At Helping Paws, every future Assistance Dog begins their journey with the help of dedicated volunteers. We offer two unique, impactful ways for volunteers to be part of the training process: as Volunteer Dog Trainers or Host Homes. While these roles differ in time commitment and training responsibilities, both are essential to shaping confident, capable service dogs.
Helping Paws trains only purebred Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers, who spend 2 to 2½ years preparing to become full-fledged Assistance Dogs. Training begins with basic cues—such as sit, stay, come, drop, and walking nicely on a leash—and progresses to more advanced tasks like retrieving dropped items, opening and closing drawers and doors, turning on lights, helping with clothing, and more. By the time a dog is ready to be matched with a partner, they can pick up objects as small as a dime and as thin as a credit card, retrieve a phone, help with wheelchair transfers, and seek help in emergencies.
Host Homes offer a flexible way to participate by providing a stable, loving environment for dogs in training who spend their days learning with Helping Paws’ professional staff at our Blue Coat Academy. With the help of daytime drop-off or our volunteer-powered “D-Uber” van service, Host Homes help round out the care and consistency needed to raise a successful Assistance Dog.
Volunteer Dog Trainers—also known as foster home trainers—take puppies into their homes and attend weekly training classes at our Eden Prairie campus, guiding the dogs through each phase of learning. Outside of class, they reinforce skills, provide socialization experiences, and support the dog’s physical and emotional development.
