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Pawsitivity Service Dogs is a charity that rescues dogs and trains them as service dogs for people with disabilities. It operates as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.

Pawsitivity Service Dogs, CFC #54980

Formation	2012
Type	Nonprofit 501(c)(3) Corporation
Tax ID no.	47-1446634
Purpose	Assistance Dogs
Location	St. Paul, Minnesota
Website	Official website

Pawsitivity Service Dogs is the first assistance dog organization to establish a formal meditation program with psychiatric service dogs, as well as the first to create an independent third-party Impact Evaluation (which will be published in early 2020). Pawsitivity Service Dogs has received the top rating of Platinum for transparency and accountability from Guidestar and meets all standards set by the Charities Review Council

History

Pawsitivity Service Dogs was founded in 2012 by Tom Coleman and Julie Coleman, CPDT-KA, as a charity that would focus first on finding the right dogs to rescue, then training those dogs to help people with disabilities, focusing on children with autism . When a dog is not appropriate for a child, the charity will train the dog for someone else with a disability. The nonprofit organization achieved 501(c)(3) certification in 2014.

Programs

Pawsitivity Service Dogs has trained and placed service dogs nationwide for both children and adults, and both veterans and civilians, Pawsitivity has trained and and placed dogs in the following categories:

• Autism service dogs for children or adults with autism or other developmental disabilities. Often these clients have multiple disabilities.
• PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) service dogs for combat veterans
• PTSD service dogs for non-veterans, including both adults and children.
• Seizure service dogs for people with epilepsy, whether or not the epilepsy is comorbid is with other conditions
• Psychiatric service dogs for both children and adults (as well as both veterans and non-veterans)
• Hearing service dogs for people who are deaf or hard or hearing.
• Service dogs for individuals with physical disabilities.
• Facility dogs, which are partnered with professionals in classroom, ministry, therapy, hospital, and courthouse settings. Facility teams are made up of a dog and partner, who is usually a rehabilitation specialist, educator, or medical specialist. These dogs carry most of the skills of service dogs as well as specialized skills for whatever type of facility the dog will be working in to be integrated into therapies.

Rescue, Training, and Graduation

Pawsitivity Service Dogs has a six-to-twelve-month professional training program which begins when the dog is rescued. Pawsitivity Service Dogs are rescued by partnering with rescues, animal shelters, as well as using breeder donations and by owner-surrender. While most of the dogs are Golden Retrievers or Labrador Retrievers, other pure-breds such as Newfoundlands are used, as well as mixed-breed dogs. Pawsitivity trains dogs in three phases. During phase 1 training, lasting roughly two months, the dogs are evaluated and also taught basic manners. Phase 2 is basic obedience skills. Once both phase 1 and 2 are complete, the dog moves into phase 3. At this point, what sort of assistance dog it will be, and who it will go to, will be determined. Each dog is custom trained for the specific tasks needed by its future client.

The Clients

After applying for a service dog, future clients are visited by a Field Representative to assess their needs. Internal costs for the training and placement of any service dog averages about $39,000 [reference]. When it comes to putting together a team, Pawsitivity considers the lifestyle of the individual and the dog, the personality of the person and the dog, the speed of their gaits, the size of the dog, as well as other issues that may affect the dogs ability to work (i.e. a dog who hates water going to a rainy place). Once a dog has almost completed its formal training and the handler has been selected, the dog meets to its future partner and the team begins its team training, overseen by the Field Representative. that teaches the recipients how to work with their new partners. This includes learning about dog psychology, dog grooming and care as well as the cues that the dogs know. At the conclusion, the individuals go through testing. After graduation, Pawsitivity instructors provide follow-up services, as needed, to graduates in order to provide assistance, suggestions and general support as required. The average working life of a dog is 8–10 years. Often, the dog will live out his life in the home with the handler, if possible. Alternatively, Pawsitivity makes sure that retired dogs are placed into loving homes.

Publications

• Book: Service Dogs, The Rescue and Training of Heroes (2016 Midwest Book Award Winner)
• Book: Pawsitivity Coloring Book
• App: Evaluate a Dog, available for free on both iPhone and Android in late 2020

Funding

Pawsitivity Service Dogs is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization supported entirely by private donations. Pawsitivity receives no government funding. Donors contribute through general contributions, bequests, grants, memorial and honor donations, charitable remainder trusts and other planned giving options.