All of our dogs are neutered or spayed or spayed prior to being placed with a client. They also go through an extensive medical evaluation including:

This extensive medical evaluation is to make sure the service dog we are providing to the clients is extremely health and can perform the required work for the client.

Home Interview

After the initial Client Application is received & verified, a home visit will be scheduled and in-person evaluations are conducted to make sure we can help you or your child.

During this stage of the application process, one of our staff or trainers will come out to your home and conduct a Home Interview. There are many purposes of conducting an in-person home interview. One of the major purpose of the Home Interview is to evaluate if the situation, individual, or environment is safe for the dog to be in on a daily basis. Some clients' medical conditions and some situations may be not safe for the dog's health. The home interview also allows us to get to know you or your child's personality and lifestyle as well as specific needs in relation to your disability. 

During the home interview, we will advise you of anything around the home that needs to be addressed for the dog's safety; get pictures and videos to help with the fundraising and matching process; and review the contracts and expectations for the program. The home interviews typically take 1.5-2 hours to conduct (most of it is to answer the client's questions).

All service dog clients are required to go through a home interview process to determine if we can fully help in your particular situation. For those individuals in the Phoenix Metropolitan area, there is no additional charge for the home interview process. For those outside the Phoenix Metro area, we will have to fly or drive out to you and thus will have to charge our travel expenses prior to coming out for the home interview. This can include flights, car rental, and possible overnight hotel stay.

The Bootcamp

The Bootcamp is where one of our trainers will work with you or your child & family to integrate the service dog into your life. This process usually starts on a Friday evening with the client, or in the case of a child placement with the Parents or Legal Guardians and last for 9 continuous days encompassing 40 hours  of onsite instruction (Additional time at additional costs). This is in addition to the 100+ hours of study that is require prior to bootcamp starting.

The purpose of bootcamp is to give you 1-on-1 instruction on how to best utilize your new service dog for your needs and for your environment. It also shows you how to adapt the dog's training if your disability or needs change in the future. The instructors will also help you prepare for all testing that is required by:

• Industry standards - International Service Dog Alliance (ISDA), Assistance Dog International (ADI) & International Association of Assistance Dog Partners (IAADP)

• American With Disability Act (ADA)

• Federal & International Law

• Our Professional Insurance

The practical final at the end of Boot Camp consists of tasks and requirements that will satisfy the ADI Public Access Test Standards, minimum standards set by the courts & ADA, as well as our program and professional insurance.

We expect our clients to pass all tests with a 90% or higher score as well as demonstrate additional tasks their dog will perform to assist their independence while not presenting a danger or nuisance to the general public.

After Bootcamp & Graduation

After completion of the boot camp and “graduation,” we will check in on the new teams on a regular basis as per the Support Warranty in effect at that time. If local and at all possible, we conduct these check-ins via phone or in person visits. If the client is located outside the Phoenix metropolitan area, we will do the initial check-ins or small issues via phone or video conferencing and in-person checks at the required monthly interval specific in the Support Warranty.

If any of our clients need assistance. Clients are actively encouraged to return for help whenever the need arises.

After graduation from boot camp, Arizona Goldens LLC retains partial ownership (1%) of the dog, with the remaining ownership held by the client. This is for reasons such as if the client has a medical issue or the dog gets pick up by animal control or is involved in an accident, we have the legal authority to pick up and care for the animal. It also allows us to be able to treat any medical conditions that may occur during an emergency, and receive documentation of the canine’s medical care such as vaccination records, etc.

We keep the health, safety, and training of the service dog as one of our highest priorities. After graduation, if the client/handler is unable to care for the dog, demonstrates neglect, endangers the dog’s health or safety, or violates any of the contracted provisions, the dog must be returned to AZG with no refunds.

Under no circumstances may the dog ever be given away to an unapproved home. AZG must also be notified if the dog or client (handler) dies or becomes incapacitated. The best interest of the dog must be served whether to remain with the family or be recalled to AZG. An AZG representative will evaluate the situation and conditions prior to making the final decision. If recalled to AZG, no refunds will be issued to the client, client’s family or friends for the return of the dog.

Criteria for Applicants

An individual having a physical or psychological disability must meet the following criteria to apply for an AZG Service Dog:

1. The candidate must be able to meet the emotional, physical, and financial needs of the service dog, and offer a stable home environment. This includes positive interaction with the dog, exercise, and grooming of the dog. Family members and/or aides are expected to assist where necessary.

2.  The candidate must provide a safe, fenced enclosure adjacent to his or her home to exercise the dog off lead (unless otherwise approved by AZG staff in the home interview process).

