Thank you for visiting the Shadows for Life web-site! Shadows for Life was founded on 01 January 2006, and we are located in Alvarado, Texas. The primary mission of this 501(c)(3) non-profit agency is to identify special needs individuals in our community who will benefit from having an assistance dog, and to help them achieve their dog related goals. These highly trained canines not only enrich their “teammates” lives, but they also allow more independence for the individual. We also work with facility and therapy dogs, which are intended to socialize with and help multiple individuals at any given time, including assisted living establishments and special education classrooms at our schools.
Our K-9 rescue, family pet training and boarding activities also help with the costs associated with the assistance dog training programs. Our family pet training and counseling programs are consistent with and utilize our assistance dog training techniques, and virtually 100% guaranteed as long as the team follows the method in the home. The resolution of behavioral issues is one of our strongest assets, and we can help you to communicate on a much higher level with your dog in order to have him/her happily and proudly exhibit desired behavior. We also support the family pet training programs when we come to you for the in-home follow-up.
With over thirty years of experience (since 1977) in the dog industry we are skillful with all training techniques, and while categorized as “crossover training”, our primary method is operant conditioning (clicker training). We are also one of only a handful of agencies that works with minor children, specifically with no age or disability restrictions.
We believe that it is extremely important that individuals who are interested in acquiring an assistance dog should research the industry standards and requirements as identified by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as well as on the Assistance Dogs International web-site. Please also understand that the integration of an assistance dog into your daily routine is a significant life style change, and is not meant for everyone. The task of incorporating an assistance dog into your life can be very challenging, and a lot of effort, especially for the first few weeks, regardless of where you get your dog.
That being said, there are a few different ways to go about obtaining an assistance dog, and the cost and time-frames associated with these methods vary tremendously. The most conventional method is to apply with one of the ADI agencies, and to possibly wait two to three years until you receive your dog. Most agencies require that you perform fund-raising activities to supplement the cost of training the dogs, while some agencies will sell you a trained dog. It is not uncommon for a trained assistance dog to cost in excess of $15,000 or more. You can also train your own dog to be an assistance dog. There are all kinds of resources on-line to help with this if you are interested in going that route. Simply google “train your own service dog”.
At Shadows for Life, we have developed a method wherein the dogs are trained here at our location, and also at your residence. We generally “jump-start” the training at our facility for several weeks, and then come to you to work hands-on at your residence with your “team”. Depending on the age of the dog, as well as the individual progress, we then continue to work with your team both at our facility and at your residence intermittently. The timing and exact location of the training is determined on a case by case basis. We continue to work with your team throughout the whole process, which includes all testing and follow-up required to assure compliance with the current laws.
Most of our clients obtain their own dog, preferably puppies from reputable breeders, and we start the training process immediately, as early as 6 weeks of age. The Shadows for Life Public Access Test defines the specific training criteria for the teams, and we all work together towards achieving compliance within the testing guidelines. There are several variables in this process that affect the length of time required before any given team is ready for the test, and there are no standard time-frames.
Our K-9 rescue activities have resulted in over 50 successful placements since our inception, and in one case a rescued dog was placed as a seizure response dog. Please reference our site on http://www.petfinder.com for information about the current dogs that we have listed as up for adoption. At Shadows for Life, we give each of our rescue dogs a specific temperament test in order to possibly place them into the special needs training program. This results in a win-win situation when we place a rescued dog into the special needs program!
The agency relies on donations, fund-raising and proceeds from rescue activities, family pet counseling/training and boarding to supplement the costs associated with the assistance dog programs.
Please contact the agency for an Information Packet or to find out how you can help.
Latest News
Pups in training
July 17, 2010
We currently have six pups in training as assistance dogs at different stages. “Sasha” is our 5 month old AKC German Shepherd “blizzard baby” (born 12 Feb 2010), which was donated to the agency, and she is here with us going through her obedience and public access training. She has an absolutely wonderful temperament and will stay with the agency as a personal assistance dog, demonstration dog and possibly for breeding purposes. Now that we are on some land we can finally consider a breeding program to enhance the agencies ability to produce high quality pups.
“Trig” (Seguin, TX) and “Shelby” (Austin, TX) are both placed in the home and continuing with their training. They have both already completed their “jump-starts” here at Shadows for Life, and are doing very well in the homes of their team-mates! The biggest benefits from having these pups is that, although they are still very early in their training, the family unit (pack) is building a stronger bond and gaining invaluable experience from participating in the training. Not to mention the cost is significantly less and they didn’t have to wait years for a dog.
“Abby” (Belton, TX) has been here since late March for her obedience and public access. She is an extremely excitable lab who is going to have to mature more before she can be placed in the home for an extended period of time. We will continue to put the work in with her here at Shadows for Life, and realistically it is going to take a significant amount of time to ascertain if she has the right skill set for this challenging job. Although a wonderful pup, they don’t all have what it takes to be an assistance dog, and that’s the inherent risk in starting with a puppy.
“Bonnie” (Tyler, TX) was just picked out of the litter last week, and is currently with the family prior to coming to Shadows for Life in a few weeks to “jump-start” her obedience and public access training. “Brianna” (Dallas, TX) was just brought here straight from the litter in the past week. Her initial “jump-start” training is going to last four weeks, at which time she will be taken home to Kimberly to continue her training.
Our other “pup” in training at this time does not look like a pup at all, but he is still only a year old. Check out our gallery for “Sherlock” (Lafayette, Louisiana) and see what a beautiful well-behaved dog he was recently at Morgan’s Wonderland in San Antonio! He will be here at Shadows for Life soon to proceed with his retrieve and brace work for his team-mate, Terry.
