Canine Companions for Independence — a national non-profit organization that provides assistance dogs for children and adults with disabilities — is proud to announce that Burlington County resident, Luke Noller has recently received a Canine Companions Assistance Dog.
Eight year old Luke was matched with Noble, a two-year-old golden retriever/lab cross who has been trained to respond to over 50 commands. Noble can turn light switches on and off, open and close doors and retrieve dropped objects. However, one of his most important jobs will be to provide constant companionship for Luke.
Luke and Noble returned to Marlton after completing Canine Companion’s recent Team Training Class, an intense, two-week course held at Canine Companion’s Northeast Regional Center in Medford, NY — one of five such centers nationwide. The Northeast Regional Center serves a 13-state area from Maine to Virginia.
Each student who attends Team Training — held at each center four times a year — is paired with a fully trained, working assistance dog, like Noble, and is taught to work with his/her canine companion. The training course consists of daily lectures, exams, practice and public outings.
Luke and Noble are settling into a routine back home in Marlton.
“Noble is a very special dog and I hope to have many wonderful years with him,” Noller said.
For more information about Canine Companions for Independence, contact the Northeast Regional Center at 1–800–572-BARK or visit us at www.cci.org.
