Canine Companions: Loving, Life-Changing Partners

In 1988, Yreka resident Bethany Elliott had a near-drowning accident which left her with cerebral palsy. To help her with daily tasks, she received a service dog in 2000 through a private trainer. Unfortunately, the service dog only lived five years. In 2013, Bethany was matched with Tamlyn through Canine Companions in Santa Rosa. “She was the best,” says Bethany. “Tamlyn was a hard worker. She knew how to tug off my socks! She loved kids. One day I went to get some lab work done. She started drooling and kept wanting me to take her leash and vest off so she could go comfort a kid who was crying.”

Canine Companion service dog, Tamlyn, made a profound difference in Bethany Elliot’s life, helping her to be more independent and providing much-needed comfort and security. Photo provided by Bethany Elliot.

Tamlyn passed away in 2022 and October 2023, Bethany was matched with Canine Companion dog Gemma. Bethany’s service dogs have greatly enriched her life and helped her to be more independent. Gemma now assists Bethany in her work as Children’s Program Coordinator at the Siskiyou County Library Yreka Branch. “Having service dogs makes life so much easier,” says Bethany.

Training Service Dogs

Service dogs are professionally trained to partner with people with disabilities, assisting them with daily tasks and increasing their independence. These dogs make a significant impact on the lives of their partners by performing tasks like pulling wheelchairs, picking up dropped items, pulling off socks and gloves, opening doors, alerting people who are hard of hearing, providing comforting pressure, mitigating symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and more.

Canine Companions is the premier service dog training organization in the U.S. Founded in Santa Rosa, California in 1975 by Jean and Charles Schulz (of Peanuts comics fame), the headquarters of this national organization is housed on the extensive, beautiful Jean and Charles Schulz Campus on Dutton Ave, and is the largest provider of service dogs in the U.S., serving all 50 states with training centers throughout the country.

Recipients of Canine Companion service dogs travel to a training center nearest them to stay on-site for two weeks while they are matched with a dog and learn to work with it. “We want to be sure that everyone gets the perfect match,” says Michelle Williams, senior manager of public relations and marketing at the Canine Companion headquarters in Santa Rosa. Clients are housed in completely accessible private rooms with beds for family members who may accompany them. Clients and their families make their own meals in the completely accessible kitchen.

Dogs learn the special needs of their partner and any special commands that their partner might need. “Most of our dogs (Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers and crosses of these two breeds) come from Canine Companions selective breeding program and are bred for their docile, calm nature, intelligence and ability to learn quickly,” says Michelle.

Recipients pay for their transportation to the training facility and food during their stay. But accommodation for recipients and their accompanying family members, the canine companion and all training is free of charge. Support comes from generous donors, both large and small, and volunteers.

Volunteers are the Heart of the Canine Companion Program

“It starts with our volunteer breeder/caretakers, mostly situated in Northern California,” says Michelle. “They take our pregnant female dogs into their homes and care for them, whelp the puppies and raise them until they are ready to be weaned at about eight weeks.”

Other volunteers then take the puppies into their homes to socialize them and do some basic training until the pups are a year and a half old, when they are returned to the campus to receive further training by professional certified service dog trainers who teach them 40-plus commands.

The Canine Gift of Comfort and Love

These loving and devoted dogs provide an even more important service to their partners. They lay across their partner’s lap or body, providing soothing tactile stimulation with pressure. A great example of this essential service is Canine Companion Kalvin, who provides deep pressure therapy to his young partner, Evan, who has cerebral palsy, autism and severe anxiety. “They sleep back-to-back, so Evan gets that pressure he needs to fall asleep and stay asleep,” Evan’s mother Amanda says. “Kalvin is a safe constant that helps Evan build self-confidence.”

“I love seeing the dogs reach their potential,” says Shannon Pavis, apprentice Canine Companion instructor. “Seeing how the dog impacts a person’s life is better than watching a Hallmark movie. Being a part of this is such an honor. Every time you make a match, you see the magic in all the beautiful things that happen: the dog being happy working and the person so grateful for the dog.”

September is National Service Dog Month. If you would like to help make available a much-needed service dog that could provide invaluable assistance and comfort to someone facing physical and emotional challenges, go to canine.org/donate-now.