dogs in training
NSD Maizy
Maizy is currently with her adult raiser. She is being taught a foundation of house manners and cues, for becoming a well-socialized part of the community.
Woof! Woof!
(Hello!)
Breed: Lab x Golden Retriever
Gender: Female
Date of Birth: April 26, 2023
Sire: SSD Tico
Dam: NSD Luna
Litter: M Litter
Puppy Sponsor: In honour of Adam Saperia’s birthday
Volunteer Team: Dave Clarke, Jory Byer, Garima Lakhanpal, Craig Inker
Fund My TrainingSponser 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.
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.
Maizy's Updates
July 2023
Maizy is a sweet, smart and cuddly pup! She loves to nap wherever she can but likes being outside in the grass too. Maizy has done awesome learning sit and down, and has very impressive impulse control. She is still learning to be gentle around her cat pal and while playing. She’s also recently started learning what a gentle leader is. She is doing great in her crate, during car rides, and has done awesome during her first few outings in jacket. Maizy has been a wonderful puppy so far and can’t wait to see how her skills grow!
October 2023
Maizy is continuing to work hard on learning new skills and staying calm in new and exciting environments. She has recently learned new cues like “come”, “turn”, and “stay” and has been on a bunch of exciting adventures. Maizy is always happy to see everybody and everyone. She is working on staying calm during meet & greets and while passing by exciting people and dogs while on walks. Maizy is such a happy, waggy puppy that loves life and loves to show off her toys (especially her lamby)!
January 2024
Maizy enjoys all the recent snow that’s been falling as she loves romping in it or taking long line walks through the snowy trails. She’s loved learning new cues like “chin” and “step” and has been progressing well in a bunch of her skills! She’s recently been learning to settle and stay calm in the house around all the new puppy friends she’s made over the holidays and into the new year. Maizy’s still working hard on trying not to jump up on new and exciting people. She is always a happy and lovely puppy and I’m excited to see her growth over the coming year!
April 2024
Maizy is excited by everything in life! She is currently working very hard to become calm in all situations, whether that be around the house or out in public. She is learning that staying on her mat is a rewarding place to be. We are excited to take on the challenges ahead!
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
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.