Getting to Know Our Facility Dogs

Hi Kmbr – Thank you for your comment. The official term for Leica and Drummer is “facility dog” and we have updated the blog post to use that term exclusively. They are not therapy dogs. Although these dogs are not working with a persons with a disability, they received the same training that the other service dogs from their facility (Canine Assistants) received, and have been trained for specific tasks. The dogs were individually paired with their handlers and each handler received training with their individual dog. They each received a certification as a service dog which allows us to utilize the dogs in a higher capacity compared to our volunteer therapy dogs. Since they are utilized in a unique capacity we will be more careful to only use the “facility dog” term when describing their role.

Hi Good Guide Dog – This is helpful feedback and we understand the points you have made. Although these dogs are not working with a persons with a disability, they received the same training that the other service dogs from their facility (Canine Assistants) received, have been trained for specific tasks and have received a certification as service dogs. Since they are not utilized in the exact role defined by the ADA, we have adjusted the wording in this post to use exclusively “facility dogs” as a description.

Hi Stu – This is very helpful feedback. Although these dogs are not working with a persons with a disability, they received the same training that the other service dogs from their facility (Canine Assistants) received, and have been trained for specific tasks. The dogs were individually paired with their handlers and each handler received training with their individual dog. They have received a certification as a service dog which allows us to utilize the dogs in a higher capacity compared to our volunteer therapy dogs. Since they are not utilized in the same role, we refer to Leica and Drummer as facility dogs. We’ve adjusted the wording in this post to reflect the use of the term facility dogs so as to avoid further confusion.

Hi Mrs. Lemmon’s Class – It is so exciting to hear that your class is interested in learning about our new facility dogs! Most Canine Assistants service dogs are born, raised, and trained at their facility in Milton, Georgia, while some are occasionally adopted from local organizations or breeders. Canine Assistants service dogs assist children and adults with physical disabilities or other special needs in a variety of ways. Some of the tasks the dogs perform include turning lights on and off, opening and closing doors, pulling wheelchairs, retrieving dropped objects, summoning help, and providing secure companionship.

Since we are using Leica and Drummer in a slightly different capacity, we refer to them as facility dogs. Training for Leica and Drummer started early in their life. They spent a lot of time learning basic obedience skills and taking frequent trips to restaurants, stores, etc. to expose them to many different areas. Both of them were also exposed to a hospital setting by taking lots of trips (roughly 100 visits during their life) to hospitals near Canine Assistants in Georgia. Leica and Drummer are able to sense when there is a need for comfort, and seek out that from a patient or family member.

Learn more at http://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/service/c/child-life/dogs/ or go to http://www.canineassistants.org.