Disneyland is the most magical place on earth.
That doesn’t mean humans are the only ones who can enjoy it. Recently, a group of service dogs got to have some fun in the park. A group of dogs working with Canine Companions for Independence, a nonprofit group that provides highly trained assistance dogs to help people with disabilities for free, got to take a field trip to Disneyland.
This may look like a fun trip, but these dogs were busy at work.
Disneyland is a pretty stimulating environment, which means there are plenty of distractions for these dogs: the smells, the people, the characters. It wouldn’t take much for a working dog to forget he is at work and start playing around and running wild in the park.
These dogs can’t do that.
They are being trained to maintain their composure in any setting. No matter where they are, they need to be able to work with their owners and be completely focused on their needs. If they can stay focused at Disneyland, they can stay focused anywhere.
Of course, it can’t be all work and no play for these pups. After all, they are still learning, and they deserve to have a few breaks every now and then. Their trainers gave them a chance to enjoy the park, too. They got to meet some of the Disney characters and even get on some of the rides. They also had a take a few photos and get some autographs and souvenirs.
What Disneyland trip would be complete without a set of mouse ears?
The dogs got to get some to match their personalities. They looked so cute in them that a lot of guests couldn’t help but stop and pet them and talk with their trainers. This was also a good test for the dogs.
Laura Allen, a representative from the organization, made it a point to take lots of photos in front of many iconic Disney spots in the park. She also shared them on social media and on the group’s website. The dogs seemed to have a lot of fun. At the end of the day, they were worn out and ready to go back home, so they could get some sleep. Disneyland will do that to you.
Once these pups have passed all their training, they will be sent out to people who are in need of service dogs.
Service dogs are great for all types of situations. They can help lead blind people, help disabled people turn off lights and fetch things they can’t reach, alert diabetics when their insulin is low, and even act as therapy animals who offer comfort in stressful situations.
According to the Service Animal Association:
“A service dog is individually trained to perform tasks that mitigate the disability of his owner. Training typically takes 18-24 months. Because of his advanced training, a service dog is considered medical equipment and is permitted to accompany his disabled owner to many places where pets are not permitted.”
These dogs are working hard to become the best service dogs they can be, and someday, they will change lives.
It takes a special dog to be able to handle the training and stress of this type of work and a special person to train them. These dogs and trainers have a close bond that allows them to work together so well. Not all dogs get to go to Disneyland, but these dogs were so well-behaved there and had so much fun that it’s easy to see why they got to enjoy a quick little vacation in the midst of serious training.
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Goodnight 💤💤💤💤 pic.twitter.com/gXHCXxnDx8
— Laura Allen (@LA03) April 3, 2018
