California Service Dog Academy

What California Service Dog Academy does

California Service Dog Academy (CSDA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2017/2018 by Matthew and Rebecca Corso and headquartered in Visalia, California. The organization raises, trains, and provides service dogs to three beneficiary segments: U.S. military Veterans with disabilities (Sentinel Dogs program, free of charge), First Responders (needs-assessed), and non-veteran civilians with disabilities (CARE Dogs program, $7,500–$30,000 with funds raised in advance). CSDA holds Assistance Dogs International (ADI) accreditation and operates a purpose-bred Golden Retriever breeding program launched in 2018 to secure its own candidate supply.

CSDA's training model centers on positive-reinforcement methodology combined with AKC-based milestones (Canine Good Citizen, Public Access, Urban) delivered through a 6-week handler course hosted on Google Classroom, followed by in-person training across public venues (parks, restaurants, stores, an airplane simulator) within approximately 150 miles of Visalia. A volunteer Recruit Raiser foster program and monthly orientation cycles feed the candidate pipeline, while an in-house clinical mental health team (SimplePractice/ClientSecure-backed) tracks Veteran outcomes — reported as an over-80% reduction in mental health stressors across 20–60 Veterans annually.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit: zero-cost Veteran placements are funded by corporate sponsorships (four tiers from $2,000 Bronze to $20,000 Platinum with naming rights), direct donations (mail, Amazon/Chewy wishlists, Amazon Smile), and dedicated scholarship funds (Riley's Scholarship, CARE Dogs scholarship campaigns). Civilian placements generate $7,500–$30,000 in program fees. Distribution is direct-service only — no resellers or online product sales — with awareness driven by newsletter subscriptions, local media coverage (ABC30, Fox 26, The Sentinel), and community partnerships (Rawhide Stadium/Sentinel Dog Park, Valley Animal Center, Your Pro Dog Trainer).

Name

California Service Dog Academy

Legal name

California Service Dog Academy

Website

https://californiaservicedogacademy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

California Service Dog Academy is a Visalia, California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that trains and provides service dogs to U.S. military Veterans (free), First Responders, and civilians with disabilities (fee-based), operating ADI-accredited positive-reinforcement training programs and a Golden Retriever breeding program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Service Dog Training and Disability Assistance

NAICS

Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Service & Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Accommodations Management (EDALAGAK)

Keywords

• Service dog training
• Disability assistance programs
• Veteran support services
• Handler education courses
• Animal-assisted therapy

Headquarters

HQ city

Visalia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Program Fees (CARE Dogs): Fees charged to civilian (non-veteran) program participants for service dog training services. Cost ranges from $7,500 to $30,000 depending on individual circumstances, whether they have their own dog, and amount of training required.
2. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships at multiple levels: One Paw Bronze ($2,000), Two Paws Silver ($5,000), Three Paws Gold ($10,000), Four Paws Platinum ($20,000). Includes recognition, social media mentions, graduation invitations, and in Platinum case, naming rights.
3. Direct Donations: Tax-deductible donations to 501(c)(3) organization. Accepts donations via email request, mail, Amazon Wishlist, Chewy wishlist, and Amazon Smile program.
4. Scholarship Campaigns: Fundraising campaigns for individual CARE Dog applicants to raise funds for their service dog training. Campaigns have two years to complete fundraising goals.
5. Riley's Scholarship Fund: Dedicated scholarship fund for health testing of recruits, vaccination coverage, and financial assistance for clients in emergencies with their dogs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

California Service Dog Academy (CSDA) raises, trains, and places task-trained service dogs with Veterans (Sentinel Dogs program, no charge), civilians with disabilities (CARE Dogs program, $7,500–$30,000), and First Responders, while also conducting community animal-assisted visits through the Canines for Community Outreach (CCO) program. Training is delivered via a 6-week Google Classroom handler course plus in-person group classes, one-on-one sessions, and public access outings, all using positive reinforcement methodology and culminating in annual recertification. CSDA also operates its own purpose-bred Golden Retriever breeding program as the supply pipeline for its service dog placements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CARE Dogs®: Service dog program for non-veteran civilians providing comfort, assistance, reliability, and encouragement through training, education, and support.
• Sentinel Dogs®
• Sentinel Service Dogs®

