Canine Assistants

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Alpharetta, GA
Canine Assistants

Canine Assistants provides service dogs for children and adults. However, she was unable to obtain a service dog because of geographical limitations.

Jennifer Arnold first recognized the need for this program when she was sixteen years old and diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. She needed to use a wheelchair for several years and came to realize how dependent she was on others. Jennifer found it difficult to perform simple tasks, such as picking up dropped items, opening doors and turning on and off lights. She had heard of an organization in

California that was training dogs to help people like her with those basic tasks. Jennifer has dedicated her efforts to building Canine Assistants, since she founded it in 1991. In that time the organization has placed over 1,700 service dogs nationally, reached more than 400,000 students through disabilities awareness educational presentations, and provide communities with over 120,000 hours of animal assisted therapy. Approximately 95% of all donations are directed towards the various programs and sponsorships. Most Canine Assistants service dogs are born, raised, and trained at our facility in Milton, Georgia, while some are occasionally adopted from local organizations or breeders. The majority of our service dogs are retrievers, including goldens, golden/lab mixes and goldendoodles.

09/09/2024

We are excited to announce that we are once again a 4-star charity! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is prestigious status in the nonprofit world and reflects our commitment to using our donor dollars efficiently and a general commitment to excellence in all we do. Thank you, as always, for your supPAWt. ♥️

09/06/2024

09/04/2024

We are less than two weeks out from our next placement camp, and we are in great need of supplies for our new dog teams! Can you help us set up these dogs and their humans for success? 🦮🛍️🐕‍🦺 https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/HTBV5VBMYJN9?ref_=wl_share

09/03/2024

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Seasonal (spooky) treats from Milk-Bone! 👻🎃🦴

08/26/2024

IT’S HERE! It’s National Dog Day! 🥳 In celebration of the best day of the year, we want to introduce you to recent CA graduate Ridley, and his human, Elise. These two were matched last month with a full sponsorship from The Voila Foundation. When asked about her new service dog, Elise shared, “Ridley makes every day better. I want to get up out of bed each morning so I can hug and kiss him. When I was sick this week and feeling miserable, he stayed near me to keep me company. I felt better just because he was there for me, and it's impossible to feel bad for long when he's around! He and I are both so happy when I am in my wheelchair and we grab the leash to go out because we are side by side, and I can reach over and give him hugs, kisses and pets any time.” Good boy, Ridley! ♥️🦮

08/21/2024

Our very own Jennifer Arnold wrote about Katherine Carver’s new book, Abandoned, “Abandoned is as hopeful as it is heartbreaking. Full of beautifully written stories and mesmerizing photographs, this is a book that will stay with you long after you’ve put it down.” If you love dogs (and we know you do), we highly recommend you read this. ❤️🦮

08/16/2024

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT 🔦: meet Vicki, a dedicated Canine Assistants volunteer since 2020. She shared, “My Harry Norman Realtor office was looking to support a charity. We settled on Canine Assistants (and I am happy to say that as an office we still support CA to this day, through individual agent donations and a yearly fundraising event). After initially selecting CA - we decided that a community service work day would be a great way to introduce the organization to the office. That was when I fell in love with the dogs and the mission. I had recently lost my own dog and was not ready to take on a full-time pet, so I decided this would be a great avenue for me and its been a wonderful experience ever since.” Thank you, Vicki! We are so lucky to have you! ❤️🦮

08/14/2024

It’s Wednesday and these cute shoppers are wondering if there is any room in your cart for a thing or two they need! We are grateful to anyone who can help us on this 🙏🏼🦮🐕‍🦺❤️ https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2B3I4V7ZK78P7?ref_=wl_share

08/09/2024

FEATURE FRIDAY: hospital edition! 🏥 Meet facility dog Sam and her handlers, Ashton and Chelse. Sam was placed with them in November of last year, and started making a difference immediately. Ashton shared, “Sam has been the best addition to the child life team at Maynard Children's Hospital. It has been amazing to see the huge impact she has made in less than a year. Sam is so in-tune with our patients' needs. She provides a level of support that we, as humans, will never be able to provide. The instant connection that Sam has with everyone she meets is such a positive element to the care that our patients receive. She is a real-life superhero and we are beyond proud to have her on our team.” Good girl, Sam! ♥️🐕‍🦺

08/08/2024

Back-to-school shopping? Or just need an excuse to treat yourself? Shop Kendra Scott online or in person at Peachtree Corners this Saturday to benefit the dogs of Canine Assistants! 🐕‍🦺💛🦮

08/04/2024

Happy National Sister Day from the girls of the Encanto litter - Isabela, Luisa, Mirabel, and Pepa. And as always, but especially on Sister Day, we don’t talk about Bruno (their brother)! 👯‍♀️💖👯‍♀️