3. If the individual or family has any other animals, they will need to be evaluated during the home interview to make sure that they are not dog aggressive, will allow the service dog to come into the home, and not interfere with the work or performance of the service dog. This is done on a case-by-case basis.

4.  The candidate or Legal Guardian handler must be mature enough and possess sufficient cognitive functioning to actively participate in the training and learning process required during the bootcamp and final training phase of the service dog. They must also be capable of managing the dog once they are living together.

5. The candidate must be actively pursuing the goal of independent living and seek to improve the quality of his life through the aid of a Service Dog.

6. The candidate’s medical situation should enable the candidate to work with the dog for several years. The client's disability and condition must be recognized by the medical community including but not limited to the American Medical Association (AMA) & the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS).

7. The candidate, or their family, must be financially able to maintain their functional lifestyle during the boot camp. AZG cannot assist with attendant care, medications, transportation, etc., during the boot camp.

8. Candidates must be at least 6 years of age and have adequate support from parents and aides. Placements under the age of 6 are on a case by case basis and can be done for a child between 1 or 3 years of age but all child placements under the age of 18 require a adult supervising handler present at all times outside the home environment.

9. AZG will give preference to clients living in the state of Arizona, followed by those outside of Arizona. AZG does place service dogs throughout the entire United States of America, Canada, United Kingdom, & Europe.

10. Applicants will be considered without regard to race, sex, religion, creed, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, or age.

11. The client must be able to financially be able to care for the dog. This includes a $250 minimum clearance in income a month above all other monthly expenses.

12. Autism, PTSD, or other candidates must not be extremely violent as their initial reaction to stimuli or start of the meltdown nor be an extreme safety danger to others nor present a safety concern for the animal.

Individuals under the age of 18

At Arizona Goldens LLC, we have assisted individuals from the age of 18 months to 80+ years of age. For those clients who are under the age of 6, we do have to evaluate potential placement on a case-by-case basis on a more stringent criteria than most other ages of clients. This is due to the many challenges that are faced with placement with a young child in such situations as a potential injury to infant if the fully grown service dog is not careful when lying down next to them. In these cases we have to evaluate the client themselves, the environment, along with family and parental support.

Children under the age of 18 will be required to have at least one parent attend part of the boot camp and be present in all public outings for supervision as the Adult Handler. If the other parent does not complete boot camp, they will not be able to work with the child & their service dog out in public.

If the service dog will be attending school with the child, the school, teachers, and aids will be required to go through a separate Service Dog School Integration training in order for the service dog to attend class or events. If the child's teachers or aides change, the new teacher and aid will be required to be trained by AZG staff (at additional expenses for both time and travel)

Estimate of Expenses

Application Fee: $75 (non-refundable)

Home Interview: All related travel expense for our staff to come out to visit with the client and their family (if outside the Phoenix Metropolitan Area). This may include flights, hotel (if applicable), meals, car rental, gas/mileage, & time depending on your geographic area.

Deposit at time of contract signing: $4,000 (non-refundable deposit)

Fee for Service Dog: Varies depending on disability, program, & if any custom training is needed for the needs of the individual. Please call (480) 508-7381 to get a better idea on the general costs for your specific situation. Typically this ranges from $32,000 to $40,000 depending on the tasks and time necessary. Keep in mind it typically takes 1,800-2,200 hours to properly train a service dog in addition to all the other costs.. The Service dog fee & bootcamp travel expenses are due and must be cleared prior to dog selection & final training.

Outside the Phoenix Metropolitan Area: Additional travel expenses such as gas, rental car, flights, lodging, meals, time, etc. for AZG staff member to do an initial home interview and conduct the bootcamp process in client’s own home/area may be assessed. There will be a minimum 20% contingency (non-refundable) factored into this estimated expense at the time the contract is signed to allocated possible fluctuations in travel & lodging costs at an unknown future time frame for traveling.                                 

Additional Options: Additional options such as year of dog food & veterinary care, to service dog backpacks, vests, other equipment, etc. may also be chosen at time of acceptance into AZG service dog program for additional fees.

After Graduation, please budget additional expenses such as:

• Dog food: approximately $60/month; we are happy to recommend suitable, high quality, affordable foods.

• Regular vet care: monthly heartworm, tick and flea preventatives and yearly immunizations. Your vet may offer a discount for a Service Dog. We estimate the cost of vet care to be approximately $400/year for well dog maintenance.

• Replacement equipment: including, but not limited too, packs, leashes, collars, and bowls. AZG can provide these items to you. Budget: $50/year.

• Toys and treats: approximately $150/year.

• Insurance: Monthly premiums for Veterinary & Life Insurance premiums ($65-$150 a month)

On average, it costs approximately $1,800-$2,500 per year to care for a Service Dog.