Service dogs have been a valuable help in providing not only help and guidance but also companionship to people with disabilities. Their skills range from guiding blind people through traffic to helping children with autism improve their social behavior, as well as assisting people with physical disabilities by picking up items and opening doors.
Naturally, these amazing and invaluable animals are not born with those skills. They have to be trained and raised to become a survival companion. The non-profit organization Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) has been providing assistance dogs to people with disabilities free of charge since 1975. Volunteers have been the driving force behind this goodwill operation that has grown into the largest provider of human service dogs in the world.
The CCI enlists volunteers to raise and train the carefully bred puppies for 15 months during which time the foundation for the intense future training of a service dog is laid by "providing a safe home, taking them to obedience classes, serving up a healthy diet, providing socialization opportunities and giving lots of love," as cited on the official CCI website. When the young dogs are returned to the CCI they are first screened for health or temperament problems. The following six month are divided into two semesters of training in one of the four service areas: hearing teams, service teams, skilled companion teams, and facility teams.
Anyone in need of a service dog can apply on the official website of the CCI www.cci.org or visit one of the five regional centers.
