Mandy Mueller & FD Quiche

Pictured: Brittany and FD Quiche

“Canine Companions Facility Dogs are expertly trained dogs partnered with a facilitator working in a health care, visitation, or education setting.  The Facility Dogs are trustworthy in professional environments and can perform over 40 commands designed to motivate and inspire clients with special needs.  Facilitators are working professionals responsible for handling and caring for the Facility Dog.  Additionally, facilitators are committed to long-term employment where they directly serve clients with special needs a minimum of twenty hours per week."--Canine Companions for Independence Facility Dog Brochure

Quiche III is a sweet, beautiful Golden Retriever raised in the Northern Ohio Chapter.  Quiche graduated in May 2019 as a Facility Dog.  She is partnered with Brittany, a Speech-Language Pathologist, who serves preschool – 5^th grade students with communication delays.  Quiche provides unconditional love, attention, and motivation to help engage the students in therapeutic activities.  Quiche also serves as a motivator and “reward” for select children with behavior plans.

Facility Dog Wanda, raised by Northern Ohio Chapter Puppy Raiser Yolanda Gonzalez, and her facilitator, Ryan, work in Brittany’s school.  Brittany noticed the communication and language which naturally occurred between the students and Wanda. She also noted the calming effect Wanda had for students who were upset or stressed.  Brittany saw the potential for partnering with a Facility Dog to help her students strengthen their communication skills and “reset” emotionally.

The role of Facility Dog appears to be very well-suited to Quiche.  Quiche loves children and where better to see LOTS of children than in an elementary school?  She knows her commands well and can use them to contribute to the learning process.  Quiche loves to cuddle and share her affection with others.  There will be no shortage of students and staff ready to reciprocate!  Quiche is most comfortable in familiar settings and routines. Going to the same work environment each day will provide that desired level of comfort and familiarity.  Brittany is an experienced dog handler and will provide calm, confident leadership.   Life is good!

Quiche is the third dog we have raised as well as the third dog to graduate.  (Leif – PTSD Dog; Gannon – Service Dog; Quiche – Facility Dog).  I will be honest and share that my husband and I gave Quiche 50/50 odds, at best, to graduate.  Thankfully, we were wrong.  Tonya Halford, Quiche’s trainer, made those odds 100% and found the perfect match for her.

I have been asked how it feels to have all three dogs raised-to-date graduate.  Humbling.  I was blessed to be sent puppies which had the potential to be assistance dogs.  As puppy raisers well know, not all puppies are meant to be assistance dogs. While I do not want to diminish the impact of the puppy raiser, one does have to start with the right raw material.  Then, because we do not know the potential of the puppy, we must invest the time, resources, knowledge, skills, and continuous self-improvement as a puppy raiser to provide our puppies with the best possible potential to become assistance dogs.

 

My goal is to “raise the alphabet”.  If I turn one dog in per year, I should accomplish that goal by the time I am 80.  I hope my knees hold out!  I know I will have my share of challenging dogs and dogs which are released.  Maybe I will even be nominated for the Chasing Venus Award* someday. The best I can do is give it my all to help each puppy succeed, trust the professional trainers, and accept the outcomes as what is best for both the dogs and potential graduates.  It is a tremendous privilege and responsibility to be part of the process of bringing exceptional dogs and exceptional people together.  I am humbled indeed.

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*The Chasing Venus Award is given to a puppy raiser of a challenging puppy and celebrates the puppy raiser’s positive spirit, determination, and perseverance.