Canine Companions for Independence
A United States nonprofit that breeds, trains, and provides assistance dogs to people with disabilities at no charge.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Canine Companions for Independence is a United States 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization specializing in the breeding, raising, professional training, and placement of assistance dogs. Founded in Santa Rosa, California, in July 1975 by Bonnie Bergin, it was established as an early dedicated program for pairing trained dogs with people who need support in daily life. Bergin had observed disabled people using burros while teaching in Asia and developed the idea that dogs could perform comparable practical tasks in the United States. The organization provides trained dogs and continuing support without charging the recipient. Its work is financed through donations from individuals, corporations, foundations, service organizations, and fundraising activities. A major volunteer network supports the operating model: puppy raisers typically care for and socialize a puppy for approximately 16 to 18 months, teaching an initial set of commands and exposing the dog to ordinary environments such as schools, workplaces, shops, and public transportation. The dog then enters professional training at one of Canine Companions' training centers, where trainers assess health and temperament, reinforce earlier learning, and teach a broader task vocabulary. The organization works primarily with Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and crosses of those breeds. Depending on the recipient and setting, dogs may be trained to retrieve dropped objects, open doors, operate switches, provide physical assistance, respond to sounds, or support other independence-enhancing activities. Its service categories include service dogs for people with physical disabilities, service dogs for veterans, skilled companions working with children or adults under the direction of a facilitator, hearing dogs, and facility dogs paired with professionals in education, rehabilitation, health care, or related fields. Placement is treated as a team-building process rather than a simple transfer of an animal. A prospective recipient travels to the relevant training center for an intensive course covering handling, commands, grooming, care, and dog behavior. Staff consider the personalities, activity levels, and practical requirements of both dog and recipient before matching them. The recipient must demonstrate competence with the dog before graduation, and teams receive follow-up support during the placement. A working dog commonly remains in service for approximately eight to ten years, although the organization may provide additional training, reunions, and other continuing assistance. Canine Companions has expanded from its California origins into a national network. Reference material describes seven training centers and field offices serving regions including Washington, California, Texas, Ohio, New York, and Florida, along with chapters that support puppy raisers, volunteers, and fundraising. The organization has also developed specialized initiatives, including a Veterans Initiative and research-oriented work concerning service dogs and veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. By 2021, it reported having placed more than 7,000 assistance dogs with recipients. Its public identity is therefore built around service delivery, volunteer participation, disability inclusion, and the long-term human-dog partnerships created through its training system.
History
Canine Companions for Independence was founded in Santa Rosa, California, in July 1975 by Bonnie Bergin. Bergin's concept was influenced by her observation, while teaching in Asia, that disabled people used burros for assistance. She reasoned that dogs could perform useful tasks for people with disabilities in the United States and created a dedicated organization around that idea. The organization is described as one of the first programs of its kind. Its operating model developed around a complete assistance-dog pipeline. Canine Companions breeds dogs, places puppies with volunteer raisers, provides advanced professional training, matches completed dogs with recipients, and offers follow-up support. Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and crosses of the two breeds form the principal breeding base. Volunteer raisers generally keep a puppy for 16 to 18 months. During that period, they teach basic commands, promote socialization, and expose the puppy to the environments in which a working dog may eventually operate. The puppy then returns to the organization for professional instruction. Professional training normally lasts four to nine months. Trainers review the dog's earlier learning, conduct health and temperament assessments, and develop a larger collection of practical commands. Depending on the dog's placement, tasks may include retrieving objects, opening doors, operating switches, pulling a manual wheelchair, responding to environmental sounds, or assisting with other activities that increase a recipient's independence. Dogs are assigned to several types of work, including service work for people with physical disabilities, hearing assistance, skilled companion placements, and facility work with professionals such as educators, rehabilitation specialists, or medical personnel. The placement process includes a structured course for the recipient. People invited to receive a dog travel to the training center serving their state and complete approximately two weeks of instruction in handling, commands, grooming, care, and dog behavior. Matching takes account of the dog's temperament and activity level as well as the recipient's needs. After testing and graduation, the team receives continuing follow-up. A working relationship commonly lasts eight to ten years, with opportunities for additional support and training during the dog's service. The organization expanded beyond its original California base into a national network of training centers, field offices, and chapters. Reference material identifies seven training centers and field offices in Washington, California, Texas, Ohio, New York, and Florida as of 2024. Chapters help recruit and support puppy raisers, volunteers, and donors. Because the dogs and support are supplied without charge to recipients, the model depends on private philanthropy and organized fundraising. The Lions Club Project for Canine Companions, established in 1983, became a significant source of volunteer and financial support, while later corporate relationships helped supply animal-health products and fund veteran-focused programs. Canine Companions broadened its work through a Veterans Initiative, including efforts directed toward disabled and injured veterans. In 2014 it joined a Department of Veterans Affairs study examining the effects of service dogs on veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. A related pilot launched in 2018 explored specialized tasks for PTSD support, including crowd buffering, light activation, and interruption of nightmares or anxiety behaviors. The organization also collaborated with Duke University's puppy kindergarten and canine cognition work. Public outreach became another part of the organization's development. In 2017, its collaboration with the Chrysler brand produced the Give a Dog a Job social initiative, which used the training journey of a puppy named Foley to explain the preparation required for an assistance dog and to encourage support. By 2021, Canine Companions had placed more than 7,000 assistance dogs with recipients. Its current identity combines nonprofit fundraising, volunteer participation, animal breeding and training expertise, disability services, and long-term support for working teams across the United States.
