W.A.G.S. 4 Kids

I want to take a moment to highlight a wonderful non-profit organization that has profoundly changed our lives: W.A.G.S. (Working Animals Giving Service) 4 Kids. This organization trains service dogs for children with mobility challenges, autism, and psychiatric needs and serves 35 counties in northeast and central Ohio.

When we decided that our son would benefit from a service animal, we started exploring our options for obtaining one. There are several avenues available: private training, training the dog ourselves, or getting a dog from a non-profit organization like W.A.G.S. There are also multiple non-profits to choose from, each with different wait times and out-of-pocket expenses. In the end, we felt that W.A.G.S. 4 Kids was the best fit for our family, so we reached out to them to begin the process.

The first step involves completing paperwork, including a form from your child’s physician discussing the need for a service dog. Once your paperwork is submitted, they will schedule an in-house meeting with you. After that, you can begin the fundraising process, if you choose to do so, or you have the option to pay some or all of the minimum financial commitment yourself. Once you fulfill your financial obligation, you enter the waiting period for your puppy. For us, they initially estimated a wait time of about 18 months to 2 years, but due to a couple of unforeseen issues, it ended up being closer to a 2.5-year wait. While this may seem like a long time, the dog that was ultimately placed with our son was well worth the wait!

It’s important to note that you do not choose the dog you will receive. The program trains a variety of dogs, primarily poodles, doodles, labs, and golden retrievers, and then matches a dog with your child based on their specific needs. You can express preferences, such as wanting a poodle or doodle for its hypoallergenic qualities, but this can extend your wait time for placement.

In our case, we had no stipulations regarding the dog’s breed; our priority was finding the best match for our son. Initially, we even thought he would be placed with a black poodle named Penny. However, since Penny had a minor piddling issue that could not be trained out, we ultimately welcomed a Golden Retriever named Gracie into our family.

Once a dog is selected for placement, you will participate in several in-house visits with the dog while a trainer is present. During these visits, you will work on commands and training, and the trainer will address any questions you may have. They will also provide a list of items you need to acquire before final placement. At the end of the third or fourth visit, the puppy will come to stay with you permanently. After that, the training team will conduct one or two additional check-ins, which will include a public outing. The trainer and the W.A.G.S. team will remain available to answer any future questions or concerns you might have. Additionally, they have a private Facebook group where families with service dogs can connect, share tips, and offer support.

I’m sure there will be a multitude of additional articles I write regarding our service dog, as she has become such an big part of our lives. I hope this information serves as a helpful starting point for anyone considering a service animal. With the lengthy wait times, I encourage you not to hesitate in starting the process if you believe a service animal could benefit your child. And I highly recommend W.A.G.S. 4 Kids as a place to start!

Click here to check out  W.A.G.S. 4 Kids official website for more information.