Breeders

NSD Hiero

Hiero has found his career path in our Breeding Program and most recently welcomed a litter of puppies with NSD Leia, The D Litter.

Woof! Woof!

(Hello!)

Breed: Lab x Golden Retriever

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: October 3, 2022

Sire: SSD Tico

Dam: CPL Fausta

Litter: H Litter

Breeder Sponsor: Wellington Laboratories

Puppy Sponsor: Friends & community partners at Dogtopia Newmarket. Hiero (Pronounced hero) is Irish in origin, meaning ‘name of a saint’

Volunteer Team: Pat & Bruce Ireland, Ina Wilhelm

Sponser Future NSD Puppies

Help Our Service Dogs Change Lives

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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.

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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

Hiero's Updates

January 2023

Hiero can be very calm or very playful or very cuddly. He is just the sweetest puppy. He quickly learns new cues and enjoys practicing the ones he already knows. His outdoor loose-leash walking is progressing well. It is fun to watch him grow and learn and enjoy new experiences with confidence.

June 2023

Hiero is working on new skills like up-up, off and working with other handlers. He continues to work on all the skills he has learned up to this point in grade school with added distractions as well.

August 2023

Hiero is a cheerful, fun-loving, yet very calm 10-month old who has recently learned that he loves to swim. He is happy in any situation, be it out in jacket, on a long car ride, enjoying the great outdoors, playing with his favourite toy or just relaxing or napping. He is a quick learner, loved by all who meet him, but despite his natural curiosity, he would always rather be near his people.

November 2023

Oh my, what a cuddly dog Hiero has become! He is so sweet as he continues to grow and mature. His interest in exploring this world and all its sights and sounds has taken on a new dimension now that he is in his teenage phase. He loves the beach! Hiero is 100% ready to get down to business when out in public in jacket and impresses everyone he meets. He is an eager learner and is wonderfully well mannered around the home. It is such an honour to be his raiser.

January 2024

Hiero is continuing to work on his skills and manners. He has successfully mastered so many cues and has excellent manners around the house. He is affectionate, playful, and just an overall sweet personality. He enjoys playing with his doggie friends, munching on his doggie chews and spending time with his people. A very enjoyable and fun little fellow who is always keen to practice all the skills that he has learned.

April 2024

Hiero continues to develop a wonderful curiosity of the world around him. Hiking in nature is a super sniffing opportunity and it is so much fun to watch him continue to grow and learn. He is at the point where he is very solid in his required cues and is learning the value of settling quietly. Jacket time is one of his favourite activities. He has spent innumerable hours watching Waterloo Minor Hockey and has become an honorary Waterloo Wolf complete with bandana. Such a fantastic companion no matter where he is!

October 2024

I am now in high school classes! I’m really starting to get the hang of this service dog thing, so my puppy raiser takes me to lots of new and exciting places to practice. I am also learning new advanced skills such as 'back,' 'touch,' 'chin,' and stepping on the perch pot. In class, I practice stairs and different under-footings and work for new and different handlers. This is an important step in preparing me for the next phase of my training. At home, I am polishing up my manners around meal times, guests, and outdoor walks. Now that I have more impulse control, I get to have more freedom around the house and get to sleep out of my crate some nights.

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