Elijah, a Golden Retriever and Labrador cross service dog in training, recently went on a field trip to Disneyland to test his focus, according to his trainer, Ashley Wilt.
Wilt is a volunteer to raise and train puppies at Canine Companions for Independence (CCI), which is a nonprofit organization that works with people across the country to train and provide service dogs for free to those who are in need.
Wilt recently took Elijah to Disneyland to test his focus. According to The Dog People website, Wilt believes Disneyland is a great place to train future service dogs, because there are so many factors that could distract a dog – like placed filled with people, food stalls, children, and of course, Disney characters!
In a series of posts by Wilt, it appeared like Elijah passed all his tests and handled everything perfectly.
“The goal of a puppy raiser is to raise a confident and well-adjusted puppy that will succeed in professional training and eventually have a future as a service dog,” Wilt told The Dog People.
After a year of training and spending time together, Wilt said Elijah will be leaving for his next advanced training soon.
“The goodbyes are hard, but it is only one part of the journey,” Wilt shared with The Dog People. “The months of love while raising the puppy and the years of pride after they graduate overshadows the bouts of sadness that are weaved in the middle.
