I got involved with
Canine Companions for Independence through my mother, Mary Ann. She told me
that she was applying for a Hearing Dog through CCI and I wanted to know more
about what a service dog was. It took three months of research to find out that
being a Puppy Raiser was something I was interested in. I am always looking for
a way to help others. That’s been instilled in me since I was a child. After
going to Team Training with my mother in Santa Rosa and talking with a few
puppy raisers and instructors out there, I placed the application to be a puppy
raiser before we came back to Ohio.
About six months after
I graduated with my undergraduate degree, I got a call asking if I wanted to
raise my first puppy. I was so excited that I couldn’t sleep. I knew that the
work I did with the dog would not only change my life, but also his and whoever
he is matched with. When I picked up the little angel, I knew that this was
going to be a good thing. It’s been a journey so far.
I’m currently raising
Guru. He’s about 9 months old and soaking up the commands like a sponge. Every
day he surprises me with what he knows. When we train, he knows that it is time
to get serious. Like all pups, he has his ups and downs, but he overcomes any
obstacles in his way. I have no doubts that the next year will go by quick and
he will do anything he puts his mind to.
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