Handi - Dogs Inc

To some a dog is just an animal, to others a dog is a bridge to a life worth living. 

Handi-Dogs is dedicated to helping older adults and people with disabilities gain independence and improve their quality of life through specialized training of dogs, and to advocate about the important role of service dogs.

Handi-Dogs helps train dogs with people with a wide spectrum of disabilities including but not limited to:

• Parital of Full Hearing Loss - dogs alert to fire alarms, timers, their person's name being called.
• Diabetes - dogs alert their person to significant low's and high's in their glucose levels
• Mobility Challenges - dogs retrieve walkers and canes, pick up keys, open doors, turn on/off lights, brace to help a person stand, provide stability while walking, and more.
• PTSD & Anxiety - dogs become 'barriers' between their person and others, find an exit, interrupt a negative behavior.
• Autism - dogs provide deep pressure stimulation and serve as a tether to prevent a child from 'bolting'. 

 

Handi-Dogs utilizes an owner-trained, positive reinforcement model for its service dog training program. This method provides added benefits to the clients as they play a very active role in their own dog’s training.

New clients often begin their first day of class hesitantly.  As many people with disabilities tend to isolate themselves, our clients often are shy, introverted, and not used to being in a social setting – especially with strangers. Their confidence in their ability to do something new, let alone train their dog, is low.

As the weeks of training progress, not only is the success in the dogs learning desired behaviors witnessed, but just as important, the clients’ self-confidence increases and their zest for living an active life within thecommunity blossoms. Successfully training their dog is often the catalyst that lets our clients know they have the ability to take on new challenges, and embrace life with a new found spirit. 

Handi-Dogs also offers training of therapy dogs. Handlers eventually take their registered therapy dogs to visit patients in hospitals, assisted-living, hospice and many other places. Their visits bring joy and comfort. They help people forget about their pain and can be a welcome distraction from a feeling of isolation or worrying about the situation they are in. Thousands of our ‘neighbors’ are touched by these caring and well-trained human/dog team volunteers.

In addition to service and therapy dog training, Handi-Dogs provides affordable dog training classes for senior handlers. Research indicates that seniors who have dogs live healthier lives.Blood pressure and anxiety are lowered. Endorphins and oxytocin are released when petting a dog, which can be especially important for seniors who may feel alone or depressed.

Additionally, as dogs need to be walked, having a dog often stimulates exercise. The need to feed and tend to their dog can also be the critical impetus for a lonely senior to get up every day and to have an on-going sense of purpose. 

Please Note: While your gift is tax-deductible, because your donation made on this site goes to the Razoo Foundation, which then forwards your funds to Handi-Dogs, gifts made via this site canNOT be applied towards the AZ Working Poor Tax Credit.