About CCI

We got our puppy through Canine Companions for Independence, an organization that has been training service dogs since 1975. In that time, CCI has placed over three thousand dogs, including 200 in 2007 alone. CCI trains five types of dogs:

1) Service Dogs. These dogs open doors, turn on lights, and perform other tasks to help adults with disabilities live independently.

2) Hearing Dogs. These dogs are trained to recognize certain sounds and alert their deaf or hard-of-hearing masters.

3) Skilled Companion Dogs. These dogs are placed with children and adults. They are trained to pick up dropped objects, open doors, and perform other tasks for people of limited mobility.

4) Facility Dogs. These dogs are placed with professionals who work in settings such as hospitals, rehabilitation clinics, and schools.

5) Breeders. These dogs are specifically chosen for their temperment and ability to learn. They live with volunteers as pets and create the next generation of CCI puppies.

The only type of service dog CCI does not raise is guide dogs for the blind.

All CCI dogs are Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, or a cross of the two. Puppies spend about two months with their mothers, before being sent to volunteer puppy raisers. That's where we come in. Puppies like our Kaya will spend about a year with us, learning basic skills and manners. They then go to "Puppy College" and spend six to nine months learning more advanced skills. The fully-trained dogs are then placed with disabled persons.

For more information, visit CCI's website.

cheers,

-KB

Welcome!

Hey all,

This blog was created to raise awareness and facilitate communication between members of the McDaniel Canine Companions for Independence Puppy Club. If you've been coming to our meetings at PA 127, you know that we have a pretty large, diverse body of members, a few of whom live in our Pennsylvania Avenue Puppy House. This year, we've been blessed with an adorable puppy, Kaya II. With your help, we hope to raise Kaya into a happy, polite dog who can then be trained as a CCI Service Dog for the disabled.

I'm Kristen Brennan. In addition to being your webmistress, I'm a sophomore biology major living in DMC. Any questions about Kaya or the puppy club can be posted here, and I'll try to get an answer for you. You can also ask our lovely club president, Abigail Vickers, a veteran CCI puppy raiser who lives in PA 127.

Thanks!
-KB