Breeders
NSD Harley
Woof! Woof!
(Hello!)
Breed: Lab x Golden Retriever
Gender: Female
Date of Birth: October 3, 2022
Sire: SSD Tico
Dam: CPL Fausta
Litter: H Litter
Breeder Sponsor: Wellington Laboratories
Puppy Sponsor: John LeBlanc, who chose to sponsor and name Harley because, in his words, “I have a passion for National Service Dogs and Harley Davidson Motorcycles.”
Volunteer Team: Pat & Bruce Ireland, Tori Koller, Hillary Carter & Darren Foubister, Deb Fowler, Famke Alberts, John & Diane Boyes
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.
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.
Harley's Updates
January 2023
Harley is a fun and quirky puppy with a big love for food! She is currently working on settling in her crate, learning what a leash and her other gear are as well as a bunch of basic cues. She catches on so quickly and is making amazing progress so far!
June 2023
Harley is working on new skills like up-up, off and working with other handlers. She continues to work on all the skills she has learned up to this point in grade school with added distractions as well.
August 2023
Harley is a smart puppy who has been working on learning skills like spin, touch and settling. She is very gentle and elegant and loves to say hi to everyone in the morning. Recently, she has gone swimming a couple of times and while she doesn’t love swimming she does love to wade and is an adventurous dog.
November 2023
Harley is a happy girl who loves to weave around everyone’s legs in excitement. Recently she has become much better at settling in unfamiliar situations and staying quiet. Her recall has also greatly improved from all distances. She is a sweet dog who loves to play fetch and race around the backyard whenever given the chance. Her favourite types of sticks are definitely birch. She is currently working on her spin and not getting to dizzy.
April 2024
Harley is a friendly, sociable, chill puppy. She loves being with you wherever you are in the house and particularly enjoys lying on your feet. Harley is working on her loose leash walking skills and is responding very well to positive reinforcement and treats. She loves the outdoors; walking, hiking, and strolling through streams.
October 2024
I got a job! My time as a “puppy in training” has come to an end and I found the perfect career path as part of NSD’s breeding program. I was chosen as a breeder due to my high potential to be an excellent Service Dog, high desire to work, even temperament, clean bill of health, and absence of common hereditary conditions. I will now play one of the most important roles at NSD - helping to provide future life changers.
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