
· Learning the basics of canine education to improve your dog’s skills at home.

How will I know how to teach and take care of the dog?
ECAD offers Volunteer Handler classes at each training site. These are mandatory whether you have ever trained a dog or not, because we have to make sure that what you do at home is the same as what we teach in school. All classes take place on weekends. There is an orientation on a Friday evening and training all day on Saturday. We encourage people to take a dog home that night, then there is a Sunday afternoon follow-up session.  After the initial weekend seminar, handlers must attend one group class per month which take place on Sunday afternoons.

Then do I start socializing the dog in public?
NO--in fact, you are NOT allowed to take the dog into public places without further training. If you would like public access with your dog, you must put in at least 10 hours of intensive additional training and pass the Assistance Dogs International (ADI) Public Access Test before we will give you a cape for your dog.

Can my children be involved?
Yes and no.  Kids over 14 can participate in the weekend classes, but anyone under 14 should only attend the Sunday class to learn commands used to play and interact with the dog off leash. They can do things like feeding, grooming, and walking the dog with a double leash. But no matter what the age and maturity level of your kids, YOU are primarily responsible for the dog’s care if your child is under 18, and children under 14 must walk with a parent using a double leash as a back up.

Please understand that having a dog, especially a puppy, is a lot of work (it’s actually a lot like having a toddler in the house). Even if your child is involved in ECAD as a Community Service or Mitzvah project, YOU must also attend the classes, pick up and drop off the dog, and enforce all the rules. YOU are responsible for the dog’s safety and well-being. And you know you’ll be the one walking the dog in the rain!

What if I already have pets at home?
Having other pets does not disqualify you from being a HOME family as long as your pets are friendly, healthy, and up to date on all vaccinations. Your instructor will teach you how to properly introduce them.

How much of my time will it take?
That depends on your level of commitment. You may choose to pick up and drop off a dog every day, every weekend, every holiday, or as an occasional “respite home”. But no matter how often you take a dog, you still have to take the weekend training seminar.

We will give you a dog whose age and temperament suits your lifestyle. The amount of time you spend with the dog when you’re at home is up to you. We do require that any time you are not actively supervising the dog, it must be in a crate.

What if I can’t afford it?
ECAD is a non-profit agency and all donations are tax deductible. However, we never want to discourage volunteers whose hearts are bigger than their wallets! We may help you fundraise or find veterinarians who will donate services, and we can sometimes provide crates and food.

Do I get to pick the age/sex/breed?
Probably not. We will match you based on the dogs we have available, temperament (yours and the dog’s!), level of experience, home situation (location, family members, etc.) and other factors.

How long do I get to keep raising it?
We believe that the dogs need to be exposed to a variety of homes, so volunteers are not assigned one permanent dog. You will likely have one "primary" dog and one or two "back ups". Because of this flexibility, volunteers are not required to take a dog every single weekend, either. We often exchange dogs between schools, trainers, or puppy raisers, or we may decide to drop a dog who is not able to complete the training.

What if my dog doesn’t make it?
Dogs who drop out due to temperament or health issues are placed as pets in loving homes—just not yours! ECAD’s policy is that you will never, under any circumstances, be allowed to keep a dog that you helped raise. We find that people cannot help treating the dog differently if they know they may someday get to keep it. We don’t want you to think of this dog as a pet, even subconsciously.

What if my dog does make it?
When the dog’s training is complete (usually at 20-24 months of age), it will become one of several types of Assistance Dogs. It could be a fully qualified service dog (placed with a disabled individual with full public access), an in-home skilled dog (placed with people that are too young or too ill to handle a service dog alone in public), or a facility dog (placed with staff member of a nursing home, alternative school or anywhere extra love and kindness is needed; provides social, emotional, and physical therapy).

We pair the dog and the client during a two-week Team Training known as “boot camp”. After this intense training period for the clients, we hold a graduation ceremony with the trainers, puppy raisers, clients, and their families. It's important to us that our volunteers get to meet the person who receives the dogs they raised. That’s when you’ll know it was all worthwhile.

What if I get too attached?
When people it would be impossible for them to give up a dog, I always say, "But that's the best part!" If your heart is in the right place, which is focused on helping someone lead a better, happier, more independent life, the pride you feel will outweigh the sadness at saying goodbye. And we will never leave you empty handed--there's always another pup who needs your love and guidance to grow into his future role.