TIER ONE SERVICE DOG FOUNDATION
TWO PATHWAYS.
ONE MISSION.
Tier One Service Dog Foundation provides two service dog program pathways for disabled combat veterans. Whether a veteran enters with a suitable dog of their own or is matched with a Tier One-trained service dog, our goal is to build a confident, reliable partnership at no cost to the veteran.
HOW OUR PROGRAM WORKS
Every veteran and every dog is different. That is why Tier One Service Dog Foundation offers two pathways designed to meet veterans where they are while maintaining the same high standards for training and team development.
VETERAN + THEIR OWN DOG
For veterans who already have a potential service dog candidate
A veteran may enter the Tier One program with their own dog. The dog must first be evaluated to determine whether their temperament, health, behavior, and overall suitability meet the requirements for service work.
Once accepted, Tier One funds the professional training needed to develop the veteran and dog into a successful working team.
Throughout the program, the veteran actively trains alongside their dog as the team progresses through:
- Foundational obedience and manners
- Public access training
- Advanced obedience
- Disability-specific task training
- Handler education and team development
- Real-world training and proofing
- Graduation as a veteran/service dog team
Tier One covers the cost of professional training throughout the program, allowing the veteran to focus on developing the skills, communication, and trust necessary for a successful partnership.
TIER ONE-RAISED SERVICE DOG
For veterans who need to be matched with a dog
Tier One selects a service dog candidate and provides the intensive foundation needed to prepare that dog for a future veteran.
For approximately the first year, the dog lives and trains within our professional program. Tier One provides housing, daily care, socialization, professional training, obedience, environmental exposure, public access work, and foundational service dog training.
When the dog is ready, Tier One carefully matches them with an eligible veteran based on compatibility, lifestyle, needs, and the dog’s individual strengths.
The veteran then begins team training with their new service dog, including:
- Foundational obedience and manners
- Public access training
- Advanced obedience
- Disability-specific task training
- Handler education and team development
- Real-world training and proofing
- Graduation as a veteran/service dog team
From the dog’s care and professional development to team training and graduation, the program is funded by Tier One Service Dog Foundation.
BUILT FOR THE LONG TERM
A service dog partnership isn’t created overnight.
Depending on the dog, veteran, individual training needs, and program pathway, developing a reliable service dog team can require 1–2 years of training and preparation.
Our goal is not to rush a dog toward graduation. It is to create a partnership equipped for real life.
Veterans accepted into the program are expected to be active participants throughout the process, completing scheduled training, practicing skills outside of class, participating in public access work, and continuing to maintain their dog’s training after graduation.
WHO QUALIFIES?
Tier One Service Dog Foundation serves disabled U.S. combat veterans who demonstrate both a need for a psychiatric service dog and the ability to successfully participate in the program.
Applicants must:
- Be a 100% disabled U.S. combat veteran
- Have a service-connected disability that can be mitigated by a psychiatric service dog, such as PTSD, anxiety, depression, or another qualifying service-related condition
- Be physically and mentally capable of handling and caring for a service dog
- Be prepared to commit to a 1–2 year training journey
- Participate in scheduled training sessions, homework, public access training, and ongoing skill development
- Complete all required handler training before placement and maintain the dog’s training after graduation
- Have stable housing that can safely accommodate a service dog
- Be financially able to provide routine care, including food, preventative medications, grooming, and routine veterinary expenses
- Demonstrate a genuine need for a service dog and a commitment to developing a successful working partnership
- Follow Tier One Service Dog Foundation training methods and program standards
- Successfully complete the application, interview, and any required home or lifestyle assessments
- Maintain communication with Tier One throughout training and after placement
WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE APPLYING
Acceptance into the Tier One program is about finding the right fit, not simply joining a waiting list.
Placement is based on each applicant’s needs, commitment to the program, compatibility with an available service dog, and our ability to create a safe and successful long-term partnership. Applications and placements are not processed on a first-come, first-served basis.
A service dog is also intended to complement, not replace, ongoing medical or mental health care.
WHAT MAY DISQUALIFY AN APPLICANT?
The safety and well-being of both the veteran and service dog are central to every placement. An applicant may be unable to participate in the program due to:
- A history of animal abuse or neglect
- An inability or unwillingness to properly care for a service dog
- Failure to participate in required training or follow program standards
- Housing or a lifestyle that cannot safely accommodate a service dog
- Any circumstance that could compromise the safety or welfare of the veteran or dog
Meeting the basic eligibility requirements does not guarantee acceptance or placement.
READY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP?
If you believe a psychiatric service dog could help you regain greater confidence, stability, and independence, we invite you to learn more by completing our veteran application.
There is no cost to apply, and qualifying veterans receive Tier One-funded professional service dog training.
Contact T1SDF
IS THE TIER ONE PROGRAM RIGHT FOR YOU?
Tier One Service Dog Foundation serves 100% disabled U.S. combat veterans who are ready to commit to the training, responsibility, and long-term partnership that come with a service dog. Our program is designed for veterans whose service-connected disabilities can be supported by a psychiatric service dog and who are prepared to take an active role in building a successful working team.