Your Generosity, Multiplied. Their Possibilities, Unlimited.
Your Colorado Gives Day gift can go further than ever to transform lives—thanks to THREE incredible opportunities to multiply your impact!
Hearing Dogs in Training:
Fortune, Flapjack, & ForestThanks to the heartfelt commitment of a dedicated Paragon supporter, every dollar you give to Paragon for Colorado Gives Day will be matched, dollar for dollar, up to $25,000! That means your $50 gift becomes $100, your $250 becomes $500, and together, we can create even greater opportunities for life-changing service dog partnerships that empower individuals with disabilities to reclaim their independence, confidence, and dignity and create a more inclusive future.
"By having Enzo alert me to sounds, I can FULLY enjoy some things that had previously been diminished by my hearing loss." – Jan.
Here's even more good news! The match applies retroactively to all Colorado Gives Day gifts received beginning November 1. So, if you've already given, your gift is already helping create even more possibilities!
And the impact doesn't stop there!
Hearing Dog in Training IndyWANT TO CHANGE LIVES TOGETHER? Supporting service dogs in training, like Indy, with a Colorado Gives Day gift also helps Paragon earn a share of the $1 Million+ Incentive Fund, stretching the power of your gift even further and helping create and support more life-changing service dog partnerships at no cost to clients.
WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE ALL YEAR LONG? Start a new recurring monthly donation and unlock another opportunity to increase your giving power! Colorado Gives will match the first monthly installment of new eligible monthly gifts, dollar for dollar, up to $100 per donor, while matching funds remain available—and your ongoing monthly support will continue opening doors to greater independence, confidence, and connection throughout the year!
That's TWO additional boosts to your gift, separate from Paragon's $25,000 supporter-funded match!
One Gift. Greater Giving Power. Transformational Impact.
"Shandy is my constant companion 24/7. I am never alone. I am no longer lonely. That in itself has been a confidence boost." - Perry
Because of you, more individuals with disabilities can experience the possibility of a life transformed, a barrier overcome, and a future filled with greater independence and connection.
This Colorado Gives Day, your support is even more powerful—it multiplies what's possible.
Your Support Matters!
Courtney & Hearing Dog Caro
Because Paragon's service dogs are raised, trained, matched, placed, and supported free of charge, we rely on your support to make our mission possible. Your gift can bring transformational benefits in a million ways to someone like Courtney. After losing her hearing in seventh grade, Courtney slowly became overwhelmed by anxiety, unsure of how to reconnect with the world around her. Being alone felt impossible, yet her hearing loss left her feeling isolated from those around her. Then Caro, a dog raised in our PAWS’Abilities program, changed everything.
After being matched with Caro, Courtney’s life began to fill with a joy she once thought was out of reach. With every sound he alerted her to, Caro provided a sense of security, comfort, and connection, helping Courtney navigate the world with newfound confidence.
"One thing I can do now that I never felt comfortable with before is be on my own in a hotel room and trust that he will alert me to housekeeping or room service knocks. Caro alerts me to every single door knock, and for the first time in my life I felt comfortable having room service delivered all on my own. He alerted me perfectly every time. I had tears of joy from such a small but momentous moment. The comfort I have from being able to trust that he will notify me is the biggest blessing and has reduced so much stress and anxiety."
The Need is Undeniable.
Service dogs not only help individuals with specific tasks related to their disabilities but also offer broader benefits. Yet, research indicates that less than one percent of those who can benefit—one in four adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control—are teamed with a service dog. In response, Paragon leverages nearly 48 years of experience to cultivate and support transformative service dog partnerships nationwide.
The investment to raise, train, match, place, and support a service dog can exceed $20,000. Despite the cost, we are committed to offering our service dogs to those in need at no charge—believing that no one should be denied the life-changing support of a service dog because of financial barriers.
The mission of Paragon Service Dogs is to empower individuals with disabilities through the purposeful training of specially selected pups, the meticulous pairing of dog and handler, and the unwavering support of the dog/handler team for the lifetime of the match.
The training of dogs to assist the d/Deaf and hard of hearing did not exist until the early 1970s. The first hearing service dogs were trained in Minnesota by a founding member of Paragon Service Dogs following a request from a hard of hearing woman whose dog, which had naturally alerted her to sounds, passed away. In 1974, the founders embarked on a pilot study in Colorado. After four years of collaborations with the d/Deaf community, testing different dog breeds, and developing a sound training method, the study results demonstrated that dogs were a viable choice to assist people who were d/Deaf or hard of hearing. Thus, Hearing Dog, Inc. was formed in 1978; however, its name soon changed to International Hearing Dog, Inc. (IHDI) to include its work in Canada. In 2024, IHDI transitioned its name to Paragon Service Dogs (Paragon). Doing so reflects our aspirations to set the highest standard in providing specialized service and facility dogs and amplify our mission by expanding services to cater to a broader spectrum of individuals in need.
Paragon persists in creating resilient service dog teams and has successfully partnered, at no cost to our clients, over 1,400 hearing service dog teams.
In keeping with its pioneering roots, Paragon has been a mentor and model for similar programs in Norway, Japan, and Australia. In 2023, Paragon achieved Assistance Dogs International Accredited Membership status, recognizing our strong commitment to upholding the highest professional standards of excellence within the Assistance Dogs Industry.
Today, Paragon operates as a premium service dog agency offering services beyond raising, training, and placement, including follow-up support, public education, outreach, and volunteer programs. Such programs are vital to increasing awareness of the role of hearing service and facility dogs and fostering greater inclusivity and accessibility in society.
Organization name
Paragon Service Dogs
other names
Interanational Hearing Dog, IHDI, Hearing Dog, Inc.
1978
Tax id (EIN)
84-0779444
Category
Human Services, Animal-Related
Organization Size
Large Organization
Address
14737 County Road 3US