When I was ten years old, my family volunteered and raised a Labrador puppy to become a service dog with Canine Companions.
“The feeling of losing someone is the worst, especially when you know that they are still there and you know you cannot see them. That was a horrible burden I had to hold… I knew Lucy would do great, and she would always remember me. I knew in my heart that this whole experience was a charity to the world and that I did something good. Lucy was a special dog, and I knew that I had raised a miracle.”
- Excerpt from one of my eighth grade essays
Despite it being a bit sappy and overly-sentimental, the quote above is something that still rings true today. Growing up and training a puppy only to give them up a year and a half later was a difficult heartbreak to go through, but even when I was younger I understood the great difference Lucy would make as she would be later assigned to someone in need.
WHAT IS CANINE COMPANIONS?
Canine Companions, formerly known as Canine Companions for Independence (CCI), is a non-profit organization that provides service animals for adults, children, and veterans with disabilities. Since its creation in 1975, they have provided service animals and additional follow-up services at no charge to those they help to serve.
One common way for people to get involved with the non-profit is to become a volunteer puppy raiser. Volunteers must be able to commit to raising a puppy for a year and a half, after which they will enter a six-month specialized training program where they will then test out to become service animals for disabled individuals.
In 2010, my mom volunteered for the program. My family happened to live in the town over from one of the six training centers Canine Companions has across the United States.
After submitting an application and interviewing for the important responsibility, we were given an 8 week old Labrador puppy named Lucy IV that was ours to raise and train for a year and a half.
As a volunteer puppy raiser, you become responsible for
Teaching your puppy basic and advanced commands as outlined by Canine Companions
Potty training
Sticking to the Canine Companions approved diet
Attending monthly training sessions with other puppies and puppy raisers within your program
Submitting monthly reports
The expenses of food, a kennel, and all veterinary expenses
MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
While my mom was officially Lucy’s puppy raiser, I was just as immersed in the process of raising and training Lucy to be a service animal.
I helped teach her basic commands like “Sit,” “Down,” and “Speak,”, but I also trained her in more advanced commands like “Heal,” “Under,” and “Lap,” all of which are commands that situate dogs in a favorable position to help someone who is disabled.
And as an only child, she was a great comfort to have around.
In addition to training at home, I would accompany my mom to the monthly training sessions where Lucy would get to interact with the other puppies in her program.
It was easy to forget that in a short year and a half, the puppy I grew to raise would go off to do amazing service animal duties and that I would never see her again.
On the day of Lucy’s graduation, I vividly remember hugging her in front of my school gym and feeling sad, yet introspective.
I knew that I had a helping hand in the raising of an animal who would provide great service for an individual in need.
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