Read the story of
Monty and Sarah

Types of Dogs

NEADS does not have its own dog breeding program. We receive many of our puppies as donations or we purchase them with funds generously given by puppy sponsors. The puppies come from private purebred dog breeders or from other Assistance Dog organizations. The breeds most commonly raised as service dogs are Labrador retrievers and Golden retrievers. We also raise Standard poodles and smooth collies.

Early Learning Program

In March 2004, the Laura J. Niles Nursery , housing our Early Learning Center, celebrated it's grand opening. Now, when puppies enter the puppy program at 8-10 weeks old, they will live and learn here for eight weeks. Taking full advantage of puppies' early learning capacity, each undergoes a specialized curriculum, providing an enriched environment of stimulating experiences, vigorous socialization, and service dog “prep” work. Of course we include lots of playtime with their housemates in the daily routine. This program builds a solid foundation and readies them for placement in our prison program or in foster homes upon completion of the program at the Learning Center.

Prison PUP Partnership Program

In this program, minimum-security inmates raise and train puppies for NEADS right in their rooms, taking responsibility for crate training, house breaking, care and grooming. Two inmates, a primary and a back up, are chosen to raise each puppy. A NEADS trainer teaches class once a week in each prison facility, instructing the inmates on how to teach basic obedience and service dog tasks. Although the inmate handlers take their puppies throughout the institution for exposure, additional w eekend foster families take them to their homes. These weekends expose them to environments outside the prison confines.

Current Prison PUP Partnerships:

• Boston Pre-Release, Roslindale, Massachusetts


• Bristol County House of Correction, N Dartmouth, Massachusetts


• Caledonia Community Work Camp, St Johnsbury, Vermont


• Donald Price Medium, Cranston, RI


• JJ Moran Medium, Cranston, RI


• Hampshire House of Correction Northampton, Massachusetts


• MCI Plymouth Plymouth, Massachusetts


• MCI Framingham, Framingham, MA


• MCI Norfolk, Norfolk, Massachusetts


• North Central Correctional Center Gardner, Massachusetts


• Northeastern Correctional Center Concord, Massachusetts


• Pondville Correctional Center Norfolk, Massachusetts


• York Correctional Institution Niantic, Connecticut

Volunteer Puppy Raisers - raise puppies in their homes, under the supervision of our puppy coordinators who set the program for the puppy’s care and training (primarily applicable to New England residents).

Join these dedicated and loving people in our “puppy raiser” program. We need families and individuals to open their hearts and homes for one year to care for a NEADS’ puppy (between four and six months old) before it starts formal assistance dog training in our kennel.

Click here to apply to become a Volunteer Puppy Raiser

Advanced Training

Each puppy returns to NEADS at approximately 15 months old, to undergo advanced training and proofing . We carefully assess the dog during this time for suitability as an assistance dog. We determine at this time also the dog's abilities to become a social or walker dog.

If you would like to volunteer with NEADS, click here for the application. Or call 978-422-0496 or e-mail us at: puppyprogram@neads.org for more information. (You must be at least 16 years of age to be a volunteer with NEADS )

* You'll need the Acrobat reader if downloading the volunteer application