Canine Companions for Independence – a national non-profit organization that provides assistance dogs for children and adults with disabilities – has announced that Norfolk resident Patricia Coale has recently received an assistance dog from Canine Companions for Independence.

Coale was matched with Agent, a two-year-old Labrador/golden retriever cross who has been trained to respond to over 40 advanced commands. Agent can turn light switches on and off, open and close doors and retrieve dropped objects. However, one of his most important jobs will be to provide constant companionship for Coale.

Much of the thanks for this successful match goes to Canine Companions for Independence volunteer puppy raisers Jacqueline Cheshire and her family of Great Falls. The Cheshire family are eight time Canine Companions for Independence puppy raisers, currently raising puppies Bishop and Ekina. The Cheshire family raised Agent from a 10-week-old puppy, and said goodbye to him after a year and a half. Jacqueline worked tirelessly with Agent, teaching him basic commands, and the all-important socialization skills. When he was old enough to begin advanced training, Agent was returned to the Canine Companions Northeast Regional Headquarters in Medford, N. Y. where he worked for 6 months with the organization’s nationally renowned instructors, learning over 40 advanced commands.

Coale and Agent were matched after completing Canine Companion’s recent Team Training Class, an intense, two-week course held at the organization’s Northeast Regional Center – one of six such centers nationwide. The Northeast Regional Center serves a 13-state area from Maine to Virginia.

Each student who attends Team Training – held at each center four times a year – is paired with a fully trained, working assistance dog, like Agent, and is taught to work with his/her canine companion. The training course consists of daily lectures, exams, practice and public outings.

Coale and Agent are settling into a routine back home in Norfolk. Coale says, “Agent is a very special dog and I hope to have many wonderful years with him. I can’t thank the Cheshire family enough”.

Canine Companions for Independence is the largest nonprofit provider of trained assistance dogs with six regional training centers across the country. Established in 1975, Canine Companions provides highly trained assistance dogs to children and adults with disabilities and is recognized worldwide for the excellence of its dogs, and quality and longevity of the matches it makes between dogs and people. There is no charge for the dog, its training and on-going follow-up services. For more information, visit cci.org or call 1-800-572-BARK.