Dogs are amazing creatures.  Their capacity to heal hurting souls is unfathomable.  We are blessed to be part of that process.

 

Captain’s Canines mission statement is to enhance the quality of life for veterans, first responders, and their families by providing custom trained service dogs at no cost.

 

We truly believe in our mission statement.  Anyone who has sacrificed to protect our country, and was injured (mentally and/or physically) is gratefully appreciated by every one of us.  By using our strengths, we come together to make magic happen.  We have truly experienced miracles!

 

While we started with a small group of veterans, trainers, and dogs, our group has grown.  Most of the people that receive our dogs wish to help others experience the improvement that occurs in their life by the addition of a service dog.  Other people have joined in to help us help others.  The number of lives enhanced by the members of our organization and our dogs continues to expand.  Our story is not finished.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Process

Our dogs come from many sources:  retired racing greyhounds, mixed breeds from the humane society, purebreds from breed rescues, and others.  All of these dogs undergo extensive testing (temperament, aggression, cognitive, and health).  Once they have passed the initial assessment, they begin their training.  All dogs are taught basic obedience as well as “house” training (components to pass the AKC Canine Good Citizen certification).  They also learn basic mobility and PTSD tasks.

 

Once they have earned their CGC, they are eligible for placement with a person in need.  We believe in having the dog choose their person.  Once the veteran/first responder has passed their assessments, they have a meet-and-greet.  They spend time with all of the eligible dogs one-on-one, then we let them lose!  Through careful observation, we can generally see one dog that will gravitate back to that person repeatedly.  Sometimes it might take several visits - patience is key.  The bond will be stronger and deeper when the dog has a stake in the partnership.

 

After the dog and handler pair up, the veteran/first responder starts their training to be able to handle their dog in all situations (home, in public, tasking, etc.).  Meanwhile, we provide the dog with any additional training needed by their new handler.

 

In the beginning, the dog stays with the trainer and the veteran/first responder will attend classes and spend time bonding with the dog.  The early classes involve many new pairs of dogs/handlers, as well as veteran dog/handler pairs.  These experienced pairs make the newbies feel more comfortable - especially since they have been in the early training phase as well.  

 

As the pairs progress, one-on-one training occurs.  The focus shifts to specific places that the dog will be (home, work, hobbies, vacations, etc).  When the pair is cohesive, they start incorporating “field trips” where they do things without the presence of the trainer.  After a field trip, any remaining challenges are addressed until the pair are comfortable together on their own.  Eventually, the dog will have some “overnight” visits and their primary home will shift to the veteran/first responder.  Training continues until the pair successfully complete the AKC Canine Good Citizen - Urban test (Public Access Test).

 

Additional/remedial training is always available and yearly recertification with Captain’s Canines is required.

​