Service Dog Program in Wisconsin
Temperament-tested Australian Shepherd service dog candidates selected for confidence, stability, and real-life work.
At Match Dot Pup, select puppies may be identified for service work through our temperament evaluation process and continue developing with us beyond the typical puppy timeline.
We focus on confidence, recovery, human focus, and thoughtful early development—helping create strong foundations for future service partnerships.
Not Every Puppy Qualifies
Service work requires more than training—it requires the right temperament.
At Match Dot Pup, we do not assume every puppy is suitable. Each litter is carefully evaluated to identify the individuals with the traits needed to succeed in real-life environments.
Some of the key traits we look for include:
• high confidence
• low sound sensitivity
• low sight sensitivity
• strong human-focused assertiveness
• ability to recover quickly from new experiences
🐾 This is why selection matters just as much as development.
What We Offer
• Service dog prospects evaluated at 7–8 weeks
• Service dog prospects are trained until they are 9–12 months old
• Foundation training toward CGC and Urban CGC
• Real-life exposure and structured development
• Lifetime breeder support
🐾 Each dog is selected and developed with intention—based on temperament, not availability.
Who This Program Is Best For
This program is designed for individuals and families who are looking for a thoughtfully matched service dog candidate and are committed to continued training and development.
It may be a good fit for:
• psychiatric service needs
• autism support
• individuals seeking structured, reliable companionship
• active households willing to stay engaged in the training process
This program may not be the right fit for those looking for a fully trained service dog without continued involvement, or for homes unable to provide structure and consistency.
A Thoughtful Approach to Service Dog Placement
At Match Dot Pup, we do not assume every puppy is suitable for service work.
Through structured temperament testing and ongoing evaluation, we identify the puppies with the traits necessary to succeed.
Our goal is to match the right dog to the right person for long-term success.
Program Investment
Dogs who continue in our Service Dog Program remain with us longer for continued development, evaluation, and foundational training.
Because of that, we gain a deeper understanding of their temperament, confidence, focus, and real-world behavior before placement.
Service Dog Program Pricing
$6,500
with a $1,000 deposit required after approval.
This allows families to begin with a more developed dog and a clearer understanding of long-term fit.
Is This Program the Right Fit?
This program may be a great fit for individuals or families looking for:
• psychiatric service dog potential
• mobility support potential depending on the individual dog
• a dog with strong confidence and stability
• a puppy thoughtfully selected through temperament evaluation
• a more developed foundation before placement
Because every dog develops differently, not every puppy is suited for service work—which is exactly why the evaluation process matters.
Training, Titles, and What That Means
As part of their time in our program, each dog continues developing beyond the early puppy stage with a focus on real-life behavior, consistency, and responsiveness.
During that time, they work toward earning both the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) and Urban Canine Good Citizen (UCGC) titles through the American Kennel Club.
These titles reflect a dog’s ability to move calmly through everyday situations—whether that’s walking through public spaces, responding to their handler, or settling in new environments.
🐾 This extended development is what sets our service dogs in training in Wisconsin apart and allows us to place them with greater clarity.
These dogs are not fully trained service dogs at the time of placement.
Instead, they leave with a strong public-access foundation already in place.
From there, the individual continues with task-specific training to meet their specific needs, building on the strong foundation already developed.
🐾 It’s this next stage of training that qualifies a dog as a service dog for a specific disability.
Foundation Skills & Everyday Behaviors
As part of their development, we teach essential behaviors that help prepare each dog for success in everyday life and future service work.
These skills are reinforced through clear verbal cues, along with some hand signals, so each dog learns how to respond with consistency and confidence.
Over time, these behaviors become second nature and create a strong, reliable foundation.
- Back
- Come (Recall)
- Down
- Free
- Heel
- Jump/Off
- Leave It
- Loose Leash
- Place
- SIt
- Stand
- Stay
- Touch
- Under
- Wait
- Watch Me
🐾 These everyday skills help create a calm, responsive dog that is ready to continue into more individualized training.
What to Expect
Service dog development is a process that requires time, structure, and consistency.
We provide a strong foundation through early training and exposure, but continued development is part of the long-term success of the dog.
Not every home—or every dog—is the right fit for service work. Part of our role is helping determine that early, so expectations are clear from the beginning.
Past Service Dogs in Training from Our Program
Our dogs who have graduated from the program and have earned their
CGC and Urban CGC titles before placement.
Each dog’s path is unique.
Through temperament testing, early development, and continued evaluation, select puppies from Match Dot Pup have continued on for service work in a variety of homes and lifestyles.
Imani
Red Tri Female
Parents – Indy x Gilbert
Born – 12/19/2023
This exceptional graduate successfully completed our program with two prestigious titles from the American Kennel Club (AKC) that reflect her excellent temperament in February 2025.
Promise
Black Tri Female
Parents – Skye x Gilbert
Born – 2/15/2024
This eager-to-please graduate has successfully completed our service dog training program and earned two titles from the American Kennel Club (AKC) that reflect her outstanding public behavior in February 2025.
Azalea
Blue Merle Female
Parents – Skye x Gilbert
Born – 3/24/2025
This intelligent graduate completed our service dog training program and went on to earn both Canine Good Citizen (CGC) and Urban CGC titles through the American Kennel Club in February 2026.
Aster
Black Tri Male
Parents – Skye x Gilbert
Born – 3/24/2025
After finishing our service dog training program, this calm-demeanor dog earned CGC and Urban CGC titles with the American Kennel Club in March 2026
Kitts
Red Tri Male
Parents – Indy x Gilbert
Born – 6/18/2025
This gentle, focused dog moved through our service dog training program and earned both CGC and Urban CGC titles from the American Kennel Club in June 2026
Candidates are typically identified through temperament evaluations between 7 and 8 weeks of age, with continued evaluation as they mature.
No. Not every puppy is suited for service work. Only select puppies demonstrating the traits needed for service work continue in the program.
Some of the qualities we look for include:
• confidence
• strong recovery
• low sound sensitivity
• low sight sensitivity
• human focus
• willingness to engage
• high motivation
• stable temperament
• assertiveness toward humans
They can be excellent service dogs for the right handler and the right dog. Temperament and individual fit matter more than breed alone.
Dogs in our program receive foundational development, exposure, and everyday behaviors. Task-specific training is individualized and continues with the handler after placement.
Ready to Learn More?
If you’re exploring the possibility of a service dog and would like to learn more about our approach, we’d love to share more about the program.