Breeders

NSD Chip

Woof! Woof!

(Hello!)

Breed: Labrador Retriever

Gender: Female

Date of Birth: April 1, 2021

Sire: PADS Cleat

Dam: PADS Nala

Litter: ABC

Volunteer Team: Brad & Shelley Sheridan, Phoebe Montgomery, Morgan Ellis, Frances Hood

Sponser Future NSD Puppies

Help Our Service Dogs Change Lives

Donate

At NSD, we do not receive any government funding to support our mission. Instead, we rely entirely on the generous support of individual donors, community partners, corporate sponsors, service clubs, and through annual fundraising events.

Help us empower people to achieve their full potential. Show your support and donate today.

Donate

Volunteer

NSD would not exist without the tireless efforts of our dedicated volunteers. Their commitment to our mission and the individuals we serve is truly inspiring, and we are honoured to have them as part of our family.

If you are interested in joining our outstanding team of volunteers, we encourage you to submit an application.

Volunteer

Chip's Updates

July 2021

NSD Chip is a sweetheart. She is very affectionate and people have commented on how calm and chilled out she is for her age. She has mastered sit and is working on her down and loose leash walking. Chip does have a bit of an attitude and certainly lets us know what she wants and doesn’t want!!

September 2021

NSD Chip loves being outdoors. She is curious and looks around and watches but does not bark. She’s ready to go camping or go for a swim. NSD Chip is wonderful and calm at appointments or in stores. She is working on her stays and mat cue.

March 2022

Chip is a real sweetheart… calm, cuddly, and a quick learner. She loves to please and looks forward to her training sessions. Chip is terrific in restaurants and malls when she wears her jacket.

May 2022

Chip is a calm, sweet girl who wins the heart of everyone she meets. Chip has been working on going to her mat when someone comes to the door and has been very successful with this. She loves to practice backing up, sit, stay, near and impresses everyone with how well she listens. Chip has attended her raiser’s workplace a few times in the last few weeks and has been so good at staying on her mat during her working time. Chip has been a lot of fun to help raise as her friendly snuggly personality is so calming.

July 2022

Chip is the sweetest girl. She loves to snuggle and loves people. She has such a sweet calm personality. She loves to run and play with other dogs but around the house, she is happy to snooze (and snore!!), she also loves to watch baseball!

February 2023

We are pleased to welcome Chip into our breeding program!

April 2023

Chip welcomed the N litter on April 28th with PADS Zegen. There were 3 females and 5 males.

Everything You Need to Know

Program

Health Clearances

Volunteer

Ensuring Access to Quality Dogs

Since 2019, NSD has been a member of the Assistance Dogs International Breeding Cooperative (IBC). As part of this partnership, NSD also utilizes and is a member of the International Working Dog Registry (IWDR).

All IBC members track their dog’s health, training and placement data through the database across the life of the dog. This data informs our breeding decisions by allowing us to review in depth background information on a potential breeder’s:

  • Year over year health; including the health of their siblings, parents and offspring
  • Temperament testing and training assessments; including the number of puppies produced to successful deployment by them, their parents, siblings and offspring
  • Placement ratios by program type (i.e Autism, PTSD, Hearing, Facility etc)
  • Possible mates: using Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs), we can match dogs online to see their estimated production values for hip and elbow health, eye health, and genetic disorders

Breeder Health Clearances

  • Annual eye exams with a board certified ophthalmologist (including post-retirement)
  • Penn Hip screening with a certified Penn Hip veterinarian
  • OFA Elbow screening
  • Echocardiogram with a board certified cardiologist
  • Genetic screening
  • Breeding soundness exam with a reproduction veterinarian
  • Temperament screening with qualified NSD training and breeding team members

Become a Breeder Caretaker

Provide a loving environment for a breeding dog in between litters. As a Breeder Caretaker, you get to help the next generation of Service Dogs begin their journey. In this role, you welcome a breeding dog into your home and provide a safe and loving environment in between litters. You bring the dog to all of their appointments and care for them until retirement from the breeding program; females typically retire after 4-5 litters or at 6 years old. Preferably, Breeder Caretakers for female dogs also welcome litters of puppies! With support from staff and our whelping program, you would host the litter of puppies for about 7 weeks. This includes keeping the puppies’ area clean and stimulating for both mom and her puppies. The main goal at this stage is to care for and socialize the puppies until they are ready to start training with their Puppy Raisers. As a Breeder Caretaker, you are the first step in raising confident Service Dogs. A volunteer must:

  • have a flexible schedule
  • live within 45 minutes of NSD (1286 Cedar Creek Rd)
  • have no children under the age of 5 living in the house
  • have a maximum of 2 dogs in their home that are over one year of age

The Foundation of NSD

Meet Our Breeders

See Breeders