Training Rescue Dogs as Service Dogs for Veterans

Hello from Salt Lake City!

As CWAC enters the fall season, we remain committed to providing a lifeline to veterans living with invisible wounds resulting from their military service. The need for psychiatric service dogs continues to grow, and with a growing waitlist of veterans seeking support, we’re dedicated to helping our current program veterans succeed. Here’s a look at what our veteran teams have been working on so far this year:

Tyler & Rex are working toward their Canine Good Citizen Urban (CGCU) certification, which helps prepare teams to navigate real-world environments safely and confidently. From sidewalks and public spaces to busy surroundings, Rex is learning to stay focused on Tyler no matter what’s happening around them.

Kevin & Pippen are getting close to passing their Canine Good Citizen (CGC) evaluation! This foundational achievement demonstrates a dog’s ability to behave appropriately around other dogs and people while responding reliably to their handler.

Dennis & Gus are getting along swimmingly! Gus received valuable pre-training through our Paw Squad Foster Program, giving Dennis a strong foundation to build upon. This early work is helping the two develop their partnership and prepare for the next stages of training.

Jared & Zoey are working on something that can be surprisingly challenging for many dogs: elevators. Zoey is learning to feel comfortable in this enclosed, unfamiliar environment so she can confidently accompany Jared wherever he needs to go.

Curtis & Aura joined Branden & Luna’s class, giving both young dogs an opportunity to practice ignoring one another. Adolescent dogs can find canine distractions especially challenging, but both teams are making great progress learning to stay focused on their handlers.

Asa & Lucia are taking advantage of the cooler fall weather to work on outdoor distractions. These real-world training opportunities help Lucia build the focus, calmness, and reliability she’ll need to support Asa throughout daily life.

Building a successful partnership takes time, patience, consistency, and countless hours of training. Every elevator ride, outdoor distraction, CGC exercise, and training session brings these teams closer to something much bigger: a psychiatric service dog partnership that can help a veteran navigate life with greater confidence, independence, and hope.

Yet while our current teams continue to make progress, many veterans are still waiting for their opportunity to begin this journey. The need for psychiatric service dogs remains significant, and your continued financial support helps CWAC provide the training, veterinary care, supplies, and professional guidance our current teams need while bringing hope to veterans still on our waitlist.

Thank you for standing with Canines With a Cause, believing in the power of these partnerships, and helping us give more veterans the opportunity to build a stronger, more independent future—one team at a time.

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