Canine Companions for Independence (CCI)

Logan is my service dog. I got him through CCI in August 2011. He had just turned two. He has become an invaluable part of our family. People ask what he does for me. Well, he can pick up keys that I drop or other similar tricks, but the real thing that he does is just be there for me. He is a good companion, always there for me with unconditional love.

Several months ago I registered him as a therapy dog at the local community hospital where I volunteer each week. I bring him there in the morning and we spend an hour or so visiting patients. It is amazing how much he can cheer someone up. 

People say he looks like he's sad, but that is just how he looks. His tail could be doing its helicopter twirl when they're saying this. His tail shows his emotional state. If it's in motion, he's happy! it is in motion most of the time.

This is how it worked to get him:

From initial contact to getting him, it took about 1 1/2 years. Well worth the wait. First we had to apply for an application, then we had a phone interview with them. Then we were invited to the Oceanside campus for a full day in-person interview. Once these steps were done, we had to wait until a dog that matched my personality was available. Nancy and I went to their campus and the first three days were spent meeting all the dogs while the counselors took notes. They had a pretty good idea of which dog would work best with me. As it turned out, both Logan and his brother Levon were matched with me. After the third day, Logan was chosen as my dog. Levon ended up not being placed and ended up as someone's pet. 

We spent two weeks learning the forty or so commands that Logan already knew. By the end of the two weeks we had started bonding. We met the puppy raiser family on graduation day. They were truly wonderful. Their son had done most of the training. He was only eight when they got Logan, so eighteen months later when he had to give him up, the boy was broken up about it and didn't even come to graduation. Logan was born Loggins, but the family changed his name to Logan. I was introduced to him as Loggins, but quickly changed it to Logan, coincidentally. That IS his name.

If you want to contact CCI, their number is Toll free: 1-800-572-BARK (2275). Their website is cci.org.