Service Dog Project Inc.

01/12/2026

New addition to Service Dog Project Inc.

01/12/2026

Peanut made a new friend today at Orvis in Kittery, ME. She loved the saddlebag it was modeling, but she was concerned about perpetuating the Dane=Horse stereotype 🤣. She was already on the receiving end of a horse comment while leaving Eddie Bauer next door!

01/11/2026

Walnut visited Boston on Friday for his first venture into the city. His first stop was at the TD Garden complex, where he visited the offices and entertainment spaces of Big Night Entertainment Group (Walnut’s foster dad works there). Walnut shed his vest so he could do some meet and greet with the staff. He also checked out the impressive Big Night Live music hall, and he dropped by their blood drive event to thank everyone for participating. Walnut then walked the city streets to the North End, Boston’s Little Italy, and picked up some yummy desserts at the legendary Modern Pastry Shop. He saw many historic sites, including the beautiful Paul Revere statue, but what intrigued him most were the pigeons almost walking right up to him with no fear. Walnut was a very good boy and just politely observed their behavior. Next up was the always bustling Haymarket, one of the oldest open air markets in the country. Walnut handled the crowds like a pro. It was a big day for the big boy, but he did an awesome job with all the new sights and sounds!

01/09/2026

Cashew, Galaxy, Peanut, and Piper met up at the Doubletree this week for a joint training session. The hotel was hosting a DECA high school student event, which brought many hundreds of young emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for a two-day academic competition. Walnut was able to train there the prior day when the event started. It was another great opportunity for our dogs to practice in real-world loud and crowded environments.

01/07/2026

Mickey and Berry had a little fun in the snow today.

01/05/2026

Miss Peanut had a busy Monday morning of training, visiting the headquarters of Stonewall Kitchen, which includes their company store, cafe, and production facilities. Peanut also practiced her skills at Hannaford Supermarkets, O'Reilly Auto Parts, and Kittery Trading Post. Her confidence has markedly improved over the last couple of months, as evidenced by both her demeanor and her relaxed tail. With improved confidence comes sharper focus, which also leads to better attention to pace, turns, and other handler needs. Peanut has a very curious sniffer, so “leave it” is one of the main things she will work on in upcoming training outings.

🐕 GONE TO THE DOGS MONTHLY FUNDRAISER 🐕
Mark your calendars! Join us every first Sunday of the month at 3:00 PM EST for our ongoing "Gone to the Dogs" fundraiser event.
📅 When: First Sunday of every month | 3:00 PM EST
🎯 Mission: Supporting life-changing Great Dane service dogs
https://www.servicedogproject.org/general-1

12/31/2025

Miss Berry shopped at traderjoes this morning for some yummy NYE snacks, then visited the Northshore Mall to further her experience working in crowded spaces. She spent half the time walking the mall, and the other half chilling out at a nice seating area in the center of the mall, where she did well achieving boredom. Some excitement right before she left the mall, when a seemingly docile Golden Retriever, on leash but with no service dog gear or signage, suddenly lunged at Berry with an aggressively vocal outburst and matching body language. The handler managed to control the dog, and Berry did really well in not responding, other than being slightly startled, as were many nearby shoppers.

🐕 GONE TO THE DOGS MONTHLY FUNDRAISER 🐕
Mark your calendars! Join us every first Sunday of the month at 3:00 PM EST for our ongoing "Gone to the Dogs" fundraiser event.
📅 When: First Sunday of every month | 3:00 PM EST
🎯 Mission: Supporting life-changing Great Dane service dogs
https://www.servicedogproject.org/general-1

12/28/2025

Walnut practiced backing into tight spaces this morning at Subway. This big boy is far too tall to stand under the table, so he worked on crawling backwards underneath the booth. Just prior to Christmas, Walnut stopped at the ice rinks and was alarmed to see the Grinch out on skates. His fears were unfounded, as Santa definitely had Walnut on the “nice” list, so Walnut got to enjoy lots of great treats on Christmas morning!

🐕 GONE TO THE DOGS MONTHLY FUNDRAISER 🐕
Mark your calendars! Join us every first Sunday of the month at 3:00 PM EST for our ongoing "Gone to the Dogs" fundraiser event.
📅 When: First Sunday of every month | 3:00 PM EST
🎯 Mission: Supporting life-changing Great Dane service dogs
https://www.servicedogproject.org/general-1

12/24/2025

Piper and Peanut wish everyone a Merry Christmas Eve from snowy Maine!

12/23/2025

“Cleanup on Aisle 3!” Walnut had a little slobber incident this morning at Stop & Shop 🤣. After a quick wipe, he didn’t miss a beat on his shopping mission. Walnut also experienced Costco on Christmas Eve “Eve.” The checkout line stretched all the way to the back of the store, and then even further! Fortunately, the line moved very quickly, but it was great exposure for Walnut to be immersed in the big crowd. He was definitely a rock star this morning, handling the chaos with maturity and poise.

12/23/2025

Service Dog Project participated in the Wells Maine Christmas Parade Sunday. This year the parade was held at Wells Harbor Park. Floats and characters dressed up along the park as cars filled with all ages passed through. Our Service Dogs in training Cashew, Peanut, Pecan and Cricket with their mascot Mickey turned many heads with their holiday attire.

12/21/2025