Today we’d like to introduce you to Cassidy Parker
Hi Cassidy, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I began working as a kennel technician for a veterinarian in 2015. There was an aggressive dog boarding that I loved to take for walks and when the older workers saw how invested I was in that dog they suggested that I look into becoming a dog trainer. That day I told my mom I wanted to be a dog trainer and when she asked “What kind?” I told her “Service Dogs for Veterans!” We went home and searched Service Dogs for Veterans into Google and Bill Brightman’s organization was the first new article that popped up. When I got ahold of Bill’s e-mail we found out that he lived only FIFTEEN minutes away from our house and was very willing to help me and enthusiastic about me dedicating my Senior Project at Gree Middle College Charter Highschool (GMC) to SD4V. He let me meet up with him and see him train and he introduced me to Connie Cleveland who established Dog Trainers Workshop in Fountain Inn. She hired me as a Kennel Technician and I worked my way up to Kennel Manager, Trainer, and then Training Manager. I got to this point by following closely and asking lots of questions to dog trainers that I look up to such as Connie Cleveland-Nolan, Bill Brightman, Cat Perry, Pat Nolan, Megan Richardson, Vinnie Somma, and Emma Nance. In a field like this it is important to be observant and collaborate with others so that you can solidify how to teach owners how to help an owner improve the life of their dog. I am so grateful to all the dog trainers and coworkers that have helped me get where I am today.
The reason working with veterans stood out to me is because my Dad retired from the military when I was one. My parents always raised me to have a strong respect to those who have served in the military as well as for families who have a loved one in the military. I am so grateful that I can use my skills to benefit veterans and dogs.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Working with dogs is a 24/7 gig. Dogs have to eat. Even on Christmas. When I was working with boarding dogs I would work many holidays and with the support of my parents I appreciated the work that I was doing. Finding a balance between the dogs and home life can be hard, but it always works out and it always ends up being worth it in the end!
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Service Dogs For Veterans?
SD4V is a program for veterans. We are mainly geared towards Veterans with diagnosed PTSD who are searching for a service dog. The program is split into two phases which opens the options for veterans who think a trained service dog may benefit them. The first three months are the companion dog phase and the last five months are the service dog phase. Having these two phases opens up the opportunity for two things, 1: For a veteran who does not want a service dog to go into public with them, but would loved a trained dog to be with them in their home environment and 2: For a veteran to bring a dog that they already own through the companion dog program to see if with training their pet dog be trained to be their service dog. We are known because our donors allow us to accept veterans into the program for just $199 total. We are also known because if a veteran comes to us in search of a dog I will help them find a dog that is a good fit. About 75% of our veterans have graduated the program with their personal dogs and 2% we have paired dogs with. Because of this we are always looking for fosters to help watch dogs while they are waiting to be paired with their veteran. One of the main aspects of out program sets us apart from other and that is that the veterans that come through the program train and live with their dog. It is common in the Service Dog world that applicants are given an already trained dog and then taught how to utilize that dogs training, but our program is designed so that the veteran comes in and works with a trainer in a class environment for 1 hour once a week and then the veteran spends the rest of the week training with their dog to practice their homework. This is especially important in creating a strong bond between dog and veteran as well as giving the veteran confidence in them and their dog’s ability as a team. I am so proud all 176 service dog graduates and the 62 companion dogs that have graduated our program in the past ten years. I am so grateful to work with our other two trainers James Ault, who is a graduate of the program, and Kristen Davidson. With these two talented trainers we are able to continuously improve our curriculum and continue to have a large impact on each veteran and dog that comes through our program. If you’re interested in reading about our program or some of our graduates stories or applying to be a foster volunteer go to our Facebook or website SD4V.org!
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
It is so important in the dog world to learn from other trainers, local and well known. Learn what to do and what not to do. Ask many questions and take notes. You can learn a lot from a dog by just being observational. A great book to read if this subject is interesting to you is Animals Make Us Human by Temple Grandin.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://SD4V.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sd4vets/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sd4vets
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sd4v/posts/?feedView=all
