our goal is team success

Paragon Service Dogs utilizes an two-week Team Training onsite at our training facility with hearing dogs in training and clients. 

The client and hearing dogs in training must learn to work together to achieve success. To facilitate a positive and strong connection, the Team Training has three concentrations.

• Classroom Instruction: Clients learn cues, training techniques, training theory and participate in the execution of short training exercises to create a foundation for honing skills and a solid connection.  
   
• Environmental Learning: Challenge-based field trips take the training beyond cues and sound alerts and introduce the team to public work scenarios.
   
• Graduation*: Passing the Sound Alert Certification Test and the Public Access Test solidifies the establishment of a certified Hearing Dog Team and marks the beginning of their life-changing journey together.

We hold celebratory graduation ceremonies including clients, their dogs, and puppy raisers.

*Graduating as a Certified Hearing Dog Team and awarding legal access to all public areas guaranteed by Federal law is provisional for the first year.

celebrating paragon graduates (2024)

On Friday, September 27th, we hosted our very first Graduation Celebration at our new facility, and it was nothing short of magical! Surrounded by 60 of our amazing volunteers, community supporters, and friends, we gathered to celebrate the incredible growth and achievements of our two newest superstar service dogs—Camo and Cosmo. 

Camo graduated alongside his person, Roxanne, as a certified Hearing Service Dog Team. After two weeks of intense Team Training, they formed a strong, unbreakable bond and left as a dynamic duo. Together, they headed back to Canada to start their new life as partners in every sense of the word.

Our second graduate, Cosmo, is stepping into a special role as a Facility Dog in Paragon's Animal-Assisted Counseling program. Not only that, but Cosmo will also be serving as Paragon’s official Ambassador!

This graduation was a tribute to the hard work, dedication, and love poured into these dogs by our staff, master inmate handlers, and volunteers. We celebrated with delicious food, lots of photos, and reflections on these dogs' incredible journey. Like all our graduations, it was a day filled with heart, joy, and cherished memories!