Introduction to Canine Companions
Four dogs graduated as service dogs as part of the Orlando nonprofit Canine Companions. The graduation ceremony was a heartwarming event that marked the beginning of a new journey for the dogs and their owners. As four of Canine Companions’ golden retriever and Lab mixes walked across the makeshift stage, there were no diplomas, no caps and no gowns. Instead, there were orange leashes, blue vests and wagging tails as Arugula, Chives, Bubba IV and Dawson VIII graduated to become official service dogs and walked, or in Arugula’s case, ran, right into their new owners’ arms.
The Mission of Canine Companions
Friday’s graduation ceremony was part of Canine Companions’ nearly 50-year mission to provide free service animals to people with disabilities. Florida’s Southeast Region chapter in Orlando, which hosted the ceremony, will celebrate 25 years of service on June 20. The nonprofit organization breeds dogs at its national headquarters in California, then flies them out to each region to be raised by volunteers for around a year and a half, said Adam Goldman, the Southeast chapter’s manager of public relations and marketing. Once they master basic commands, the puppies are brought to one of the organization’s six centers to be professionally trained and matched with its new owner.
Specialized Training for Hearing-Related Disabilities
All four recipients who were gifted service dogs had hearing-related disabilities, making Friday’s graduation stand out from the nonprofit’s other service dog ceremonies. The four esteemed graduates have the ability to hear and alert their owners to important sounds like doorbells, alarms and sirens. Some recipients traveled hundreds of miles for their service dog, and had waited years for a solution to their hearing-related disability.
Left to Right, Jean Henry with Chives, Iván and Marisol Velázquez with Bubba IV, Claudia McDonagh with Dawson VII, and TinaMarie Sifford with Arugula — during the Canine Companions hearing dog graduation ceremony, on Friday, June 6, 2025. Four teams graduated with their service dogs — who learned service dog skills and to alert to noises/sounds in their environment.
Life-Changing Partnerships
Sixty-year-old TinaMarie Sifford, one of the service dog recipients from Wilmington, North Carolina, came to Orlando to receive Arugula, or as she more affectionately calls her, “RuRu.” Sifford has congenital rubella syndrome, a virus that originated from her mother developing rubella during pregnancy. She was born 98% deaf. While she’s had a service animal before, she said she’s been “lost” in recent years after losing her mom and previous service dog. “I stopped going out. I stopped socializing. I stopped loving.” RuRu has changed that, she said. Now, she feels like she won’t miss “anything” in her life, whether it be someone calling her name at her North Carolina church, a doorbell ring, or simply having a companion.
The Role of Trainers
Marisol Velázquez, a junior at the University of West Florida, was gifted Bubba IV — one of what Canine Companions calls its “sports influencer puppies” to help advertise its cause. These “influencer puppies” are named after well-known sports players. Bubba IV bears his moniker from Gerry Lester “Bubba” Watson Jr., a two-time Masters Tournament champion and co-owner of the Pensacola Blue Wahoos minor-league baseball team. The golfing human Bubba even supports the barking and tail-wagging “Bubba” by reposting pictures of the black Lab and retriever mix on his social media accounts. The job of a trainer is hard, as both Daniel and Crow spent almost a year with Bubba IV only to give him up. “The month leading up to turn him in is very tough … but then once I turn him in, I’m like ‘OK, you’re where you’re supposed to be,’” Daniel said. “This is literally what he was born to do.”
Conclusion
The graduation ceremony of the four service dogs marked a new beginning for the dogs and their owners. Canine Companions has been providing free service animals to people with disabilities for nearly 50 years, and the Southeast Region chapter in Orlando has been serving the community for 25 years. The organization’s mission is to provide highly trained service dogs to people with disabilities, and the four dogs that graduated on Friday are ready to start their new journey with their owners.
FAQs
Q: What is Canine Companions?
A: Canine Companions is a nonprofit organization that provides free service animals to people with disabilities.
Q: How long has Canine Companions been serving the community?
A: Canine Companions has been serving the community for nearly 50 years, and the Southeast Region chapter in Orlando has been serving for 25 years.
Q: What kind of training do the service dogs receive?
A: The service dogs receive specialized training to assist people with disabilities, including hearing-related disabilities.
Q: How can I apply for a service dog?
A: You can apply for a service dog through the Canine Companions website or by contacting the Southeast Region chapter in Orlando.
Q: Are the service dogs free?
A: Yes, the service dogs are provided free of charge to people with disabilities.
