Katrina Boldry and her service dog Dalton DeLeon take a walk at the Cherry Creek trail in Denver. Dalton is wearing a Bold Lead Designs Light Assistance Harness to assist with Katrina’s balance and related disabilities. Photo by Brian Boldry.
Many four-legged friends are more than just part of the family. Some also provide critical service, help, and healing to their people on a daily basis. Earlier this year, CCL asked readers to share stories about their service dogs. We received countless responses about intelligent dogs that are highly trained to perform tasks. September is Service Dog Awareness Month. It is a time to learn about service dogs and to show appreciation for their skills and talents. We hope you find the stories below as inspiring as we do. We extend a huge thank you to all our readers who shared their stories.
Sparky
Weighing in at 15 pounds, Sparky, a Russell terrier, was an unlikely candidate for Sherlock Hounds Detection Canines, a proactive narcotics dog program used to keep schools drug-free.
This mighty terrier took on work with vigor. He excelled at finding drugs, but his specialty was connecting and creating bonds with hard-to-reach kids. After a drug bust, Sparky would sit close with the distraught student and offer consolation. Often, he would lick their hands and even jump up in their lap as if to say, “You’ll be fine.”
Sparky, a narcotics dog, performed his work with skill and affection. Photo by PiperAnne Worcester Photography.
One day, an intimidating teen approached us with a swagger in the hall. He looked intense. Sparky trotted toward him with confidence, and the boy grinned when Sparky got closer. He dropped to his knees, cooing to Sparky who performed his signature back flop to get a belly rub. They had an eye-to-eye moment, and then the young man told Sparky how he used to get high every day, but with Sparky coming to the school, he was nervous he would get busted as well as disappoint Sparky. He said that he had quit using drugs and wanted to go to college. He thanked Sparky for the help and told him he loved him.
For eight years, Sparky performed his tasks with a combination of skill and affection. When he retired from Sherlock Hounds Detection Canines, many of the young people he had inspired over the years regarded him as a hero. Last year Sparky crossed the rainbow bridge, but his legacy lives on through those he inspired.
Kathleen Donnelly
Berthoud, Poudre Valley REA member
Noche
On the heels of our beloved nonservice dog’s death, my husband died in a surgery a few weeks later. Then, I totally lost the hearing in my left ear. Hearing in my right ear was already challenged.
No husband. No dog. Little hearing.
A friend took me to the local animal shelter. A skinny, small black dog caught my eye among the dogs who were soon to be euthanized.
“Can I see that one?” I asked the attendant.
“That one was found on the street. She’s skittish. We think she is about a year old. Not too friendly,” the attendant replied.
I was startled when, after the attendant opened the door to her kennel, the dog — whom I later named Noche — jumped into my arms and began licking my neck.
Noche, a hearing service dog, chose her owner at the local animal shelter. Photo courtesy of Katherine Norgard.
“I guess she’s mine,” I said to the attendant.
The next week, Noche and I began training classes for her to become a hearing service dog. Although she’s smart, she struggled. We passed the tests, and she became a card-carrying service dog.
Noche and I became inseparable. We traveled together. Hiked together. Visited friends together. Sometimes she even came to work with me. She was a good companion, but better yet, she could hear and let me know important things.
Fifteen years later, there is a new man in my life who also loves Noche. My hearing has further deteriorated enough to seriously need Noche, but she herself is now totally deaf, has cataracts, and walks with a serious limp from arthritis.
Noche is still my service dog. She has a place in my heart and serves as a role model in our house for graceful aging without complaining.
Katherine Norgard
Crested Butte, Gunnison County Electric Association member
Meika
I am a disabled U.S. Navy veteran and have used a service dog for the last decade. I am proud to be where I am in life with the help of trained service dogs. My first service dog was an imposing yet sweet sable German shepherd named Desoto. He came along at a time when life felt desperate, and I was struggling to survive. We trained the tasks he needed to perform to mitigate some of my most severe symptoms, and soon we were soaring. I was able to graduate from college where we walked the stage in matching graduation gowns; I moved cross-country to pursue a doctorate degree during a pandemic; and I even celebrated life by going to Disney World.
Service dog Meika knows more than 100 commands and is quite the sidekick. Photo courtesy of Kayla McCullough.
His help meant that I could thrive even with life-altering disabilities in an inaccessible world. His successor, a boisterous longhair German shepherd named Meika, has now taken over and completes more than 100 commands for my needs. We have matching outfits and plenty of adoring fans. Having such a fantastic sidekick has made a world of difference in managing life.
I am so grateful to everyone who was involved in the process and who helped to shape my world as a service dog handler.
Kayla McCullough
Colorado Springs, Mountain View Electric Association member
Ember
My service dog Ember and I started working together in 2019 while she was still a puppy. At the time, I had health issues that prevented me from walking without assistance, and I was unable to leave the house, drive, or participate in social activities. We bought Ember from a top medical-alert lineage and with the help of our service dog trainer Laura Bussing, Ember and I learned to function as a team. Ember earned her Canine Good Citizen certification in 2022.
