From the streets of India.
Into the homes of people who need them most.
Every HeartDogs dog is an Indie - selected for temperament, raised in a home, trained for a purpose.
Ádi with his mother and litter mates - still too young to leave.
We look for the ones with a temperament to work.
We look for puppies with the temperament and calm to support someone who needs them - curious, settled, and socially perceptive. Selection begins only after a puppy has had at least eight weeks with its mother.
Ádi in his new foster home - curious, settled, and at ease.
A home, not a kennel. From day one.
Each dog is placed with a foster-trainer in rural India, raised as part of the household from puppyhood. A dog raised in a home learns to read human behaviour, adapt to unpredictable routines, and stay calm in a variety of situations.
Padma and Ádi - a training session built on trust, not pressure.
Science-based. Force-free. No exceptions.
Every dog is trained using positive reinforcement - no punishment, no aversive tools, no shortcuts. The process takes 18 to 24 months because reliability is what matters. A dog that works with a person with a disability cannot afford to be inconsistent.
Kirsten assessing Ádi - the standard is the same for every dog.
The right dog. The right person. The right setting.
Matching is not just about skills - it is about fit. Each trained dog is carefully matched as an assistance dog for an individual with a disability, or a therapy dog for a hospital or care centre. We stay involved long after the dog goes home.