Service Dogs
Service Dogs for PTSD
Service dogs can help in many ways.
They can be trained to provide a buffer zone between their human and others, recognize repetitive motions and respond, alert to the approach of someone from behind, guide their human to a safe place,interrupt nightmares and many other important tasks.
Classes are free for Veterans and First Responders. We offer classes for civilians with PTSD for $3,500. If you are interested, please click on APPLY and complete and submit your application. We will contact you to get you started on the admission process.
4 Paws 2 Freedom considers all applications regardless of race, sex or religion.
Dogs and humans have an amazing capacity to work in partnership with each other toward the well being of both.
Help a Veteran or First Responder get a service dog
We can offer our 9 month service dog training classes to Veterans and First Responders at no cost to them thanks to the generous donations of local organizations and individuals. Your donation makes a difference and supports Veterans and First Responders in a 60 mile radius of Sacramento.
New ONLINE Class
Veteran Response Dogs
This is a new ONLINE Class designed to help Veterans train their pet dog to assist them with typical anxiety mitigating tasks.
This is for PET DOGS ONLY. Dogs who are too old, are not healthy enough or temperamentally sound enough to become a service dog.
This class will teach you how to train your dog to interrupt nightmares through pulling the covers off of you when you begin flailing in your sleep.
It will teach you how to train your dog to ground you when you begin to ramp up.
It will teach you to train your dog the basic obedience commands, sit, down, wait, as well as get-it, pull, back, forward and side.
This class is limited in number and priority will be given to Veterans located in the Northern California area.
This class is FREE to Veterans.
Next Class Starts February 1st at 5:30pm.
SIGN UP NOW!
Taking applications for our next session.
Details to be announced soon.
- 8 weeks
- 1 hour weekly session
- ONLINE through Zoom
- Must have audio and camera on tablet or smart phone
Stress Mitigation Dogs
It's Here!! For those on the Front Lines, keeping our Community Safe!
This class was originally designed for Active Police Officers. Due to the COVID 19 PANDEMIC, WE HAVE NOW OPENED IT TO ALL FIRST RESPONDERS!
Day after day, officers see the worst of humanity; absorb the world's negativity; and then come home to their families.
Law enforcement officers respond to and witness some of the most tragic events that happen in our communities. On-the-job stress can have a significant impact on their physical and mental well-being, which can accumulate over the course of a career. Many officers struggle with alcohol abuse, depression, suicidal thoughts, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other challenges.
In the face of long term exposure to emotional pain, fear and stress, people often need to numb their feelings in order to continue doing their work. Conversations disappear, sleeping patterns change, drinking might increase and family (unless they are also an officer or dispatcher) become “outsiders” and are often pushed away because they can’t understand what the officer is going through.
Stress Mitigation Dogs can help by breaking the cycle . Dogs can help ground a person in ways as simple as leaning against them or laying down on them. This process of grounding is very effective in helping people regroup and get past their anxiety. Once the person is feeling more centered and able to relax, the play begins. Through activity and play the stressors of the day can be released. The dogs are taught a variety of different interactive games to play with their person. These games involve varying degrees of exercise to burn off angst.
This online class is being offered FREE to first responders, thanks to the generous support of RRUFF Healing Heroes.
For more information please contact us
Stress Mitigation Dog Course
This is an ONLINE Course for First Responders, Correction Officers, Detectives, Police Officers
Next Class starts Tuesday February 2nd at 5:30pm.
We are taking applications for our next class. Sign up now!
- 1 hour weekly
- 8 weeks long
- Free to First Responders
- Online Via Zoom
- Must have a tablet or smartphone with camera and microphone
Due to the COVID-19 PANDEMIC all of our current and future service dog classes have moved online
We plan to be teaching classes and courses ONLINE ONLY until at least Spring 2021.
Private sessions are also available online. Contact us for pricing.
COVID-19 Policy
Policy for ALL 4 Paws 2 Freedom classes, training and activities:
Due to the nature of our work, the people in our programs may be health compromised. To allow for more healthy engagement, we have updated our COVID-19 Policy. It is effective immediately.
1. All students and staff must wear face masks covering their nose and mouth at all times indoors even if they are the only one in the building.
2. Students and staff must wear face masks covering their nose and mouth at all gatherings of more than one person outdoors.
3. All students and staff must practice at least 6 feet social distancing both indoors and outdoors.
4. Avoid contact with animals other than your own. Do not pet, hug or kiss animals that do not live with you.
5. Do not handle other people’s leashes or training gear.
6. Training Areas are required to have 6-foot distancing mapped out and taped off or otherwise identified in all directions.
7. At indoor training stores, aisles may need to be blocked off or the students and staff need to stand 6 feet in from where Customers are allowed to walk.
8. Trainers will use only their leash. Leashes will not transfer hands.
9. Trainers will squirt hand sanitizer onto the hands of all students when they enter the class.
10. Trainers will disinfect railings when they arrive and leave.
Dog Parks are not recommended for off leash interaction between dogs
Learn More
The Online service dog courses will last at least one year and meet once a week for one hour.
Dogs will not be able to certify until we are able to gather for classes and work on Public Access Skills.
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