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While there are many service dogs that graduate and go on to have successful careers with the government, there are also those that fail the programs. Reasons can vary from being nervous, lack of drive, or a personality that just doesn’t fit well. Interestingly, another reason for a dog failing to graduate can include being “too nice” of a temperament.
In a report by the BBC, one puppy in Australia went viral for being too friendly for the Queensland Police Service Dog Squad because he was too fond of greeting strangers. While the puppy wasn’t able to join the Queensland Police Service Dog Squad, he did go on to join the Government House as an official viceregal dog, a job that suited hum much better.
How can you adopt a dog that failed government training?
For anyone that’s interested in German shorthaired pointers, Labrador retrievers, German shepherds, or Belgian Malinois, the Transportation Security Agency (TSA) has an option for you. The government agency allows people to adopt a puppy through an application process.
If you’re not interested in adopting through the TSA, there are other number of organizations that work with finding homes for dogs. Mission K9 works hard to find homes for older service dogs so that they can be well-cared for in retirement. Freedom Service Dogs of American train shelter dogs to become service dogs and dogs that don’t make the cut are placed in adoption processes to loving families.
Freedom Service Dogs say that dogs can fail service training for a number of reasons, such as getting too easily distracted, having physical ailments, or are too timid for that particular line of work. Service Dogs also put rescue dogs up for adoption that don’t make the cut through service training.
Many of these organizations may require you to pay an adoption fee that’s in the several hundred dollars, it’s honestly a small price to pay for not only a new friend but giving a loving dog a new home. These dogs tried their absolute best to become service dogs, but just didn’t make the cut. They deserve a home.