Service dog Ember loves to play but gets to work when her vest goes on.
Photo courtesy of Ginny Mays.
Over the past five years, Ember has been my constant companion. She lets me know when my medical issues arise and I need to mitigate them. She does this verbally with four levels of alert that she developed on her own during our first year together. She also helped me to start walking without assistance, once she was full grown, by providing counterbalance and stability through her custom harness from Bold Lead Designs in Aurora. As my health improved, I was able to drive and start getting out into public again. Ember accompanies me to appointments, to the grocery store, and to social gatherings. My life and health have changed dramatically with her help.
Ember is such a sweetheart. She loves people and wants to play and be praised. But she also knows her job, and when her vest goes on, she ignores people and focuses on our task at hand. I am eternally grateful for my sweet girl who is such a blessing, as she provides me with companionship, comfort, and assistance with functioning in daily life. Before we brought this little bundle of joy into our lives, I could do very few things, but five years later, I am getting out of the house and enjoying life. Ember is my hero.
Ginny Mays
Cotopaxi, Sangre de Cristo Electric Association member
Lumen
I am a disabled Fort Carson combat veteran who served with the 2nd Infantry Division during operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. During my time abroad, I struggled with the extreme effects of PTSD: isolation, panic attacks, hypervigilance, and paranoia, to name a few. I seldom left my home and felt as if I’d lost my empathy for people and the spark I once had for life. “I feel like a monster; I do not know who I am anymore,” was a typical thought I had when looking at myself in a mirror.
Lumen, a service dog, helps Richard find hope and a sense of purpose. Photo courtesy of Richard Rice.
Thankfully, I found hope and a new sense of purpose with my service dog. It was through her that I learned to trust again, to love again, and not only to use my service dog to venture out into the world with my family but to engage with people in a positive way. Through Lumen, I learned that to effectively communicate with my service dog, I had to change the way I spoke and use my body language in a more open and friendly way. This in turn, retaught me how to effectively communicate with people again.
My service dog has such a profound effect on my life, and I decided to undergo a three-year internship to learn how to properly train service dogs for children with disabilities and military veterans with PTSD.
During my time in graduate school, I decided to start my own nonprofit in Germany — K9s for Veterans Abroad — where I have helped more than 13 veterans receive their own service dogs at no cost. Seeing the impact I have made overseas, I felt now was the right time to return home to Colorado to continue my mission of helping change the lives of veterans who suffer from PTSD. If you or a veteran you know is suffering from PTSD and could benefit from a service dog, please visit www.K9sforveteransabroad.org.
Richard Rice
Peyton, Mountain View Electric Association member
WHAT MAKES A SERVICE DOG?
Which breeds make good service dogs?
Not every dog can be a service dog. It’s recommended to get a potential service dog from a lineage of dogs that are specifically bred to be a service dog. Some of the breeds that make the best service dogs are golden retrievers, Labrador retrievers, and standard poodles. Other breeds have the potential to become great service dogs, especially if they come from service dog lines.
What skills can dogs be trained for?
Service dogs can be trained to provide many different tasks for people who live with mobility issues, anxiety, PTSD, anger management, social anxiety, night terrors, mental illness, and developmental delays. Certain dogs can also be trained for allergy detection, blood sugar monitoring, and medication delivery and/or reminders.
How do I get a service dog?
Get help from a professional to find a dog that can be trained to help you with your specific needs. Have the dog evaluated and tested for temperament and behavior, and find a professional company and trainer who can train the dog properly. The dog-training industry is unregulated, so do a lot of research before you hire a trainer.
How long does it take to train a service dog?
Dogs go through many evaluations and rigorous tests before they can start the process of becoming a trained service dog. Dogs are evaluated for their behavior, genetics, and temperament. They cannot show any signs of aggressive behavior. If they pass the numerous tests and requirements, it can take 18 months to two years — sometimes longer — to be fully trained as a service dog, depending on what they are being trained for.
Source: Jennifer Worswick, Top Paw K9 Academy owner and head trainer
INCLUDE ANIMALS IN YOUR PREPAREDNESS PLAN
September is National Preparedness Month.
Animals that live with you are important members of your family. Be sure to include them in your emergency or evacuation plan. Remember: Always stay informed of current conditions and sign up for emergency alerts and notifications.
Make a plan.
To reduce stress and worry during an emergency, develop a plan for you and your animals before a natural disaster or wildfire evacuation.
- Plan where your animals will go in an event of an emergency evacuation. Many public shelters and hotels do not allow animals that aren’t service dogs.
- Enlist neighbors or friends to make sure someone is available to care for or evacuate your animals in case you can’t get home.
- Keep copies of your animals’ vaccination records in your emergency bag, and be sure your cats and dogs are microchipped.
Build a kit.
Think about the basics for survival and build a supply kit you can grab during an emergency evacuation. Some items to include are:
- Food – keep several days’ supply in an airtight, waterproof container
- Water and a water dish
- Medicine
- Backup collar, ID tag, and a harness or leash
- Familiar items such as favorite toys, treats, or bedding
Source: ready.gov/pets