Trains dogs and offers dogs to people with disabilities.   Service dogs, hearing dogs, skilled companion dogs and facility dogs are trained primarily to help with mobility disabilities and hearing impairments.   Service dogs are used to help with mobility problems (e. g. picking up dropped items, carrying items, turning on and off light switches, pulling a person in a wheelchair up hills and curbs and offering a source of physical protection and companionship).   Hearing dogs alert people who are deaf or hard of hearing to crucial daily sounds (e. g. telephone, doorbell, baby crying, and fire alarm).   Skilled companion dogs are provided for children with disabilities, and adults with developmental disabilities, or for any situation where the supervision of a third party is required. Facility dogs work with professional caregivers in hospitals, hospices, nursing facilities, and other programs to improve the health and well-being of those in their care.    Also provides a required two-week training in California for new owners of dogs.   Coordinates and solicits volunteers to provide basic training and socialization for puppies, ages 8 weeks through 18 months.   Puppies are received from the Northwest Regional Center of Canine Companions for Independence (CCI).   Volunteers are interviewed before receiving a dog.   The following is a partial list of requirements for volunteer puppy raisers:   -  Puppy raiser must attend  approved puppy training classes and puppy must be fed according to Canine Companions specifications.   -  Foster family must have an enclosed yard or kennel and foster family must agree to return puppy upon request.   -  Puppy may be returned to puppy raiser when it is retired from service.   -  The CCI puppy should be the only young puppy (12 months and younger) in the foster family household.

Trains service dogs for veterans with mental and/or physical disabilities to be reliable public access dogs that behave well in public and at home.   The dogs are trained to perform general tasks, for example opening the fridge, a door, picking up items and so on. Dogs are also trained to provide a calming presence. If you have nightmares, the dog could be trained to wake you and calm you down.

Empowers people with disabilities to greater heights by providing highly-skilled mobility assistance dogs for individuals.

Provides guide dogs and service dogs to enhance the mobility and independence of those who may need them.

Provides placement of professionally trained assistance dogs to assist individuals with everyday tasks. Waitlist for dogs can be as short as one year but average about two years.