Community Corner
Hard to say goodbye....
But Gambrills Volunteer Puppy Raisers are ecstatic Assistance Dog Luigi is now Canine Companion to Wisconsin man with hearing disability
(Photo: Canine Companions Graduate David Viemeister & Luigi)
Gambrills, MD - Canine Companions for Independence – a national non-profit organization that provides assistance dogs for children and adults with disabilities – is proud to announce that Wisconsin resident David Viemeister has recently received an assistance dog from Canine Companions for Independence.
David was matched with Luigi, a two-year-old lab/golden retriever cross who has been trained to assist David with his hearing disability. Luigi alerts David to sounds such as a telephone ringing, doorbell, or even a smoke alarm.
Much of the thanks for this successful match goes to Canine Companions for Independence volunteer puppy raisers Mark and Debbie Strickenburg of Gambrills, Maryland. (The Strickenburg’s are 7-time Canine Companions for Independence Volunteer Puppy Raisers, currently raising Puppy Ladd.) Mark and Debbie raised Luigi from an 8 week old puppy, and said goodbye to him after a year and a half. Mark and Debbie worked tirelessly with Luigi, teaching him basic commands, and the all-important socialization skills. When he was old enough to begin advanced training, Luigi was returned to the Canine Companions Northwest Headquarters in Santa Rosa, CA where he worked for 6 months with the organizations nationally renowned instructors, learning over 40 advanced commands that are useful to a person with a hearing disability.
David and Luigi are settling into a routine back home in Wisconsin. David says, “Luigi is a very special dog and I hope to have many wonderful years with him. I can’t thank Mark and Debbie Strickenburg enough”.
ABOUT CANINE COMPANIONS FOR INDEPENDENCE: Canine Companions for Independence is the largest non-profit 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.
