Canine Companions for Independence is a nonprofit organization that enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partnerships.
Canine Companions for Independence is the oldest and largest assistance dog organization in the country. Since 1975 it has been the leader in the training and placement of assistance dogs with people with disabilities. Through the five regional training centers Canine Companions is able to serve people thoughout the entire United States. All of the services are provided to our clients free of charge.
Our Foundation
This life changing result begins with the Canine Companions breeding program. Using advanced technology, the breeding program meticulously selects and pairs dogs for breeding. Volunteer breeder caretakers provide homes for the breeder dogs and whelp the puppies, returning the puppies to national headquarters in Santa Rosa, California at age eight weeks.
Raising Puppies; Changing Lives
From there the puppies are placed with volunteer puppy raisers across the nation for socialization and obedience training. Between the ages of fifteen and eighteen months the puppies return to one of five Regional Training Centers across the country for six to nine months of training.
Some Angels Have Wings, Others Have TailsWe train four types of assistance dogs to master over 40 specialized commands: Service Dogs, Skilled Companions, Hearing Dogs and Facility Dogs. After completing training, the dogs are teamed with a graduate during an intensive two week training period, Team Training.
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