Requirements

Medical documentation of hearing loss must be provided to Diamond Dogz of Arizona prior to being accepted into the hearing dog training program. 

Proof of current vaccines (including rabies) is required.  

Dogs are temperament tested prior to acceptance into the program.  Dogs with any type of people or dog aggression will not be admitted. Dogs are also tested for sound alerting aptitude by evaluating their tolerance and responsiveness to certain sounds.  

Age and breed requirements are considered on a case by case basis based on longevity of the breed, prior training, maturity and individual dog health. Generally a dog should be between 8 months to 3 years old.

Our classes are taught by qualified trainers that have extensive experience with training and certifying hearing dog teams.  

Classes are held on MONDAYS from 10-11:30.  This is the only class available.    

Diamond Dogz teaches basic obedience as well as sound alerting skills.  

A commitment of two hours of classroom time plus three hours a week of at-home practice is required.  

It typically takes 10-18 months to become a certified service dog team, however, certification depends on meeting stringent standards and criteria and adherence to state and federal law. There is no guarantee of certification. 

Although we are an all-volunteer non-profit organization, there are costs to run the program including insurance and instruction materials.  

The City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation facility charges a one time fee for membership.  This will be an additional charge if you are not already a member:  

$20 a year for Phoenix residents  

$40 a year for non-Phoenix residents  

Students are required to cover the costs of their own training supplies and treats.   

We also suggest a donation of $10 per class.