Products and services

• Sentinel Dogs Program (Veteran Program) Service dog program providing fully trained service dogs at no cost to eligible Veterans with documented disabilities (DD-214 and doctor's note required). Includes dog provision or owner-trained dog evaluation, 6-week handler course via Google Classroom, multi-stage in-person training, public access outings, graduation, and annual recertification; Veterans throughout California travel to Visalia at least monthly.
• CARE Dogs Program (Civilian Program) Fee-based service dog program for non-veteran individuals aged 16+ with documented disabilities living within ~150 miles of Visalia, CA. Two paths available: bring your own dog for evaluation/training, or receive a CSDA-provided dog. Pricing ranges from $7,500 to $30,000 depending on circumstances, with funds raised in advance of services rendered. Includes the 6-week handler course, multi-stage training, and annual recertification.
• Canines for Community Outreach (CCO)

Quantifiable outcome

• Mental health stressors reduced by over 80% for 20-60 Veterans annually, as assessed by licensed clinicians
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Valley Animal CenterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2020Media partnership and community collaboration. Valley Animal Center featured CSDA in their coverage, supporting community awareness of service dog programs.
• Rawhide StadiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSDA partnered with Rawhide Stadium in Visalia to open Sentinel Dog Park, the first dog park in the stadium, located in the California Service Dog Academy Pasture. The park allows dog lovers to bring their four-legged friends to enjoy games. This partnership provides community visibility and a dedicated space for service dog practice and relaxation.
• Your Pro Dog TrainercoreTechnology or IntegrationYour Pro Dog Trainer provides Board and Train program services for CSDA clients. CSDA refers handlers to this partner's training portal (Propetware) for specialized training services. Handlers receive username and password from CSDA to access the partner's platform.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Canine Partners for Life: Pennsylvania-based nonprofit that partners people with disabilities with highly trained service dogs and home-based companion dogs. CPL's focus on mobility, seizure, and diabetic alert dogs, along with its custom task training approach, is comparable to CSDA's individualized training for disability-specific tasks.
• ECAD (Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities): Connecticut-based nonprofit that trains service dogs for veterans with PTSD and individuals with physical disabilities. ECAD's dual veteran/civilian free placement model, breeding program, and ADI-equivalent standards make it a direct operational peer to CSDA's multi-program nonprofit structure.
• Patriot Paws Service Dogs: Texas-based nonprofit that trains and provides service dogs free of charge to disabled American veterans and others with mobile disabilities and PTSD. Patriot Paws is highly comparable to CSDA's Sentinel Dogs model: free veteran placements, multi-year training cycles, ADI accreditation, and focus on PTSD/mobility disabilities.
• Paws With a Cause: Michigan-based nonprofit that trains custom assistance dogs for people with disabilities and trains facility dogs for organizations. Paws With a Cause is directly comparable to CSDA in operating its own breeding program, using positive reinforcement, providing dogs at no cost to qualifying applicants, and serving individuals across multiple disability categories.
• K9s For Warriors: The largest nonprofit provider of service dogs to U.S. military veterans suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and military sexual trauma. K9s For Warriors is the closest direct peer to CSDA's Sentinel Dogs program—both provide free, professionally trained service dogs to veterans with PTSD using rescue dogs, with comparable missions and outcome-tracking focus.
• NEADS (National Education for Assistance Dog Services): Massachusetts-based nonprofit that trains service dogs for individuals with physical disabilities, hearing loss, and PTSD, including a veterans program. NEADS shares CSDA's ADI-accredited multi-program approach (veteran + civilian + community outreach) and provides a comparable East Coast benchmark for the model.
• Service Dogs Inc. Texas-based nonprofit that custom-trains service, hearing, and mobility assistance dogs for individuals with disabilities, free to recipients. Service Dogs Inc. is comparable to CSDA in mission scope (custom-trained task dogs, no cost to clients) and emphasizes minimum 3-task disability mitigation training, which aligns with CSDA's documented training milestones.
• America's VetDogs: National nonprofit that trains and places service dogs to veterans with disabilities, active-duty service members, and first responders, free of charge. Operated by Guide Dog Foundation and accredited by ADI, America's VetDogs is highly comparable to CSDA's Sentinel Dogs program and provides a benchmark for ADI-accredited veteran-focused peer operations.
• Canine Companions for Independence: The largest U.S. nonprofit provider of trained service dogs for individuals with physical, hearing, or cognitive disabilities, free to recipients. CCI operates its own breeding program (similar to CSDA's), uses positive reinforcement, and is ADI-accredited; it represents a scaled, established version of CSDA's multi-program nonprofit model.

Broad incumbents

• Guide Dogs for the Blind: Large, established West Coast nonprofit that trains guide dogs for individuals who are blind or visually impaired, free of charge. While specializing in guide dogs rather than the broader disability service dog scope, Guide Dogs for the Blind operates a comparable breeding program, ADI-accredited positive reinforcement methodology, and California presence, representing a broader-incumbent version of CSDA's service dog nonprofit model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/casvcdogacademy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about California Service Dog Academy