What Is DogFest?

A Fundraiser For Canine Companions

What is DogFest? In the words of Canine Companions, https://www.cci.org/, the organization that puts on DogFest:

“We celebrate our love of dogs and the bond we share. DogFest raises money and encourages volunteers to support the mission and educate the public about the organization’s life-changing work of providing expertly trained service dogs to people with disabilities.”

What is DogFest? DogFest is fun, food, games…a celebration of what Service Dogs can do for people and a chance for the public to contribute.

What is DogFest? DogFest is all about raising money and galvanizing public support for raising, training and providing Service Dogs for those in need.

So, Saturday, October 5, 2019 DogFest is being held at the Baylor, Scott & White, Kinkeade Campus at 7710 Las Colinas Ridge in Irving Texas. Registration is at 10:00 AM and the Event continues to 1:00 PM. DogFest is open to everyone. There are no entrance fees and you can bring your own dog.

In Person Visitation

Moreover, I had the joy of visiting the Irving Texas campus of Canine Companions as a representative of DFW Pet Sitting Services,  https://dfwpetsitting.com/ and watching dogs being trained as well as sitting down and talking with Courtney Craig which you can see in the video below.

A Complete Program From Birth To Placement

In addition, Canine Companions has five other Regional Centers in the United States. While there are many Canine Companion Service Clubs across the United States, the Regional Centers provide a Full Circle Program in the development of a Service Dog.

For example, Canine Companions breeds their own dogs. They then turn them over to Puppy Raisers, volunteers who take care of basic obedience training and socialization for about a year. Then they transfer the dogs into the Regional Centers where they will be specifically trained for one branch of Service.

But that’s not all. When a dog finishes and passes its Service training they match that dog with a person in need and bring that person to the Regional Center where the dog will live and train with them in beautiful cottages on the campus for two weeks.

Lastly, there is periodic follow-up training and retraining of established dogs at the Regional Centers.

Opportunities For Volunteers

It is worth noting that there are many opportunities for the public to volunteer to help this fine organization.

• Breeder caretaker
• Puppy raiser
• Service Club member
• Local volunteer

In conclusion, Canine Companions has a well-organized, “soup to nuts” program that since 1975 has provided 5900 Service Dogs free of charge to needy recipients with disabilities.

Consider contributing in any manner that you can with time, talent or money. And come to DogFest on October 5, 2109, and have a good time and celebrate the fine work this organization does.