Canine Companions for Independence, CCI, is a national non-profit organization that breeds, raises and trains assistance dogs for people with disabilities other than blindness.
Puppies Bred to Help the Disabled
Dogs undergo 6 months of advanced training at CCI. They are taught to perform tasks such as retrieving fallen objects, turning on lights and opening doors.
Puppies Bred to Help the Disabled
CCI trains labradors, golden retrievers and mixes of the two breeds. According to CCI, the labradors are chosen for their work ethic and the golden retrievers, for their compassion.
Puppies Bred to Help the Disabled
CCI puppies are specially bred with 30 years of genetic history. The dogs are born in California, but are raised by volunteer caretakers across the nation.
Puppies Bred to Help the Disabled
The puppies spend the first 14 to 16 months of their life with a caretaker. Then, they return to CCI to receive advanced training.
Puppies Bred to Help the Disabled
The caretakers know that they will be required to give up their dogs so that they can receive training to assist the disabled.
Puppies Bred to Help the Disabled
At the end of training, the dogs are matched carefully with their new owner. Only 40 to 45 percent of the dogs pass CCI's intensive training.
Puppies Bred to Help the Disabled
CCI holds an annual graduation ceremony for dogs that have been successfully matched.
Puppies Bred to Help the Disabled
At the graduation, the dogs are handed over to their new owners by the puppy caretakers.
Puppies Bred to Help the Disabled
The process of placing each dog costs CCI approximately $50,000. CCI gives the dogs to their new owners for free.
Puppies Bred to Help the Disabled
The service life of the dogs is approximately 8 to 10 years.