Almost everyone dreams of going to Disneyland, and you are considered lucky if you get to have this magical experience in your life. Would you feel jealous to know that a very special dog just got to hang out there with all his favorite characters?
Elijah was able to spend a day at Disneyland for a good cause. The 1-year-old Labrador retriever was brought there by his volunteer raiser, Ashely Wilt. This is a part of his training as a service dog through Canine Companions for Independence, an organization that provides free assistance dogs to people with disabilities.
Wilt received Elijah when he was just eight weeks old, and she wanted him to get comfortable with being around a lot of people. This is one of the skills he has to develop as a service dog and Disneyland is the best place for him to learn it.
Obviously, Elijah didn’t just get a training experience there; he was also able to enjoy meeting all his favorite Disney characters. “Working is fun for him so he loved showing off all of his commands while we trained at Disney,” Wilt said.
Photo uploaded by Fostering Puppies on Instagram
Wilt always takes Elijah wherever she goes, so he mastered a lot of skills too. He sits with her in school, and he behaves well during hours of lectures. He also flew with her on more than 20 flights.
In a few weeks, Elijah will be moving on to the next phase of his training, where a new raiser will guide him. Wilt feels sad about this, but she knows this is important so the dog could help others who need him.
Although this is the fourth dog she trained, Wilt always feels emotional when it’s time to say goodbye. She says, “It doesn’t get any easier.” But though their journey is coming to an end, she will always be proud to have been a part of changing someone’s life.
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Video uploaded by Fostering Puppies on Instagram
