I’ve heard the Puppy Jake folks on the radio many times here. There are lots of expenses during the training...including some things that had never occurred to me.
One example: the dogs need to be able to go everywhere, so they have training “trips” where the dogs go on a plane, spend time in very large cities (like NYC), hotels, taxis, etc.
They basically have to experience as many things as possible during their training years before beginning their life as a service dog with their eventual owner/best friend.
I don’t know HOW the volunteer trainers do it...they spend a couple of years raising & training the dog from puppyhood until graduation. The dogs go everywhere with them; and then the doggie leaves for its permanent home. They know it going in of course, and say that it is very hard to let go. I’m not sure I could do it!
My cousin and his wife have been training service dogs for the blind (mostly). As you mentioned, it’s very involved and they spend a lot of time training the dogs, going to training and interacting with the local club, etc. I don’t believe they get paid for it - they are both retired and love dogs and are doing it to help others. It started a few years ago when the dog they had died and they got a service dog that didn’t make the cut. They currently have that dog, plus another dog they’re training and also took on a puppy for training right before Christmas.
I’m like you - I’d get too attached and wouldn’t be able to give them up. I’ve also thought being a foster parent, but I love kids, too and decided I just couldn’t give them up. One of my girlfriends had a couple of foster children, it was close to the time she could adopt them, then the mother supposedly turned herself around and got the kids. As luck would have it, she got a little girl and was able to adopt her - both have had a happy life (not without challenges like there are with almost any child), but it’s great to see the love and connection they have with each other; and the daughter has a much better life that she would have otherwise had.