How long will it take to get my puppy?
9 weeks - 5 months
5 months - 9 months
5 months - 9 months
- All vaccinations, spay /neutered and microchipping are completed
- Interview, house inspection, and applications are started
- Assignment of puppy
- Tier-training begins-family starts to work with older pups for practice
- Family may start to have their puppy overnight
5 months - 9 months
5 months - 9 months
5 months - 9 months
- Intense training starts- many hours of outings to learn ADA, public acceptance of service dogs, obedience, dog care etc
- Many of the outings can be other families
- The puppy goes back and forth between family and Project Chance
- We start to focus on the specific needs for the client and their dog tasks
Rotation- This can be the hardest part for the child. The transition back and forth is a hard lesson but also a great life skill.
9+ Months
5 months - 9 months
9+ Months
- Longer overnights at the child’s house
- Fun and educational outings
- Mingling with other families
At 14 months, the puppy usually goes full time placement and we spend an additional year advancing the tasks, obedience and environmental engagements.
Project Chance continues to stay connected and involved as long as the family needs us.
What is the process to get started?
Initial Call
During this call, Project Chance learns about the family structure, number of children, other pets, work schedules, and the daily routine. At least one adult must have the flexibility required to properly care for the puppy.
In Person Meeting
For this one-hour session, the family makes a scheduled visit to the Project Chance campus to meet with a team member. Anyone who interacts with the family on a regular basis at the home and would be involved with the puppy is encouraged to attend.
Home Visit
At this appointment, we evaluate the location, size, layout, other pets and how the house is maintained. If necessary, recommendations are made to ensure a safe environment for the puppy.
Application
Once our staff determines that a service dog will benefit your child and the family, we develop a training plan based on the child’s Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) that outlines the current educational/social/cognitive progress from a clinical or educational institution.
Requirements
- A commitment to meet regularly with trainers and other children and dog teams for social, behavioral and recreational activities.
- Families must sign a waiver that gives permission for the publication of photos and stories about your child and his or her dog.
- As a regional agency, families should be within driving distance of the Project Chance training center to facilitate the access to the numerous required training sessions. Project Chance retains the flexibility to place dogs outside this area depending on the family’s individual support services.
Ready to transform your child's life?
Contact Us to begin the initial process of receiving a service dog for your child.