dogs in training

NSD Henna

Henna is currently with her adult raiser. She has started University and goes to NSD for training 5 days a week. When not at NSD, she learns how to settle, cuddle and continue to be a welcomed member of the community. This training will help prepare her to be matched with her client.

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: Wellington Laboratories in Guelph, ON

Volunteer Team: Pat & Bruce Ireland, Kait Morris, Lindsay Mustard, Laura Grebinski

Fund My Training

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

Henna's Updates

January 2023

Henna is a ball of energy, she loves to play all day with her favourite octopus toy, go on walks around Guelph campus and have play dates with my two older labs. She is super outgoing and wants to say hi to everyone walking by, so we are working on not pulling on the leash towards other dogs and humans. She’s accomplished letting me know when she has to go outside by sitting by the door, which means almost no accidents in the house!

June 2023

Henna LOVES to work. She is an absolute rockstar with me at the clinic with patients, greeting each of them as they walk in and sneaking a few kisses when she can. She accompanies me to the gym for my workouts and has received endless compliments that she is “so chill.” She’s the gym mascot that everyone loves to say hi to in passing. Henna loves playing with our other dog Luna and has recently discovered that she loves the water. Her “come” has improved significantly and she has been improving on her walking, “near” and “under” commands in regards to duration and distraction. She truly is the sweetest girl you will ever meet – she’s going to make an incredible service puppy to one lucky client.

August 2023

Henna has, and continues to be a bundle of energy. She has very recently discovered her love for water and lives for her pool days with her girlfriends. She has a strong work ethic and thrives at the office and gym with me and when we’re out and about shopping. During the last few weeks, she has had an opportunity to experience a few different handlers, being put to the test to follow instructions and rocked it! We are working on jumping as she gets a little too excited around individuals that she sees most often and jumping on the furniture when she is playing with our other 3 year old lab. Aside from that, she is rocking her “step” and “chin” commands and is eager for her daily training sessions.

November 2023

Henna is a social butterfly and brings a smile to everyone’s face that she meets. She is a VERY well known name at my local gym, clinic and shopping stores. She sleeps through all of my workouts and can settle for 8-hour shifts with ease. We’ve been working on our “meet and greets,” loose leash walking and recently walking her on the opposite side. She is about to become an “honorary aunt” as we are also doing a whelp for one of the NSD dogs – we can’t wait to see how she interacts with the new members of the household!

January 2024

Henna is a bright, bubbly and sweet girl who longs for her morning walks. She loves to play with her honorary sister Luna, and as of January, her new half brother Trooper, who is 10 weeks of age. She is and always has been a rockstar at settling at work and at the gym. Recently, we have been working on settling in tight spaces (between two treadmills, or behind the squat rack) and remaining in a “sit” when new people come to the house to visit (which is hard because it’s so exciting!). Henna is truly a sweetheart and was an incredible “aunt” to the 3 puppies we helped raise over the holiday season – she was more often than not rolling around on the floor with all of them crawling on top of her.

April 2024

We are excited to welcome Henna into the Fall 2024 class of NSD University in June.

Everything You Need to Know

Training

Volunteer

Apply

The flow of dogs through NSD’s Programs takes 0-2 years as follows:

  • Step 1: Breeding Program
  • Step 2: Volunteer Raiser Programs
  • Step 3: Behavioural Assessments
  • Step 4: University/College
  • Step 5: Placement

The tireless efforts of our clients, staff, and volunteers allow our dogs in training to succeed, with social workers and mental health professionals present to ensure our entire process stays people-centric. After about 2 years of training and assessment, our NSD graduates are successfully placed in a client’s home.

Become a Puppy Raiser

Help raise a puppy into a life-changing Service Dog by providing love, training, and socialization until they are 14-16 months old.

Become an Adult Raiser

Help facilitate training and care for a Service Dog until they find their forever family. Polish the dog’s current skills and manners and test their abilities with a new handler as they enter a new environment.

Become a Carpool Driver

Transport Service Dogs with your car to their weekday training sessions. This volunteer role involves picking up NSD University/College dogs from their Adult Raiser’s home and bringing them to training in Kitchener/Cambridge.

Several factors determine the cost of a Service Dog.

Over their eight to ten year working life, Service Dogs are valued up to $50,000. However, each dog is provided free of charge to approved clients. All food and veterinary costs are borne by the client once the dog has been placed.

NSD receives no government funding and relies entirely on donations from the general public, corporate sponsors, fundraising events, and community supporters. We also host third-party fundraisers in support of our working dog teams.

Applications are on a referral basis. Please visit our program pages for more information.

future NSD companions

Meet Our Dogs In Training

See Puppies