Early Exposure: A Key to Success

It’s no secret; at Paws for Purple Hearts, we believe in the power of early exposure to set our future Service Dogs up for success. The journey from playful puppy to skilled Service Dog is filled with learning, growth, and the development of crucial skills that will one day empower a veteran or active-duty service member to regain independence and improve their quality of life.

From wagging tails to wet noses, we all know dogs have a way of bringing boundless joy into our lives. As their loyal companions, it’s our responsibility to ensure their well-being and happiness. While providing food, shelter, and love are just some of the important factors of owning a dog, one part is often overlooked. Grooming!

Have you ever heard us mention ADI? Maybe during Client Training when we introduce a Warrior to their service dog and train them to become a highly effective team.  We may have described how our teams complete their ADI Public Access test or mentioned that PPH is undergoing ADI accreditation. But what does ADI mean?

A brand new storage shed has been constructed for Paws for Purple Hearts (PPH) at the Welcome Center on the Menlo Park VA campus. Dana Souter, an Ambassador in Girl Scout Troop 61634, partnered with PPH and the VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) for her Girl Scout Gold Award.

Few things bring more instant joy than interacting with a dog or puppy you just became acquainted with. With the pandemic causing a spike in dog ownership and many using the daily cadence of dog walks and trips to the dog park to get some much needed fresh air and social interaction, the likelihood that you’ll get a chance to interact with new canine company is higher than ever.

Paws for Purple Hearts Team Virginia started the year on a happy note when, on January 8, 2021, service dog in training Scout tried his luck at Rosie’s Gaming Emporium’s new location in Dumfries, Virginia.

A facility dog’s role is to boost morale, build a welcoming atmosphere and promote healing for Warriors in a clinical setting. In his first year at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Clinic in San Jose, California, Ralph’s impact went far beyond what we could ever have imagined.

We are overwhelmed with gratitude and thrilled to announce that with your help, Paws for Purple Hearts raised $19,920 on Giving Tuesday 2020.

Despite 2020 being a challenging year for everyone, our supporters reminded us all that they are still present. This year’s grand total more than doubled the contributions made on Giving Tuesday in 2019, and we are so grateful!

The value of bringing a smile to someone’s face is hard to estimate, but its importance is incomparable. Every moment a Paws for Purple Hearts dog brings joy to a Warrior is a minute, an hour, a day well-spent. The goal of each Paws for Purple hearts dog is to spread love and happiness with those around them for as long as they can. For nine years, Webb…

Today, we’re pausing for Purple Hearts. August 7th is National Purple Heart Day – a day to honor Combat Veterans in the U.S. Armed Forces who were wounded or paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving. At Paws for Purple Hearts (PPH), it is a privilege to carry the name of such an honorable award, and we want to thank all of our Purple Heart Warriors for their service.

Happy International Assistance Dog Week! We’re taking this time to celebrate our top-notch dogs and educate folks about the important role they play in helping Warriors along the road to recovery.

You’ve heard of a service dog, therapy dog, and an emotional support animal, but where does an assistance dog fit into the mix?

When you think of a service dog, you might imagine a fluffy golden retriever, a sleek black lab, or perhaps a strong shepherd — but no matter what breed comes to mind, you probably picture them wearing a brightly colored vest.

Assistance animals often wear vests when they’re out in public. At Paws for Purple Hearts, our service dogs

June is PTSD Awareness Month – a month dedicated to raising awareness about the signs, symptoms and causes of post traumatic stress (PTS) as well as treatment options. At Paws for Purple Hearts, we specialize in training service dogs and

You may have heard our motto “Warriors Helping Warriors^®,” but do you know why we say it, what it means, and how it relates to our mission?

At Paws for Purple Hearts we are dedicated to improving the lives of America’s Warriors facing mobility challenges and trauma-related conditions, but our mission goes beyond placing service dogs with our wounded Warriors.

The motto, “Warriors Helping Warriors^®” summarizes our dedication

We may not be able to see you in person, but there are ways we can stay connected thanks to technology. Our supporters are so valuable to us, so we’ve come up with a few ways that you can be a virtual volunteer or master crafter from the comfort and safety of your home.

Impacting hundreds of people daily, Paws for Purple Hearts’ Facility Dog program aims to spread love and joy throughout a health/human services care facility serving our nation’s brave injured Warriors. Our dogs provide a friendly face to engage patients, families and staff. A Paws for Purple Hearts facility dog…

If you already use Amazon for your online shopping, consider supporting Paws for Purple Hearts by making purchases through AmazonSmile.

As a shopper, AmazonSmile gives you the same products, prices and experience as Amazon.com, with one special difference — Amazon will donate 0.5% of your

Paws for Purple Hearts has high performance standards for service dogs. They cannot be fearful, insecure, or uncomfortable around people, other dogs, unusual objects or noises. This is why we have puppy petting to provide our pups with those early interactions that shape their ability to become successful service dogs.

You can now travel and do good at the same time! Paws for Purple Hearts is pleased to announce a new partnership with Solutionz Innovations TravelingToGive partner program, which is a unique platform that integrates fundraising opportunities into travel planning.

Love is in the air this week as we celebrate both Valentine’s Day and National Salute to Veteran Patients week. Paws for Purple Hearts is lucky enough to work with hundreds of Veterans every year through our unique Canine Assisted Warrior Therapy^® programs that are actually built around love. Not just puppy love, but the hormone that helps promote feelings of