Visitors to Disneyland on March 29 were even more delighted than usual when they caught sight of some very special guests – a handful of service dogs in training from Canine Companions for Independence!
The pups, decked out in a variety of the park’s famous mouse ears, enjoyed a well-deserved day of fun, complete with rides, character meet-and-greets, and plenty of precious photo ops!
The dogs had a grand old time experiencing Disney’s slow-moving attractions, including the Teacups, Pirates of the Carribean, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Adventureland’s Jungle Cruise, the Haunted Mansion, and Ariel’s Undersea Adventure.
Kendra Clark of Canine Companions stated via Twitter :
“Our service pups in training can go on any ride a pregnant woman can.”
They also met several of their favorite Disney characters like Chip & Dale, Winnie the Pooh, Tigger and fellow clever canine, Pluto.
— Kendra (@Kendraandziggy) April 1, 2018
Despite these fun-filled adventures, the dogs were technically still working. Part of their training is to learn to navigate crowds and noisy, unfamiliar surroundings. Trips like this help them learn to better serve their future humans.
“Disneyland is the perfect place to socialize our puppies to crowds, loud noises, different sights and smells, and different kinds of people,” Clark told The Dodo.
Judging by this last photo snapped during dinner, the dogs had a wonderful day at the park!
All the Canine Companions service dogs in-training are Labrador or Golden Retrievers. Each undergoes two full years of intensive training before graduating and getting matched with the people they will serve.
The non-profit organization has been providing service dogs free of charge to people in need since 1975. Learn more and donate to this worthy cause here!
Featured Image via Twitter/Erin Boetzer
