The Unbreakable Bond: Service Dogs and Their Life-Saving Impact with Jennifer Arnold

Educating dogs to change the world, that’s the work of Canine Assistants founded in 1991 by Jennifer Arnold, in the wake of her father’s unexpected death and her diagnosis of multiple sclerosis at age 16. Fueled by legacy and limitation, Jennifer funded her scrappy startup with wide-ranging odd jobs and a donation bucket at the local Walmart. To date, the non-profit has placed over 3,000 service dogs with people who have mobility difficulties, Type 1 Diabetes, epilepsy/seizure disorders, and other special needs. Their Community Service Dogs provide therapy in Children's Hospitals for patients, families, and staff, and their Community Facilitators are helping scale their work across America. 

Join us for poignant and heartwarming stories of superhero dogs who love us enough to save our lives, and learn a bit about the science behind their impressive capabilities. And if you’re looking for tips and tricks for your own pup, Jennifer Arnold shares her Bond-Based Approach to teaching dogs, which forgoes traditional training methods, focusing instead on the powerful bond between humans and our canine companions. 

Visit HopeIsMyMiddleName.com for episode transcript, videos, and links to Jennifer Arnold and Canine Assistants. 

If you liked this episode, listen next to Hope and Healing for Kids and Families Living with Autism: Dr. Theresa Hamlin, Hope Is My Middle Name season 4, episode 9. 

Hosted and executive produced by Kate Tucker, Hope Is My Middle Name is a podcast by Consensus Digital Media in collaboration with Reasonable Volume.

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