Corrinna Miller-Chang is involved in Canine Companions for Independence (CCI), a non-profit that provides highly trained assistance dogs for people with a wide range of disabilities, free of charge. Each assistance dog starts as a puppy that needs to be raised in a safe, loving home until they are mature enough to begin professional training.
Q&A with Miller-Chang
CityScene: Why did you decide to participate in Canine Companions for Independence?
Corrinna Chang: I found out about CCI while looking for local volunteer opportunities. I was really moved by the stories of the people who benefit from receiving an assistance dog and wanted to contribute in some way. After a lot of thought and discussion with my husband and daughters, we decided to become first-time puppy raisers for CCI.
CS: What was it like meeting Jennifer for the first time?
CC: My older daughter and I went to the training center for the North Central Region, currently located in Delaware, Ohio, on October 31, 2018, to pick up Jennifer. (The North Central Regional Training Center is currently building a new, state-of-the-art facility in New Albany, Ohio). She was an energetic, 10-pound yellow lab-golden cross and we adored her immediately. It happened to be Halloween on the day we brought her home, so there was a lot more commotion than normal that evening due to trick-or-treating. Jennifer handled it very well and spent a lot of time being cuddled by everyone in the family. When she was a puppy, she had a more noticeable touch of pink on her muzzle, just below her nose, which always seemed to me like she had just dabbed on a little lipstick. It was really endearing.
CS: What's Jennifer like? Is she different than most dogs?
CC: Jennifer is very easy-going and adapts well to whatever is going on around her. She is content to take naps on her dog bed while I’m working at home and she is also happy to go on long walks in the neighborhood or accompany me on outings to the grocery store or library. Puppy raisers are responsible for socializing the puppy and exposing them to different environments to teach them to maintain good manners while out in public. She has to learn to ignore distractions and keep her focus on her handler. My husband and I have taken her to restaurants and when we get up to leave and Jennifer emerges from underneath the table, I always enjoy the looks of surprise and comments from people around us that they didn’t realize that she was there. It lets me know that she is doing a good job. Jennifer gets plenty of opportunities to play at home and loves fetching tennis balls and playing with the kids, just like any other dog.
CS: What's the hardest part of raising a working dog?
CC: Puppy raisers for CCI are responsible for teaching the puppy 30 basic commands before they return for professional training. These commands form the foundation for learning advanced skills later on, such as picking up items, opening and closing doors, and turning light switches on and off. Some of the commands are straightforward, such as “sit” and “down,” and some are more challenging such as “under”, which is a command for the dog to move underneath an object such as a table or bench and lay there until given a “release” command. The puppies are required to attend at least two puppy classes per month and for local puppy raisers, these are provided for free at the training center at the North Central Region. I found it really helpful to attend the classes there and benefit from the expertise of CCI’s professional trainers.
CS: What's the best part of raising a service dog?
CC: People are naturally curious about Jennifer when we are out in public and I have really enjoyed having conversations with people that ask about her or share their stories about how a trained service dog has made an impact on someone that they know. Someone once approached me and shared that her family has a CCI graduate dog for her child and she thanked me for puppy raising. Moments like those are really meaningful to me!
CS: After CCI puppies complete professional training, they are matched to someone as an assistance dog; will it be hard letting Jennifer go?
CC: Jennifer recently completed her stay with my family and she matriculated on February 14, 2020. It was a very bittersweet Valentine’s Day for us and there were a lot of tears when we had to part with Jennifer. It was difficult to see her go, but it helps to know that Jennifer has the potential to make it possible for someone with a disability to achieve greater independence. It was just a coincidence that Jennifer’s time with my family was bookended by Halloween and Valentine’s Day, but those two holidays will have a special meaning to me from now on.
Mallory Arnold is an editor. Feedback welcome at cityscenemediagroup.com.
