Drake is six and a half months old this week—a very significant milestone, as this is the age when Good Dog! Autism Companions makes its first official assessment of her service dog potential. We are thrilled to announce that Drake has passed with flying colors and is a great service dog candidate!

According to her trainer, Drake is a bright, sweet girl who learns quickly and is very eager to please. She does not startle easily and is very easy going. She is playful and enjoys many different toys. She also loves to romp outside and has recently started to play “fetch” with the ball.

Drake has learned the commands “sit,” “down,” “look” (a cue to look at her handler), “leave it” and “come.” She also walks very nicely on a loose leash and is doing really well at using hand signals without a voice command. She is currently working on “stay,” “wait” and “heel.”

Drake has also recently “found” her voice. She and her trainer are now working on a “speak/no speak” command. Because she will be a facility dog, they are also working on a “go to bed” command.

We look forward to watching her blossom even more in the upcoming months!

Haven’t had a chance to check Drake out yet? You’re in luck! She will be joining us for several events this summer and fall, including Cardiff Dog Days of Summer on August 10 and the Surf Dog Surf-a-Thon on September 8.

Stay tuned for more updates!

Read more…

Good Dog! Blog: Drake at 8 Weeks

Good Dog! Blog: Drake at 10 Weeks

Good Dog! Blog: Drake at 12 Weeks

Good Dog! Blog: Drake at 14 Weeks

Good Dog! Blog: Drake at 18 Weeks