30 Jun 2025 Pet of the Month: Saving Grace Service Dogs

By Lori Dunn

The idea to start Saving Grace Service Dogs came naturally to Jacksonville couple Greg and Nancy Sporer when they married three years ago.

As former director of Veteran’s Best Friend, an organization that provided veterans with service dogs, Greg knew how beneficial animals could be to people. Nancy had trained her daughter’s therapy dog, Riley. Both had witnessed the impact a service dog could have on someone’s life. He also had 38 years of experience in the mental health field. 

“He’s a therapist, and I’m a teacher. We use our skill sets to work with people and their service dogs,” Nancy said. “We have a wide variety of clients, from those who need service dogs for mental health, to those with traumatic brain injuries. Our clients are truly individualized. We work one on one with clients and their dogs. It’s very rewarding. Service dogs allow people to live again.”

The name Saving Grace comes from her daughter, Emma Grace Wheeler, who was diagnosed with Lyme disease in her early teens and needed a lot of assistance. “She was bedridden or in a wheelchair for quite a while. She was in pain 24/7,” Nancy said. Emma’s pet dog also passed away during that time. While considering another dog for her daughter, Nancy thought a service dog could be the perfect solution — a pet, but also an animal that could be with her all the time and provide both physical and emotional support.

However, the typical waiting list for a service dog that is already trained is about two years. She decided to train a dog herself. The pair adopted a retriever mix from a shelter and named him Riley. Then, Nancy began her education on training Riley through watching educational videos. The dog was a natural and the perfect companion for Emma. He was able to go with her to doctor’s appointments and even restaurants.

People usually get Lyme disease from a tick bite. Symptoms include extreme tiredness, stiffness and pain. Emma would sometimes faint with little warning. Nobody could be with her 24/7, but Riley could. “If she started to faint, he would get under her, then come get me. He could provide stability when she was unsteady. The heat and weight of him helped with her pain,” Nancy said. Emma is now 24 and recently earned her nursing degree. She will be starting her career at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. “Riley is retired and now living his best life,” Nancy said.

When she and Greg met, it just seemed natural for them to both keep working with dogs. They started Saving Grace in March 2023. “We wanted to work with service dogs but move on beyond veterans to work with people who have autism and other disabilities,” he said.

They prefer that clients use their own dogs because they have already bonded. Saving Grace does free assessments of their prospective clients’ dogs. A dog does need to meet certain requirements to be a service dog. If the dog is not suited for service, they work with the client to find the right rescue dog or puppy for training. Many service dog breeds include golden retrievers, German shepherds, Labrador retrievers or boxers. But any dog can qualify if it has the right temperament and qualities. The client also learns to train their own service dog. 

“There is a shortage of service dog trainers in Arkansas so we knew we wanted to start a school for trainers,” Greg said. The national average for service dogs is ^$15,000-^$25,000 and Saving Grace charges less than half that amount, depending on service dog tasks and individual needs, he said. “We are affordable compared to the national average. There are a dozen banks that provide service dog loans, and family members or friends can donate to lower the loan payment.”

There is an eight-week introductory program for the client to decide if they want to do the one-year training program. “We have never had anyone decide not to do it,” Nancy said. 

During the one-year training, clients and their dogs complete classes including canine good citizenship, public access training and specific tasks training. Some of the training takes place in parks and restaurants, or other locations the dog might visit. Generally, Greg and Nancy meet weekly with the client and also offer video calls if needed.

The training is intended to teach the trainer skills that will last a lifetime. Most service dogs are retired by the time they are 8 or 9 years old so it is understood that anyone who needs a service dog may be partnered with several in their lifetime.

After completing the training, the client receives a certificate from Saving Grace, and their total hours are logged so there is a record of the training. Saving Grace accepts clients from all over Arkansas and bordering states if the person is willing to travel.

“If it’s long distance, we can meet in person a couple of times and then do video calls or Zoom or whatever works best for them. We want to work wherever there is a need,” Nancy said.

To contact Saving Grace Service Dogs or for more information, call 501.941.6361, email sgservicedogs@gmail.com or visit sgservicedogs.com.