Training Rescue Dogs as Service Dogs for Veterans

Friday, November 11th is Veterans Day. This holiday started as a day to reflect upon the heroism of those who died in our country's service and was originally called Armistice Day. It fell on Nov. 11 because that is the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I. However, in 1954, the holiday was changed to "Veterans Day" in order to account for all veterans in all wars.

Heroes in the Canines With a Cause training program are celebrated and honored every day, both two and four legged. We understand the commitment it takes to train a service dog while dealing with battle related trauma. People who don't always want to leave their homes, deal with people or even sleep due to nightmares.

We also understand how difficult it can be for the dog, wanting to learn and help when it can sometimes be difficult. Knowing your person has anxiety and wanting to make them feel better.

The programs of Canines With a Cause focus on training both the veterans and the dogs, helping them create a bond, giving them the knowledge and experience to move through Post Traumatic Stress together and create healing.

We are also celebrating our new site in Coeur d'Alene, ID. This location will service Northern Idaho and Eastern Washington veterans. Rescued dogs will live and train in the Idaho Correctional Center-Orofino until they are ready for placement with their partners.

Thank you GlobalGiving donors for helping us expand and “Honor Our Heroes”. Every day should be Veterans Day!

It’s hard to believe the year is more than half way over! CWAC has been working hard to reach our yearly goals, and though not without its challenges, we have seen many positive changes and additions to the organization in the past few months.

CWAC has recently brought on two new team members, an Events and Growth Coordinator as well as our very own Brand and Communications Manager. These new team members have already proven to be assets to our organization as we navigate the challenges of getting back into the public in a bigger way. This includes attending fundraisers, hosting events for our volunteers and clients, and partnering with local organizations and businesses.

We have always prided ourselves on being a welcoming space for veterans from all walks of life and there is truly something special about the camaraderie between fellow veterans who are seemingly very different. Our new Events Coordinator has risen to the call of making CWAC more than just about training dogs, but about fellowship and belonging. Under his direction, CWAC has begun monthly group dog walks, where past, present, and future clients can all come together as one. He is working on expanding this fellowship by creating similar events in the future.

In addition to these two new team members, we have made tremendous progress in strengthening our foster program, with an updated handbook now in place for onboarding volunteer fosters. We are hoping to have the program up and running by the end of this year, one of our 2022 goals. We have also secured a boarding location for incoming dogs, our other goal for this year.

The yearly conference with the Association of Service Dog providers for Military Veterans is being held next week in Texas. Three of our team members will be joining the conference. This continuing education conference ensures that we stay up-to-date on best practices and how we might best help our clients--including laws, policies, and procedures for training and service dogs in the public. Our team will be discussing and seeking ways to implement what we have gathered from the conference. 

As always, a huge thank you to all of our donors who have made this year possible!

Links:

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