Help K9s For Camo: Rescuing Dogs, Rehabilitating Lives

Our mission at K9s For Camo is to provide service dogs to veterans in need at no cost while providing a framework within which dogs and veterans are trained to work together as effective teams. Rescuing shelter dogs, rehabilitating inmates, and supporting veterans in need. Helping three groups needing assistance with one act of kindness.

From Shelter Dog to Service Dog: How We Do It

Rescue: We work together with local shelters to search for dogs with the temperament, or as our founder, John Lopez, calls it, "energy," to become an effective service dog. This is the most critical step to maximize the rescue's likelihood of long-term success as a service dog.

Evaluation: Candidate dogs are transported to K9s For Camo's home base, where experienced trainers further evaluate the K9s' temperament and identify aptitudes for specific service tasks.

Medical Examination: In addition to assessing the K9s' temperament and aptitudes, we have veterinarians give K9s For Camo recruits a thorough medical exam to confirm they are healthy, physically able to perform their tour of duty and fit for service.

Basic Training: K9s For Camo trainers continue temperament and aptitude assessment of K9 recruits as they begin obedience and home manners training, both at the facility and in trainers' homes.

Boot Camp: Offenders at the Jefferson City Correction Center who have completed training with the K9s For Camo team continue the K9s training. Focusing on task and advanced obedience training as the K9 progresses towards their AKC Canine Good Citizens certification.

Advanced Certification: K9s return to home base, where trainers hone home manners and task skills while completing training for AKC Community Canine, AKC Urban Canine certification, and K9s For Camo's Public Access Evaluation. The K9s stay in trainers' homes and visit restaurants, stores, churches, medical facilities, offices, and schools as they learn to respond appropriately to different stimuli and behave properly in diverse environments while performing supportive tasks for their veterans.

Report for Duty: K9s and their veterans are introduced and sent home with instructions for bonding and ongoing training, and they are provided logs to track their home training regimen as they are ready for advanced training.

Advanced Training: K9s and their veterans attend weekly training sessions, building their bond by working through the AKC certification process, this time as a team.

Service: Once the veteran and K9 team complete advanced training, the former shelter dog will now proudly serve the ones who have served us.