I'm sure there are some people who have donated a puppy to a service organization here - I am very interested in doing this with a pup from my litter later this year. Who have you donated to and would you again? Did you get updates on the puppy's progress?

Thanks for any info!

We donate one from every litter that has yellow or/and black. We get updates frequently and go to graduations and see where the pup goes, well they are not pups by then. We donate to the program of our choice which does epilepsy,seeing eye,various in services. So you need to find an organization you like, talk to them go visit their program. They come out and temperment test our pups, it works for us.

I think this is a very worthwhile thing to do, but there's always a caveat. I posted this on another thread earlier this summer. Please - screen the heck out of the service org so this doesn't happen to your pup.

I'm not 'breeder' and I do think that vast majority of dogs have a great quality of life as service dogs. That being said - please go look at my website at http://www.waterdownlabradors.com/ricky.htm

That is my now deceased rescue boy. He came from a school in the States and was given to a blind man in Ontario. They worked that dog until he was 14. They then claimed he bit and dumped him in the shelter. Coincidentally, they had a new dog coming from that organization.

Labrador Retriever Rescue Ontario pulled Ricky from the shelter and he came to live with me. They also contacted the organization. They couldn't have cared less and were still planning to send the new dog up.

Ricky, because he was never retired, didn't have a chance to be a dog until he came to my house. While I'm sure he loved him, I know that the best part of his new life was playing with my other dog - the chance to just enjoy life was what made his last year (I hope) happy.

So, again, I would argue that most service dogs have a great quality of life - but that people need to be very, very careful about where their donated puppies are going.

Leslie, I'm so sorry you had a bad experience.

We have donated several puppies to service organizations. One of our favorites is Canine Helpers for the Handicaped in Lockport, NY. They train each dog to meet the needs of a specific person. While I was there, I had the pleasure of watching the trainer work with the puppies and dogs. It was truely amazing to see what these dogs can do. I was especially impressed by the dog that was trained to help his owner (who didn't have the use of his hands and was in a wheelchair) get dressed. They use positive reinforcement training, which is very important to me.

I too donate dogs to a Service Dog orgainzation. I have for years. I am also helping them start their own breeding program. I also volunteer and train the service dogs.

I think some of my proudest moments as a breeder is seeing the dogs I breed and trained work with their new partners. It is amazing what these dogs can do for the disabled.

I do agree that you need to throughly check out the organization, just like you do your puppy buyers. I like ones where the pups ALWAYS live with a family and are trained with postive reinforcement.

The best way to keep in touch and know how your pup is doing in the program is to volunteer. I am not saying you have to commit to a year or two of training but volunteer in some way.

Thank You

Thanks for the input. Agreed that any organization will be checked out just like a puppy buyer. I would consider it an honor to have produced a pup that went on to service!