Raising a puppy is a tough job. From the normal tasks of teaching it to not chew the furniture and not eat anything it’s not supposed to, to teaching basic commands. But in the end, “sit”,”stay”, and “roll over” are usually sufficient enough.
Gilbertsville resident Brian Ludy does just that, except, those dogs go on to be a part of families across the United States to help children and adults with disabilities.
After discovering Canine Companions for Independence, CCI, the largest non-profit organization dedicated to pairing assistance dogs to those in need, Ludy went through a series of lengthy steps to determine if he was a right fit to become an official Puppy Raiser.
The guidelines to become a puppy raiser for CCI are designed to provide the most efficient environment to raise and train a puppy from 8 weeks old to between 15 – 18 months old. Since CCI is a non-profit organization, the financial costs for the dog come from the raisers and donors. Food, medical costs, transportation and toys are just some examples the Puppy Raiser is responsible for. The puppy must be taught basic manners and commands and the raiser must submit monthly reports as well as attending CCI approved obedience classes to show how to properly raise these special dogs. The dog must also be socialized, such as taking it to regular outings like stores, restaurants, and public events. And one of the most important steps to becoming a raiser is be aware that these dogs are not your pets, and they will be given back to CCI at the end of the training period.
Based on the guidelines, Ludy fit the qualifications and was given a training manual and his first dog, Kirk III. Kirk, as well as all the dogs from CCI, comes from a breeder in California who cares for the puppies before sending them out to be trained by the Puppy Raisers all across the country. All of the dogs are Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers or a cross between the two.
After the initial training, the dogs then go to a regional facility to undergo more intensive training for six to nine months. CCI trains four specialized types of dogs including service, hearing, facility and skilled companions. At the regional headquarters, the dogs are evaluated to determine their strengths. From here, a candidate on the wait list is invited to come to the headquarters for an intensive two week training session. Once all the training is complete, the dogs and trainers partake in a graduation ceremony where the trainers hand the dogs over to their new owners. CCI holds very high expectations for their dogs; only 4 out of 10 dogs actually will make it through to graduation. And after graduation, the dogs must be recertified yearly. Kirk III is now with Stephanie Cibello, who suffers from hip dysplasia and had a series of mini strokes at a young age, and uses the assistance of a wheelchair.
Ludy’s second dog, Indy III, went on to become the first facility dog to work in a New England government agency. His current handler, Kara Hayes, takes Indy to work every day in the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office where he serves as a source of comfort for people in emotional distress. Ludy said that Indy was “an old soul”, so this job is perfect for his type of personality and he couldn’t be more proud.
Ludy is currently on his third dog, Lebeck. A typical day for the two can vary day-to-day to include the training of basic commands, traveling around to local sporting events, and being an advocate for the organization. Ludy said, “the public is generally aware that the dogs are working when they see us around. Most of the time if a child sees a dog they want to pet it, but the parents will explain that the dog is working and then they understand.” He joked, “I have a lot of people come up to me to talk about their dogs.”
All three of Ludy’s service dogs have been sponsored by Dr. Deborah Pratt, owner of Patt Veterinary Hospital in Gilbertsville who currently sees Lebeck for his check-ups and vaccinations.
Although being a Puppy Raiser is a very rewarding experience, Ludy said it is also very important to “maintain a commitment to the dog and also the organization.” Not everyone is excited about dogs and Ludy says that you always have to gage the situation, if someone is visibly upset about the dog, you have to be aware, maybe they’ve had a bad experience, so you have to either try to explain what the dog does or remove yourself and the dog.
Of course, letting go is always an emotional time for each Puppy Raiser. However, Ludy says that although it is a very sad time, it is also a very extraordinary “to see what the dogs can do not only physically, but emotionally for these people. It really does open up their world.” The people that sign up for service dogs are beyond grateful for these dogs. For example a child with disabilities who may be shy in social situations now has a source of comfort and the dog becomes a conversation starter.
For more information on Canine Companions for Independence, visit <http://cci.org>. CCI is in need of items. For more information about donating this Christmas, visit <http://www.cci.org/site/c.cdKGIRNqEmG/b.8511355/k.5552/North_Central_Region_Wish_List.htm>.
Visit Lebeck’s personal Facebook page! <https://www.facebook.com/ccilebeck?ref=hl>. Local services have been donated by Patt Veterinary Hospital <http://pattvet.com>.
Ludy and Lebeck still have until May 2015 to work on fine-tuning the commands, as sometimes being a puppy is just more fun than working.
