Canine Companions for Independence

Jun 29, 2009

“CCI Salutes Independence” – Open House for Veterans, Families, And Friends

Al , , , Service Dogs

Put this one on your calendar if you’re gonna be anywhere in Southern California on Saturday, July 11th. In fact, this event is so great, you might want to plan on making a special trip to SoCal for it, especially if you’re a veteran considering getting an assistance dog.

The Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) Southwest Regional Center in Oceanside, CA is hosting their second annual “CCI Salutes Independence” event, an open house for active duty military members, veterans, their families, and friends, from 11AM to 3PM on that date:… Read More

Jun 8, 2009

Canine Companions For Independence Benefactor Dean Koontz Interviewed

Al , Service Dogs

I think most people know that Dean Koontz is one of Canine Companions for Independence’s biggest supporters – if not the biggest.  He’s donated millions to CCI (last number I saw was $5.5 million); the Southwest Region campus in Oceanside, CA, is named after him, his wife Gerda, and their now-departed former CCI dog, Trixie; and the Koontzes have made CCI the primary beneficiary of their estate.

Dean Koontz, at home in Newport Beach, Calif., with his dog, Anna.
Dean Koontz, at home with his CCI release dog, Anna.

Brand new interview in today’s USA Today that’s definitely worth the read and … Read More

Jun 3, 2009

Inspiring Story of How One Service Dog Family Deals With Muscular Dystrophy

Al , , , Service Dogs

This is a very tough story to read – at least it was for me – but it will give you an idea of some of the really difficult things that people with service dogs and their families deal with every day.

In this case, it happens to be a Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) graduate team – Heidi Miller, her son Mitch Ball, and their Skilled Companion Dog, Lynelle – who live in Citrus Heights, CA near Sacramento. Mitch is 24, has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) with almost no … Read More

May 24, 2009

CCI Places First Facility Dog At A Major Wounded Warrior Medical Care Center

Al , , , , , Service Dogs

I attended the Canine Companions for Independence Southwest Regional Center (SWR) graduation in Oceanside, CA last Saturday, and one of the graduating teams was a Facility Dog, Tommy III, along with therapists from the Naval Medical Center San Diego, Comprehensive Combat and Complex Casualty Care, better known as C5.

NMCSD C5 therapists April Walter, Jacque Moore, and Kristin Valent; Facility Dog Tommy III and his proud Puppy Raisers from Denver, Vanessa and Kevin O'Grady. Photo courtesy Carol-Ann DeMaio Goheen.
L to R: NMCSD C5 therapists April Walter, Jacque Moore, and Kristin Valent; Facility Dog Tommy III; and his proud Puppy Raisers from Denver, Vanessa and Kevin O’Grady. Photo courtesy Carol-Ann DeMaio Goheen.

This is a huge placement and a major … Read More

May 4, 2009

CCI Graduate Cole Massie Can Now Add “Surfer” To His List of Achievements

Al , , Service Dogs

Cole Massie and his tremendous assistance dog Ilia are pretty famous.  They have their own PSA you may have seen on TV and a YouTube video that I’ve often said should be the recruiting video for CCI.  Show that video to a group of potential volunteers, check to see who’s crying when it’s over and keep them, tell the ones who aren’t crying “thanks for coming” and send them on their way.  :-)

Cole and Ilia have a blog where they describe their adventures, and the latest ones include surfing – … Read More

May 1, 2009

Places You Should Know: Assistance Dogs International (ADI) Accredited Members

Al , , , , Service Dogs

It’s no big secret that I’m actively involved as a volunteer with Canine Companions for Independence, but, as I’ve said, they aren’t the only game in town, and I think this is a good time to start writing about some of the other great service dog organizations that I’m aware of.  I will likely intersperse these “Places You Should Know” posts with others on different subjects or I could just do them all in a row – don’t know yet.

Lotta reasons to do that, but the main one … Read More

Apr 27, 2009

If You Want More Service Dogs For Veterans, First You Have To Get More Veterans Who Want Service Dogs

Al , , , Service Dogs

“I didn’t think I needed an assistance dog. Then I saw them in action, helping other people with disabilities… Having a CCI assistance dog has really changed my life.” - Jeffrey Adams

Most of the discussion I see about getting service dogs for disabled veterans is completely backwards – people keep talking about getting more service dogs when what we need to be talking about is getting more disabled veterans who want service dogs.

The simple fact is not enough disabled veterans, especially OEF/OIF vets, are asking for service dogs … Read More

Apr 25, 2009

Great Video of CCI Dogs In Action at the Sacramento Airport Yesterday

Al , Service Dogs

I already told you about the CCI graduate team of Wallis Brozman and Caspin (“One Of The Most Touching Service Dog Stories I’ve Ever Read”) – now they along with some of the great Sacramento-area puppy raisers and their dogs in training are in a fantastic two-minute news video just filmed yesterday at the Sacramento airport .

There are some of the usual news media inaccuracies in the story you need to be aware of (e.g., they aren’t “guide dogs”, they misspelled Wallis’ last name, it costs a … Read More

Apr 21, 2009

Recent CCI Graduate Passes Away

Al , Service Dogs

There’s a very nice – albeit also very sad – story in the Vail paper today about Mylissa Eckdahl, a recent Canine Companions for Independence graduate who passed away last week. Mylissa was only 43 and had only just graduated with her service dog Santana from the CCI Southwest Regional Center in Oceanside, CA in August 2008.

I happened to be out in Oceanside for the graduation that week, but I can’t say I really knew Mylissa other than briefly saying hello. That’s definitely my loss, and reading the article … Read More

Apr 16, 2009

One Of The Most Touching Service Dog Stories I’ve Ever Read

Al , Service Dogs

I read hundreds, if not thousands, of blog posts, Twitter tweets, and news stories daily, and, frankly, I see the term “service dog” tossed around pretty loosely (no surprise to you if you’ve read this blog at all).

I started to write a buncha caveats to clarify what I’m about to say, but decided not to.  I’ll just say this – read this story written by Wallis Brozman and then see how your idea of what a service dog is and what it does racks up against it.

Oh, yeah… … Read More

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