- 2024
National network described with seven training centers
[1]Reference material described seven training centers and field offices serving multiple regions of the United States, supported by local chapters.
- 2021
More than 7,000 assistance dogs placed
[1]Reference material reported that the organization had placed more than 7,000 assistance dogs with recipients at no charge.
- 2018
PTSD service-dog pilot
[1]Canine Companions began a pilot program for service dogs trained to support veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.
- 2017
Give a Dog a Job campaign
[1]The organization and Chrysler launched a social-media initiative following the training of a puppy named Foley.
- 2015
Henry Schein Animal Health partnership
[1]Henry Schein Animal Health began supplying free health-care products to volunteer puppy raisers.
- 2014
Participation in veterans and PTSD research
[1]The organization joined a United States Department of Veterans Affairs study examining whether service dogs improve quality of life for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.
- 1983
Lions Club support project established
[1]The Lions Club Project for Canine Companions for Independence was established and became an important source of volunteer and fundraising support.
- 1975
Organization founded in Santa Rosa
[1]Bonnie Bergin founded Canine Companions for Independence in Santa Rosa, California, in July 1975 as a dedicated program for training dogs to assist people with disabilities.
Products and positioning
A national nonprofit assistance-dog provider distinguished by its end-to-end breeding, volunteer puppy-raising, professional training, recipient matching, and follow-up support model. The organization positions its service around increasing independence and participation for people with disabilities while making the trained dog and associated support available without charge to the recipient.
Assistance dogs
Service dogs
Professionally trained dogs placed with people whose disabilities affect mobility or everyday activities. Depending on the recipient's needs, tasks can include retrieving dropped objects, opening doors, operating switches, pulling a manual wheelchair, and performing other actions intended to increase independence. Dogs are matched to recipients after formal training and a recipient course.
Specialized assistance dogs
Veterans service dogs
Dogs developed through the Veterans Initiative and related programs for disabled or injured veterans. A PTSD-focused pilot included tasks such as providing a gentle buffer in crowds, turning on lights, and interrupting nightmares or anxiety-related behaviors. The organization has also participated in research concerning service dogs and veterans' quality of life.
Assistance dogs
Skilled companion dogs
Dogs trained to work with a child or adult with a disability under the guidance of a facilitator. This model allows the dog to contribute practical and supportive skills while a parent, caregiver, educator, or another responsible professional directs the partnership.
Assistance dogs
Hearing dogs
Dogs trained for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. They learn to alert their handler to sounds in the environment and can lead the handler toward the source of a sound, helping the person interpret and respond to important auditory information.
Professional support teams
Facility dogs
Dogs paired with professionals such as rehabilitation specialists, educators, or medical personnel. Facility teams use many general service-dog skills together with additional behaviors designed for programs and services in institutional, educational, therapeutic, or health-care environments.
Marketing campaigns
- 2017Give a Dog a Job
United States
Canine Companions and the Chrysler brand created a social-media campaign that let audiences follow the training of a particular puppy, Foley, through platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The initiative explained the work involved in preparing an assistance dog and sought to build awareness and support.
Outcome. The campaign increased public-facing visibility for the organization's training process and fundraising mission; a quantified campaign result is not specified in the reference material.
Brand decisions
2018
Launch of a PTSD service-dog training pilotProduct launchBackground
The organization had participated in work examining service dogs and veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, including a 2014 study with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Action taken
Canine Companions began training dogs in a pilot program to support veterans with PTSD through specific behaviors, including crowd buffering, light activation, and interruption of nightmares or anxiety behaviors.
Aftermath
The pilot expanded the organization's specialized veteran-support work. The reference material does not provide a final evaluation or quantified outcome.
Recent events
- 2018
PTSD service-dog training pilot begins[1]
Product launch · Other
Canine Companions began a pilot program training service dogs for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. The dogs were taught supportive tasks such as creating a gentle buffer in crowds, turning on lights, and interrupting nightmares or anxiety-related behaviors.
- 2017
Chrysler supports the Give a Dog a Job initiative[1]
Campaign
Canine Companions worked with the Chrysler brand on a social-media initiative that followed the training of a puppy named Foley and promoted public awareness of assistance-dog work.
- 2015
Canine Companions partners with Henry Schein Animal Health[1]
Other
Henry Schein Animal Health began providing puppy raisers with animal-health products at no cost, supporting the organization's volunteer-based puppy-raising program.
- 2014
Canine Companions joins Veterans Affairs study on service dogs and PTSD[1]
Other
In December 2014, Canine Companions joined the United States Department of Veterans Affairs in a study examining whether service dogs could improve quality of life for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Sources2 sources
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