All About Service Dogs

Raising Jettie – My Life as a College Student Raiser

By Jennifer Girardin, NEADS College Raiser Instructor and former NEADS College Puppy Raiser I started my puppy-raising journey as a college junior alongside Jettie, an adorable black lab and NEADS…

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Happy birthday, NEADS Breeding Center!

This month, we’re celebrating the state-of-the-art facility that’s raised NEADS’ breeding program to the next level—made possible by our many donors. In its first year, the Breeding Center has celebrated…

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Fake Service Dogs Put at Risk Those Who Need Them Most

NEADS Chief Development and Programs Officer Cathy Zemaitis is passionate about the growing problem and negative impacts of fake Service Dogs on persons with disabilities who are partnered with legitimate…

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Taking Flight

In the fall of 2022, NEADS bred one of our broods, Cameron, to a stud dog named Felix from Southeastern Guide Dogs (SEGD). As part of our agreement, Southeastern Guide Dogs, located in Palmetto, FL, was to receive a female puppy from Cameron’s litter when the puppy was eight weeks old. (The litter, born on November 24, was aptly named the Thanksgiving Dinner litter.) Gravy* was selected as the SEGD puppy.

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What Does a World Class Service Dog Cost? Part Two: 8 Weeks to Heading Home

Let’s take a closer look at what makes up the investment—2 years and $45,000—that NEADS makes in every World Class Service Dog. In part one, we talked about what it…

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What Does a World Class Service Dog Cost? Part One: Birth to 8 Weeks

Birth to 8 Weeks We often mention that NEADS invests an average of $45,000 and two years in each Service or Assistance Dog placed with a client. What goes into…

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Jonesy – “Making Each Day Better”

When 5th grade counselor Christine Brouillard works with students, she’s got extra help: a gentle yellow Lab named Jonesy. It’s been a year and a half since NEADS Assistance Dog…

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veterinarian examines a puppy

All Eyes On… Dr. Clara Williams

At NEADS, the health and well-being of our dogs is crucial. From the moment they arrive on campus, our dogs have consistent health monitoring that includes routine care, vaccinations, orthopedic screenings, and eye exams.

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puppy in a crate

Milkers Help with Crate Training

Smith’s Country Cheese in Winchendon, MA, milks their own cows to make delicious cheese, everything from Smoked Gouda to Chili Pepper Cheddar. The rubber milking liners (“milkers”) that are used…

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black labrador puppy

Meeting Benson, NEADS Service Dog in Training

If you’ve attended Sunday Services [at First Parish in Wayland, MA] recently in person, you may have met Benson, a handsome NEADS Service Dog in Training. He is accompanied by Luke Rubin, who, along with his wife, Megan, are Benson’s Puppy Raisers…

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Service Dog Ambassadors: Serving NEADS

You may have met one of NEADS’ Service Dog Ambassadors. If you have, you’ve seen a highly trained World Class Service Dog in action, calm, confident, and impressing the heck…

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Jared and Trauma Assistance Dog Jeter

NEADS asked U.S. Marine Corps veteran Jared Wimberly to explain how Trauma Assistance Dog (TAD) Jeter works with him to calm and ground him. TAD Dogs learn specialized task work…

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NEADS Then and Now, Part 1

For 45 years, NEADS has been committed to providing World Class Service Dogs to meet the growing and changing needs of our clients. In this video, NEADS Director of Canine…

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45 Years of Changing Lives

Today, NEADS offers the widest array of programs in the industry while still holding true to our core mission of producing Service Dogs for individuals with disabilities.

We are proud of our reputation as a pioneer, leader, and innovator. As we celebrate our 45th year, we thought it only fitting to let our World Class Service Dogs tell our history

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NEADS Dogs Honored through the Red Sox Service Dog of the Game Series

NEADS was well represented at Fenway Park this summer as the Boston Red Sox resumed its Service Dog of the Game series. Throughout the summer before Tuesday evening home games,…

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