Warrior Canine Connection Inc

Programs: The wcc therapeutic service dog training program relies on the availability of golden and labrador retriever puppies, purpose bred for health and temperament for service dog work. In 2014, two litters of puppies were bred by the wcc dog program director and raised at the wcc puppy enrichment center until they were ready to be placed in the homes of volunteer puppy foster parents. Several puppies were also donated by breeders known to produce dogs suitable for the wcc program. Recovering warriors from nicoe and wrnmmc and civilian volunteers were involved in the early socialization of these future service dogs for combat veterans with disabilities in the medical facilities and at the wcc brookeville hq. Wcc puppies were featured on a puppy cam that was viewed by millions of people around the world, providing wcc with an outstanding educational opportunity to share information about the breeding, care, therapeutic training, and benefits of service dogs to wounded warriors. A wcc dog must be approximately two years old and meet industry training standards to be eligible to be placed with a combat veteran with disabilities. The second graduation of wcc dogs took place in october 2014. Six dogs were placed in support of combat veterans with disabilities and their families.

the wcc west coast program operates out of the welcome center on the campus of the va medical center in menlo park, ca. In 2014, wcc staff provided service dog training therapy services to 13 programs at the menlo park va and the nearby palo alto va ranging from acute in-patient poly-trauma to out-patient mental health.

in 2014, warrior canine connections (wcc) provided its service dog training therapy program for post traumatic stress (pts) and traumatic brain injuries (tbi) to wounded warriors in treatment at the national intrepid center of excellence (nicoe) at walter reed national military medical center (wrnmmc) in bethesda, md. Wcc also served patients in the behavioral health and brain injury treatment programs at wrnmmc. Wcc staff provided patients and staff members with information on the use of service dogs for physical and psychological disabilities and the care and training of service dogs. Additionally, wcc dogs worked with soldiers in the warrior transition units at wrnmmc and fort belvoir, va. Field trips were also arranged for nicoe and wrnmmc patients to wcc's healing quarters in brookeville, md. Wcc also continued to provide services to recovering warriors at the neurorestorative national capitol facility in germantown, md. During 2014, wcc staff presented service dog training as a therapeutic intervention for pts and tbi to several hundred military and civilian leaders in meetings and in conjunction with tours of the nicoe and wrnmmc.