Service Dogs: Bill Dahlkamp, Ex. Dir. Support Dogs, Inc.

Support Dogs, Inc.

Bill has been with Support Dogs, Inc. since April 1998. 

Support Dogs was founded on training assistance dogs for people who needed assistance with mobility-related tasks. Today, Support Dogs trains a variety of assistance dogs to meet several segments of the population.

Service Dogs - These dogs are trained to complete mobility-related tasks for someone with a physical disability. The dogs are trained to open doors, retrieve dropped and distant objects, help with undressing, carry bags, rises to counters, as well as a variety of other mobility-related tasks. 

Psychiatric Service Dogs - These dogs are trained to help military veterans suffering from the effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). These dogs are trained not only to be very confident and obedient in any environment, they act as a grounding mechanism for their client.

Canine-Assisted Activity Dog - This dog is trained and placed with an individual who is an employee of the facility in which the dog will work. Typically, the dog is used as a therapeutic tool by the handler, helping to initiate a response from the residents, patients, or clients of the facility. 

Hearing Dogs - These dogs are trained and placed with someone who is Deaf or hard of hearing. The dog can alert to sounds in the environment, such as a door knock, smoke alarm, alarm clock, or a name call.

I will be with Support Dogs on GiveSTLDay May 6, 2014. A great day for local giving, it’s nationwide find yours here and be a philanthropist for a day.