A Service Dog is
partnered with an adult or adolescent (age 16 and older) with a physical disability that
would not impede his/her ability to manage and care for the dog independently or with
minimum assistance. They usually have disabilities that affect mobility and strength.
A Skilled Companion Dog is partnered with a child (age 5 or
older) or an adult with physical or developmental disabilities. The partner’s young
age or the nature of the disability requires that a third party, called a Facilitator, be
responsible for caring for and managing the dog. The Facilitator can be a parent, spouse
or attendant and the Facilitator must attend Team Training with the graduate.
Skilled Companions help increase social interaction, build self-esteem and reduce stress.
Hearing Dogs are paired with partners who are deaf or have a
hearing loss. They alert their partners to important sounds such as a phone or alarm
ringing, a child crying, a knock at the door etc. by getting their partner’s
attention with a nudge and then going to the source of the sound.
Facility Dogs are partnered with professionals who work with
people with disabilities. Facility Dogs are active participants in helping patients or
clients achieve specific therapeutic goals such as speech development; building longer
endurance; overcoming fear etc.
NW CCI Graduations take place four times a year in February, May,
August and November. The dates and directions and information on how to apply for an
Assistance Dog can be found on the National website, www.cci.org.
