What started as an ordinary Wednesday for the Kents this week turned out to be a “magical day” for the family, when they were reunited with Gipper, an assistance dog they had raised for 18 months before turning him over to Canine Companions for Independence – but due to a medical condition, was unable to continue with the program.
“Even though we wanted him to live his purpose and do what he was supposed to do, we are overjoyed Gipper is back with us. It’s like a dream come true,” Emma Kent said.
That joy is clearly visible on a video the family posted on Facebook of the reunion. Gipper — who the Kents describe as a smart, energetic and fun retriever — is shown coming down a long hallway and going straight for Emma and Catherine Kent, who are crying tears of joy upon seeing again the beloved companion they had raised to help someone else in need and thought would never see again.
Raising a puppy is a fun and rewarding job, although not always easy (think house training). But when that dog is being trained as part of Canine Companions — a national nonprofit organization that provides expertly-trained assistance dogs to children, adults and military veterans with disabilities free of charge — the puppy-raising is taken to a whole new level.
The Kents turned in Gipper to Canine Companions on August 10, after 18 months of training, in a beautiful ceremony at the organization’s Northeast facility in Medford. Catherine Kent, Emma’s mother and a Riverhead Town councilwoman, described that day as very hard, but said that watching videos of people meeting their new dogs and knowing their true purpose was very helpful.
The Kents went on with their lives, adjusting to life without Gipper. Two weeks later, on August 27, Catherine Kent’s mother passed away, further devastating the family.
“My daughter and I were saying that when something like that happened, we missed Gipper even more,” Kent said.
But Gipper’s destiny changed when during a routine exam at Canine Companions this month, a test showed a problem with Gipper’s elbows. He was diagnosed with canine elbow dysplasia, a condition that made him unsuitable for the organization’s rigorous health requirements for its canines.
Most often seen in large to giant breed dogs, canine elbow dysplasia is a disease caused by growth disturbances in the elbow joint of dogs, according to the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. It is believed that the mismatch in growth between the radius and ulna bones sometimes only occurs during a puppy’s growth, but it may also persist when the pup has finished growing, and ultimately causes progressive arthritis.
The trainers and staff at Canine Companions were devastated upon learning the news, Kent said. Gipper was on the path to pass all tests and become a companion, but the progressive disease required a change of plans.
Debbie Knatz, the puppy program manager at Canine Companions, called Kent around dinner time on Wednesday and told her the news.
Although she felt sad Gipper couldn’t fulfill his original purpose, when Knatz asked if they would be willing to take him back, Kent said “a thousand times yes.” By seven o’clock that evening, the Kents had signed the adoption paperwork.
“When I saw him, it was the first time I could feel happy in a while,” Emma said. “It gave us something to be happy about after so much sadness.”
“We thought it was my Nana who did that for us,” she added. “She knew we needed him and she brought him back to us.”
Catherine Kent, who retired two years ago from a 38-year teaching career at Riley Avenue Elementary School, signed up to become a volunteer puppy raiser with Canine Companions in December 2016, after she heard about the program from a fellow retired teacher. After an interview process, she became the proud puppy-raiser of Gipper in March 2017.
“Gipper was just two months old when we he came to us,” Kent said. “We knew he was a special dog right away.”
The family understood that raising a puppy as a canine companion was serving a greater purpose, a responsibility that she and her daughter Emma took very seriously. There are specific guidelines puppy raisers have to follow and tests the dogs have to pass so they can become a future assistance dog and “change the life” of someone with disabilities. Kent said that although not all dogs are suitable for the program, Gipper always did exceptionally well.
“He is so smart, he could learn a command in just one session for us,” she said.
Volunteer raisers have to provide a safe environment for a puppy, submit monthly reports, teach them manners and basic commands, take them to obedience class, provide socialization opportunities, provide financially for the puppy’s special diet, medical and transportation expenses and, most importantly, give them lots of love.
Kent said that during the 18 months Gipper stayed with them, Gipper had playdates with other dogs almost every day. They took him to stores, parades and other places so he could have plenty of opportunities to socialize. She also said that Canine Companions was exceptional in providing them with guidance and support.
Always a happy and gentle dog who rarely barked and never growled, Kent says Gipper is happiest in the water, and he frequently went down the beach path adjacent to the Kent’s house for a swim, which in the summertime, was almost every day.
According to Canine Companions for Independence, puppies stay with puppy raisers until they’re 18 months old, and then go to continue their training with a professional dog trainer, who will teach them other important and necessary skills so they can go on to become either service dogs, hearing dogs, facility dogs, skilled companions or assistance dogs for veterans.
Catherine and Emma said that although Gipper won’t be able to be an official Canine Companion, he has a lot of potential and they think he will never be just a normal house dog.
The mother and daughter said they could see him being an emotional support dog, or going to hospitals or assisting in the school.
“He’s such a loving dog and so good around people, and at some point we might want to do something else with him, but right now it just feels really good he’s our dog,” Kent said.
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