07/31/2024

In celebration of International Friendship Day, we are pleased to announce our newest service dog teams - the best friends anyone could ever have. 🦮🐕‍🦺💕

07/19/2024

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT 🔦: Meet Barbara, a dedicated and very involved CA volunteer since the beginning of 2018. She shared, “The biggest impact to me was during COVID, having a CA dog at home impacted my mental and emotional well-being. As we returned to office, my company allowed me to bring in a CA dog each week and I immediately noticed how the energy changed in the office on the days my CA dog was there. People started inquiring about the dog, asking more questions and the role a CA dogs plays when placed, coming to visit me for in person meetings and would stop by just for a dog hug. Being a CA volunteer has allowed me to engage more in my community and I love following each dog on social media, seeing the impact they have to individuals and families and knowing I was a part of their development.” ❤️ Barbara, you’ve made an enormous difference. Thank you so much for your dedication! 🦮

07/17/2024

Finishing your Amazon Prime Day shopping? Pepperoni the pup has a request… can you help?! https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2B3I4V7ZK78P7?ref_=wl_share

07/09/2024

The summer heat is officially upon us. ☀️🥵 Fortunately, our very own veterinarian Dr. Kent shared some helpful information about taking the best care of our dogs in the heat. 🩺❤️

07/05/2024

FEATURE FRIDAY: hospital edition! 🏥 Meet clinical social worker Jaime and her facility dog, Canter. These two have been working side-by-side since May 2022 at Children’s Health. “It’s hard to remember what the job felt like before Canter. She joined our team so seamlessly and is an extension of the support we can provide to children, their families, and staff. Canter is a well-known member of the Cancer for Center and Blood Disorders (CCBD) team and is requested daily by name. She loves her job and is present in all types of situations - from the hard times, to the scary times and the celebrations. It’s so amazing to see her model and demonstrate a calm and comforting demeanor, but also witness her drooly, grunty and sassy side when she lets loose. Canter is the best girl in the world and we are so thankful to have her.” Good girl, Canter! ❤️🦮

06/30/2024

Because of a generous grant from PAWS, we are able to prepare even more dogs to support kids and teens with cancer. Facility dog Nacho of is a shining example of the impact a dog can have on a kid’s cancer fight. 🎗️💛🦮

06/28/2024

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT 🔦: Meet Nina Jean! She shared, “I got certified in June of 2010. I heard about CA while working as a nurse in an orthopedist office. We had a patient who came in with a dog and I spoke to the mom and she shared what a difference the dog had make in her daughter’s life. Over months of visits I saw the relationship they shared and my desire to be a part of what CA was solidified… I am very grateful for the continued opportunity to be a part of such an organization which is built on helping others.” We are so glad you found us, Nina Jean. What a gift you are! ❤️🦮

06/25/2024

Our incredible two-time service dog recipient Channing and our founder Jennifer were recently featured alongside our long-time partner UCB Biopharma in the national news. We are so proud of all the collaboration involved in creating service dog teams. It takes a village! Read the article here: https://www.foxnews.com/health/woman-epilepsy-finds-safety-service-dog-bond-set-stone

06/21/2024

FEATURE FRIDAY! Meet Luke and his service dog, Coleman. These two were paired at our April 2024 camp. Luke’s mom, Angie described Coleman as happy, sweet, and gentle. She also shared with us, “Luke has a rare syndrome and sees a lot of specialists and needs tests often. Coleman has a beautiful calming, gentle spirit. Having Coleman right next to him helps ease Luke’s fears and gives him a peace knowing his best friend is right next to him.” Good boy, Coleman! ❤️🐕‍🦺

06/19/2024

Have you seen our new litter of golden labs? We are so excited about these new babies! The Bear litter! 🐻🧸🐻‍❄️ On this , we’re looking to get our nursery everything it’s currently lacking so we can continue to take the best care of these bear cubs. Can you help us? If you send us something, please also comment your favorite bear-related name for a dog! We can’t wait to see what you come up with! ❤️🐾 https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2B3I4V7ZK78P7?ref_=wl_share

06/17/2024

Canine Assistants x Kendra Scott! 🐕‍🦺💎 You can still shop today to benefit some very deserving dogs and people. 💛

06/15/2024

TOMORROW! You can shop Kendra Scott at Avalon for a good cause AND meet a CA dog! If you’re not local, no problem, shop online for 20% of your order to benefit Canine Assistants! 💛

06/13/2024

Today is National W**d Your Garden Day, and we’d be remiss not to give a HUGE shoutout to our amazing volunteer Michele who dedicates her time not only to our dogs, but also to planting and maintaining our garden! 🪴🌷 Thank you, Michele! We know it’s a LOT of work and we are so grateful!

