Perry transfers to his person in June.
help us get him there.
Most service dogs go home with their person. Perry is going to college. This fall, he'll walk into lecture halls, study late, and be the steady presence that helps a young woman with autism pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a veterinarian. He's spent the past 20 months training for it — learning not just cues, but to anticipate. To notice when someone is overwhelmed before they do. To be the one thing that doesn't change when everything else does. He's almost ready. Help him finish.
Perry’s Training Journey
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![Close-up of a black Labrador puppy with shiny eyes being held by a person wearing a pink leash and a red shirt.]()
8 weeks old
At 8 weeks old, Perry takes his first real step toward becoming a service dog — leaving his littermates behind to join his puppy raiser at home. The eight weeks before this were spent opening his eyes to the world around him: new sights, sounds, and smells, each one quietly building the foundation for everything ahead.
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![A woman with brown hair wearing a green jacket, white shirt, and jeans stands beside a black puppy wearing a red harness on a red platform outside near a concrete wall. She is holding a red leash and looking down at the puppy, smiling.]()
Puppy Class
Perry's first puppy classes at SDV's facility introduce him to the basics — walking on a leash, learning where he should be positioned next to his handler. The paw pad in this photo gives him a physical target to work toward, teaching him to stay close and in position. Small cues. The start of something much bigger.
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![A smiling woman with short blonde hair standing next to a black Labrador Retriever dog in a store aisle. The woman is dressed in black athletic wear and gray sneakers, holding a leash attached to the dog. The store aisle has shelves with various bakery and snack items, and a blue display with Little Debbie snacks.]()
Taking it to the streets
Perry takes his skills out of the facility and into the world alongside his puppy raiser. New places, new distractions, new challenges — and through all of it, Perry stays right where he's supposed to be. No paw pad needed.
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![A young woman sitting on the floor inside a wooden building, smiling and petting a black Labrador service dog wearing a red vest that says 'Service Dog of Virginia.' She is wearing a black T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers, with a wristwatch and bracelet. There are tables and chairs in the background, and another woman is visible near a window.]()
Advanced Training Begins
Perry leaves his puppy raiser and transitions to a nights and weekends volunteer home — a big change that mirrors the kind of change he'll eventually help his person navigate. His training advances with him. More complex cues, more difficult outings, environments that push him further than anything he's encountered before. He's ready for it.
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![A black Labrador retriever puppy with a purple harness sitting on a carousel ride with wooden horse figures in the background.]()
Out of the classroom, into the world
Perry takes his advanced skills out of the facility and into the field with his trainer. The Charlottesville Downtown Mall is the kind of place that tests everything — other dogs crossing his path, birds overhead, squirrels darting by, strangers moving in every direction. Advanced training isn't just about what Perry knows. It's about what he does when everything is telling him to forget it.
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![Display of athletic apparel featuring a navy blue Nike hoodie and matching pants on a mannequin, with posters of women in activewear behind and a Labrador retriever sitting at the base.]()
What's next: Transfer Camp
The moment Perry has been training for. Transfer camp brings Perry, his new person, and their trainer together for two weeks. She learns his cues, how to work with him in public, how to read him — all with their trainer alongside, teaching her everything she needs to know. Two weeks to build the partnership that will carry them both through college and beyond. Help Perry get there.
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![A woman sitting on a wooden bench outdoors, adjusting a purple collar on a black Labrador retriever wearing a red service vest. The setting appears to be a college campus or park with a brick building covered in ivy in the background and a church tower visible in the distance.]()
What Perry's worked for
After completing transfer camp, Perry will go home with his handler, where the two will spend time getting to know each other and preparing for the next big chapter. This fall, they'll begin their greatest adventure yet — college. Her goal: to graduate and become a veterinarian. His goal: to be her constant support every step of the way.
What perry will do:
Her partner on Campus
College is demanding for anyone. For a student on the autism spectrum, it can be overwhelming — new environments, crowded spaces, high-stakes pressure. Perry is trained for exactly this.
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When anxiety spikes — during exams, in crowded lecture halls, in overwhelming social situations — Perry is trained to interrupt the response before it escalates, giving her the grounding she needs to stay present.
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During sensory overload, Perry applies deep pressure — a proven calming technique — helping her regulate and recover so she can keep going. Late night study session or first day of class, Perry is there.
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College means meeting people — classmates, professors, study groups. For someone on the autism spectrum, starting those conversations can be the hardest part. Perry is a natural bridge. People approach him, ask about him, talk to her through him. He opens doors she might not have opened alone.
Help Perry finish his journey
Perry transfers in June. Every outing, every training session, every meal between now and then is one step closer. Choose your step below.