Service Dog Application Process

Our Service Dogs

We are dedicated to providing world class medical alert, psychiatric and mobility service dogs to those in need.  

For more information about what services Diggity Dogs Service Dogs provide, please visit our Types of Service Dogs page.

Diggity Dogs service Dogs breeds and places Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers and each service dog’s training is tailored specifically to meet the needs of an individual applicant.  Please explore this process below.

Our Process

1)  Referral

MA DDS referral received and the appIicant is contacted to schedule a phone interview. Personal History Form sent to applicant to complete prior to interview.

2) Interview

Phone interview during which the whole program is explained in great detail from start to finish and we answer all the questions you may have. Afterwards we send you an information packet and medical history form link to send to their providers (therapist, psychiatrist, nuerologist, GP, etc..).

3) Medical History Submission

Applicant gets medical history forms to providers (therapist, psychiatrist etc..) and they fill it out and send it back to us. Applicant also secures a letter of support from someone in their life and sends this to us.

4) Medical History Review

We receive and review the medical history form and then contact your provider(s) to set up a medical consult.  We then do a medical consult with your provider.

5.) Acceptance Response

After we consult with your providers we get back to you with a final decision regarding acceptance into our program within two working days.

6.) Enrollment

If the client is accepted and wants to join our program they complete and return the enrollment contract. Appicants are considered enrolled once MA DDS approves final contract.

7.) Training Profile Development

We collaborate with clients to identify all of their symptoms and what services they would benefit from the dog performing. We strongly encourage clients to work on this spreadsheet with their therapist, doctors or loved ones, as appropriate. When the client and our team agrees on a final version we will “close out” the client’s training profile, which means that no more behaviors can be added.

8.) Notification of Dog Assignment & Scheduling Intensive

As we get closer to a client’s placement date, once we are absolutely sure which dog is the best match, we notify the client which dog they will be receiving and send them a brief description of their dog and some photos of their service dog. Once a dog has been assigned to a client, we begin scheduling their week-long intensive training.

9) Intensive Training Course

Clients are required to come to a week-long intensive training course to learn how to work with their dog. Clients are responsible for their needs during the intensive including transportation, housing and meals. For more information please see the section titled intensive training curriculum.

10.) Post-Placement

After clients go home with their dog they are required to follow a post-placement plan. For the first six months after placement, clients are required to have regular check-ins without team and practice sessions with their dog. We find that some clients have no issues post placement from the day they leave, while others may have lots of questions for the first few months. The post-placement process is designed to offer clients support while they acclimate to living and working with their new service dog.  We find that even those clients that take a while to settle into their new partnership, are working smoothly and fully bonded with their dogs after 2-3 months, however, we like to continue regular check-ins for six months just so that clients always feel like they have a support system in place. After six months we move to checking in with each client with a simple phone call every 3 months for the next 2 years.  This is our way of ensuring that everything is going well and to hear how amazing the dog is doing with their new partner!

Ready to Apply?

Please follow the three (3) simple steps to applying outlined in the yellow box on the right side of this page!

Thank you for your interest in our program.  We look forward to working together!