Meet The Pros

A group dogs posing in front of a turquoise and yellow banner for Service Dog Month

Service Dog Month: Success Stories

September is National Service Dog Month! Service dogs are incredible working dogs who help people with disabilities live more independently.  

They’re trained as PROS to complete a variety of tasks – like picking up a dropped cell phone at the park or handing a credit card to the cashier at the grocery store.

Learn about each PRO and how they help their handlers with their specialized tasks below!

Emma and
Service Dog Marcia

A young girl in a wheelchair wearing a light blue dress sits outdoors, smiling at the camera while petting her golden retriever service dog, which is holding a water bottle. The dog is wearing a blue service vest and a black backpack is positioned next to the girl on the ground, with a grassy area and a building in the background.

No one could have predicted that a routine car ride would end in an accident, leaving Emma with paralysis and changing her young life. Now, Emma, a sweet-spirited, redhead, has learned to navigate life with a disability as fully as possible. She has cultivated a love for art, piano, trombone and gardening in her accessible veggie patch. However, another kind-hearted, redhead – a Canine Companions service dog named Marcia – gives Emma even greater independence and confidence.

“It’s really nice having a service dog,” says Emma. “They can impact your life so much. It feels like having an extra hand helping you. Marcia’s just the sweetest dog I could ever hope to have.”

Together, Emma and Marcia are doing all of the activities Emma loves, with greater confidence and the joy that only a special dog can provide.

Marcia picks up dropped paintbrushes and colored pencils and carries a basket of freshly cut flowers and vegetables back into the house for Emma. Marcia’s ability to tug open doors has given Emma access to her home and garden without relying on her mother to help. It’s easy to see that this duo is a perfect fit and Emma’s independence is blossoming, thanks to a red-haired best friend named Marcia.

Wendi and
Service Dog Wazowski

A woman in a blue swimsuit sitting on the edge of a pool, interacting lovingly with a yellow Labrador service dog. The woman has a prosthetic leg and visible scars on her legs, suggesting a personal story of resilience. The dog is wearing a blue harness with a service dog identifier.

Wendi is a mom, a competitive swimmer and a fighter. Despite losing parts of her arms and legs to sepsis, she never lost her strength or spirit. After a year of intense rehabilitation—re-learning to walk and drive with prosthetics, Wendi applied for a service dog from Canine Companions, determined to reclaim her independence. It worked; Wendi welcomed Service Dog Wazowski, lovingly known as “Wazzy,” into her life and her routine.

Wazzy helps Wendi have the greatest independence possible by retrieving her prosthetics and dropped cell phone, opening doors and carrying items. He helps to increase Wendi’s confidence and peace of mind knowing that Wazzy is always there to help. 

Nika and
Service Dog Waverly

A young girl with curly hair and a purple hair bow smiles while sitting in a support chair, holding onto a large, friendly golden retriever dog beside her, which is wearing a blue service vest. They are outdoors in a sunny setting with wooden furniture in the background.
For 9-year-old Nika, she experienced an instant “sparkle” when she was matched with Service Dog Waverly.

Nika lives with hydranencephaly and cerebral palsy, which impacts her mobility. In addition, she experiences extreme anxiety when out in public, which limits her ability to experience the world around her.

Now with Waverly alongside her, every step of the way, she views her surroundings with a new outlook—with more sparkle. She’s able to not only experience outings, but enjoys them, with a huge smile on her face. Nika can go confidently to her Girl Scouts troop meetings, the public library and Target shopping trips, all with Waverly by her side.

Every night, Nika falls asleep as Waverly applies deep pressure across her legs to control muscle spasms. “As parents, nothing makes us happier than when Nika expresses true joy, and we have been able to see so many of these moments since having Waverly in our lives,” shares Nika’s parents, Sarah and Stephen.

Wazzy helps Wendi have the greatest independence possible by retrieving her prosthetics and dropped cell phone, opening doors and carrying items. He helps to increase Wendi’s confidence and peace of mind knowing that Wazzy is always there to help. 

Colt and
Service Dog Wink

A woman and a teenage boy smile while sitting together on a couch, holding a yellow Labrador Retriever. The woman has long, flowing hair and wears a white shirt, while the boy is dressed in a tie-dye shirt featuring a character. The background shows large windows with natural light.
Shannon Cogan is an anchor at WAVE News Sunrise in Louisville, Kentucky. She is also a mother to Colt Cogan, our client who graduated with Canine Companions Service Dog Wink. She has witnessed, first-hand, how much Wink has made a difference in her son’s life.

At mere 2 days old, Colt had open heart surgery to repair a heart defect, and at four weeks old, he experienced a cardiac arrest. This incident led him to experience balance issues and some physical limitations, including hearing loss and speech delays.

As a parent, Shannon wanted to do anything she can to make Colt’s life better. Providing Service Dog Wink from Canine Companions for him tops the list.

“My favorite things about Wink… she helps me with exercises, and she keeps me company and she’s my best friend,” Colt says. Because of Wink, he takes more walks to build his mobility strength, and she calms him when he encounters frustrating situations.

Wink is a friend who cares more about Colt than she does herself.

Josh and
Service Dog Maverick

A father and his young son, both laughing, seated on a wooden deck surrounded by greenery. The father, wearing a black cap and a veteran t-shirt, is holding the boy, who is joyfully smiling with his eyes closed. Next to them, a woman is sitting on the deck, smiling at the boy; she has long, wavy hair and is wearing a light sweater. A large, well-groomed yellow Labrador, wearing a blue vest branded "Canine Companions," is resting beside her.
The impacts of military service are not limited to the men and women who return from deployments stateside or internationally – the visible and invisible wounds of war affect friendships and families.

U.S. Air Force veteran Joshua Gage worked on military aircraft from 2008 until he was medically retired in 2021. As a result of his service, he developed post-traumatic stress disorder, debilitating back injuries and neuropathy. Upon his retirement, it was up to his wife Sarah, to care for his every need. To complicate matters, Josh and Sarah’s son, Calvin, was born with complex medical needs.

“It was sad,” Sarah says. “You could tell the difference when walking into the house. We didn’t communicate – Josh wasn’t willing to talk or express his emotions. He didn’t go anywhere.”

Josh was partnered with Service Dog Maverick who is trained in tasks to assist with Josh’s physical disabilities and his symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Sarah knew that Maverick would provide a benefit to Josh, but they didn’t anticipate the true scope of Maverick’s impact on their whole lives.

Maverick makes sure Josh is safe by retrieving his medication bag or cane and providing a safe buffer in crowds to decrease anxiety. Sarah was able to return to work for the first time in years, and Maverick helps Josh get out of the house and talk to people. He is able to join the rest of the family for Calvin’s numerous medical appointments.

“Maverick reconnected us – we do everything as a family now,” says Sarah. “Josh is much less anxious at home and in public. I wasn’t expecting such a difference.”

Through Maverick, Josh has regained some of his independence and the whole family dynamic has changed for the better. Sarah says they know Josh won’t be 100% the person he was before his injury, but with Maverick, he’s so much closer.