06/07/2024

Happy National Donut Day from our little munchkins. 🍩 (See what we did there? 😉) Head to today to treat yourself, and grab the new vanilla glaze biscuits to treat your dog! Win-win! 🤝🦮🧡🍩

06/05/2024

Happy Pride! 🌈❤️🐾

05/29/2024

In two weeks, we will kick off our second year of summer Kids Camps! We are thrilled to offer some very excited kids the magic of Canine Assistants. All that’s left to do to ensure they have a wonderful experience is secure all of the activity supplies! Can you help? Our Kids Camps wishlist can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/4QAL8EB5XSY0?ref_=wl_share&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1CFZvKG1c0kngIPP-rx3RrY2ZgbwegtxuIpOgwL23LmimfYIdIF5HzTOk_aem_AYte96DCZI8Cp0KTsI6JClwcNQOEZwaO_lDiJP-0bNGR-EBFC4FMebPXlydGUNf4t58w-7S_qQfjznaTurM0aD9j Thank you!!

05/28/2024

We are so excited to announce our newest litter of future working dogs! First time mama Lizzie was a champ, and the puppies are thriving! For those of you who played in our March Madness tournament, this is our Bear litter. 🐻 Drop your favorite bear name(s) in the comments! ⤵️

05/27/2024

Today we honor and remember the brave men and women (and four-legged troops) who heroically made the ultimate sacrifice to protect America. 🦮🇺🇸🐾

05/26/2024

The unofficial start of summer, made even sweeter by . ☀️🐾 Whether you’re at home or on vacation, highly recommend treating your dog this weekend! 🍩

Address

3160 Francis Road
Alpharetta, GA
30004

Website

https://www.classy.org/give/536360/#!/donation/checkout

Alerts

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Videos

#TikTok Tuesday, featuring some very hungry future service dogs and their favorite treats! @milkbone 🦮❤️🦴

Last week we made core memories at Kids Camp with some awesome campers, generous volunteers, and the very best dogs! Here’s a glimpse into what the session looked like. 🦮🐕‍🦺⛺️❤️

Happy Earth Dayfrom the many incredible graduates of Canine Assistants who are out there enjoying all that Mother Earth has to offer! ♻️🩵🐕‍🦺🦮

Friends! We are in ✨desperate✨ need of large harnesses to fit our growing pups who are ready to size up. Can you help?! Shop here: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2B3I4V7ZK78P7?ref_=wl_share Thank you 🙏🏼

What a great year it was! We can’t wait to see what 2024 has in store! 🥳

What a great year it was!

What a great year it was! We can’t wait to see what 2024 has in store! 🥳

Maze graduated early this year and was a natural at her job from the start. Hear from handlers Bailey and Jill about her amazing impact. We are ready to help many more hospitals partner with dogs like Maze, can you help us?

At Canine Assistants, we celebrate our dogs forever, even long after they’re gone. Nilla made an indelible mark on this world with her service to CA, and though she is sorely missed, she will be revered always. Make a donation in memory of your favorite dog and help us make sure there are more dogs like Nilla for years to come: https://give.canineassistants.org/give/536360/#!/donation/checkout

Hear from child life specialist Laura about her incredible partner Steve and the way he adapts to whatever is needed in the moment. What a good boy! ❤️🦮 #givingtuesday

#GivingTuesday

It’s here, it’s here, it’s finally here! 🥳 Happy Giving Tuesday, early birds! Will you help us kick off our campaign?! https://give.canineassistants.org/give/536360/#!/donation/checkout

Meet Dashiel’s Darlings from @umichmedicine! What an incredible team Julie, Mary, Meredith and Dashiel make. Just one more example of the inspiring work being done by our dogs around the country. Today is the official 🎶 final countdown 🎶 to #GivingTuesday. Stay tuned for dozens more stories tomorrow! ❤️🦮

Kelly and facility dog Skye

There are hundreds of Canine Assistants dogs out there making an enormous difference each day. On Giving Tuesday, we will share many of their stories, but we just can’t wait, so here’s a sneak peek! ❤️🦮

#WishlistWednesday

Did you know we have spent years curating a list of all the best products for our dogs? Take this slow feeder bowl for example; it ensures safe and mentally stimulating mealtime for our growing dogs. The only way we can provide the best of the best for our dogs is with your help! These slow feeders and several other items are at the top of the list this #WishlistWednesday! Can you contribute? Link below! 🔗

Puppies go for their first “swim” 🤣🏊🏼‍♀️

🇮🇪 Top o’ the mornin’ to ya! We’re bringing you the GOLD 🦮 at the end of the rainbow 🌈 for St. Patrick’s Day (and every day). Here’s hoping you all feel as lucky as we do. ☘️

How cute is this video of one of our dogs in teaching figuring out his food puzzle? 🥹💕 On this #WishlistWednesday, our greatest needs are at the top of the list below… harnesses, puzzles, and food-sharing, oh my! Thank you for any level of support you can provide! It takes a village! http://ow.ly/7vZI50Nin14