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We support heroes
Patriot Service Dogs (PSD) is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to pairing well-trained service dogs with veterans free-of-charge. Any honorably discharged veteran with a physical or mental disability is eligible to apply--we do not favor any specific era of service or require veterans to be combat wounded.
PSD was founded in 2009 by Susan Bolton, Julie Sanderson, and five other dedicated volunteers and has grown to over 100 active volunteers. We are located in Central Florida but place dogs throughout the United States. If you would like to join our team, we have many volunteer opportunities available. If you would like apply for one of our dogs, please fill out an application and mail it in!
Give
There is no donation too big or small. We value both monetary donations and training items.
Train
Veterans receive a professionally trained and socialized service dog that will help them regain independence and change their life forever.
Receive
Any honorably discharged veteran is eligible to apply for a Patriot Service Dog.
Blog
Meet the New Triplets!
On February 25th, Patriot Service Dogs will send off a trio of golden retrievers our team has come to know as The Triplets–Norman, Auggie, and Captain (they will be joined by their younger pal, Cutter as well). In truth, two of the three boys are biological brothers, and one was born to a different mother,…
PSD’s Top 10 of 2021
As we head into a new year, Patriot Service Dogs is looking back at all that we accomplished in 2021! With such a full year, it was hard to narrow this list down to 10 milestones. As you read through these, know that it takes a village to train a service dog and match them…
PSD’s First Subscriber Q&A
You asked and we answered! Last month, we asked subscribers to the Patriot Service Dogs digital newsletter (if you’re not a subscriber, add your name and email here to receive the latest PSD updates) to submit their questions about training service dogs, PSD, matching dogs and veterans, and anything else relevant to our community. We…
Tank Triumphant: The Graduation Celebration!
As Patriot Service Dogs CEO, Julie Sanderson, said at the beginning of Tank’s graduation ceremony, “We’ve been training service dogs since 2009 and have placed close to fifty dogs in that time. We’ve been partnered with Department of Corrections since 2011 and have worked with countless inmate-trainers since then. But in all that time, there…
Real Vests, Fake Service Dogs: How Pet Dogs in Vests Impact Trained Veteran/Service Dog Teams
You’ve probably seen it, a dog barking in a restaurant or dragging their owner down the hallway of a hotel or even lunging at other dogs; they have a vest, maybe one that looks just like a PSD vest, but they don’t have the training to go with that responsibility. Once you’ve met a fully…
Whitman of WOOF: Celebrating National Pit-bull Awareness Month!
October is National Pit-Bull Awareness Month! So, in honor of this celebration, PSD wants to address some common questions we get about pit bulls as service dogs and recognize the incredible story of our own pittie and WOOF mascot, Whitman. Patriot Service Dogs is excited to help spread awareness about this misunderstood breed-and to spread…
Why Some Dogs Don’t Make It: 4 Reasons Why PSD Releases Dogs in Training and How You Can Help Them Succeed
Every time we pick up an eight-week-old puppy to start their training, we know we are asking him or her to live an extraordinary dog life; we also know that it might not be the life they want or were born for. Through two years of training, we put our all into each puppy and…
Puppy Days: Inside the First Days of Training
September doesn’t just mean the last days of summer for Patriot Service Dogs, it means we’re entering a new season–no, not fall–puppy season! In the last few weeks we have welcomed two new pups, Sam and Richard. Both boys still have that super soft puppy fur and those super sharp puppy teeth, but they have…
Disney World, The Most Magical Training Location on Earth: Behind PSD’s Annual Training Trip
For most of the organization’s history, Patriot Service Dogs has made an annual training trip to Disney World. Because we are based in Central Florida, Disney is an easy location for our trainers to convene. In 2020, we skipped the trip due to health concerns, but this year, we are restarting the tradition! Julie Sanderson,…
Bernie on the Beat: Inside Tank’s New Job With the Nassau County Sheriff
“Unique” has always described Tank–from the moment he joined Patriot Service Dogs as a ball of black and brown fluff, to his goofball personality during training, and now, to his final placement. Tank, PSD’s only Bernese Mountain Dog, is not going to be matched as a service dog for a wounded veteran, but he has…
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Testimonial
LIVING A MORE FUNCTIONAL LIFE
"Bradley came into my life just over a year ago, but it seems like much longer than that. Bradley is full of energy and loves to help me out in any way he can. Bradley's specific training to my needs allows him to help me live a more functional life. There are certain things that I did not understand if I would be able to do again, but I found out with Bradley I can do them. He has a bond with me that a person nor a material item can provide. He is a big ball of energy, but when it's time to get into "Cape," he turns into my superhero. I am truly grateful for Patriot Service Dogs and the legacy they are passing on every year to help support wounded veterans like myself. You have touched me and my family's lives forever, and I couldn't imagine life without my buddy (Bradley). For that, I am truly grateful."
- MARK RUSH, RETIRED ARMY