Dogs do speak, but only to those that know how to listen. This was a very special piece I created in 2014 and features "Tillie", a CCI service dog who specializes in speech pathology with her handler Kim. She has been an instrumental tool in many kids lives out in California. This was my artistic interpretation of how patient and loving dogs can truly be. The original was auctioned off to Canine Companions For Independence, With all proceeds furthering their mission of placing service dogs with war veterans and the disabled.
"Founded in 1975, Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly-trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partnerships. CCI trains four types of assistance dogs to master over 40 specialized commands: Service Dogs, Skilled Companions, Hearing Dogs and Facility Dogs. After completing training, the dogs are teamed with a graduate during an intensive two week training period."
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