| | We’ve had a busy few months, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome the new year! We ended the year by placing nine amazing teams—a milestone worth celebrating. The new year gives us a chance to look back and reflect on the magic our dogs truly bring into people’s lives. Join us as we reflect on this past year and eagerly welcome the adventures ahead! | | | | Join us as we reflect on this past year and eagerly welcome the adventures ahead! | | Hearing Dog Team Kari & Doc | | Hearing Dog Team Christina & Danny | | Hearing Dog Team Courtney & Caro | | Skilled Companion Team Kathy & Ender | | Hearing Dog Team Tia & Dancer | | Hearing Dog Team Beth & Pruitt | | Hearing Dog Team Perry & Shandy | | Hearing Dog Team Alicia & Bloom | | Hearing Dog Team Matt & Eddie | | Matt & Eddie: The Unstoppable Duo | | |
This December, we proudly welcomed another team to Paragon: Matt and Eddie!
Matt is always ready for adventure. However, due to being Deaf, he often missed important sounds such as alarms, door knocks, and emergency alerts, leaving him dependent on those around him. Wanting to explore the world more independently and have awareness of his environment Matt reached out to Paragon in search of a Service Dog.
As the search for the perfect match began, our staff knew Matt needed a very special dog. Due to low vision and severe dog allergies, Matt required a unique, fluffy companion. Enter Eddie—a delightful Cobberdog whose strong human focus and hypoallergenic coat made him an ideal fit.
Because Matt’s allergies are severe, we wanted to be absolutely certain Eddie wouldn’t cause any issues. Eddie took his very first airplane ride to visit Matt, and immediately, Paragon staff saw how naturally they bonded. Matt was always aware of Eddie, carefully ensuring his tail was safe and sound.
A few months later, Eddie completed advanced training, and we invited Matt to team training. During those two weeks, Matt’s excitement for adventure truly shone. From riding a giant Ferris wheel to taking solo shopping trips with Eddie, Matt embraced every new experience with confidence.
We watched as Eddie and Matt grew deeply connected, moving together in perfect sync. Team training never loses its magic! Today, Eddie and Matt are thriving together at home.
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One Volunteer’s Thoughts on our Favorite Days of the Year By Vanessa Wu
I’ve never been a huge fan of traditional rites of passage. Weddings, showers, christenings, graduations—these events are not where you will find the happiest version of myself. So, if my friends and family saw me up bright and early this morning (no alarm snoozing!) and excited to arrive early to a graduation ceremony, they'd be puzzled.
Today, however, is commencement day for an exceptional group of graduates: Four new service dog teams! It has been a years-long journey for these pups and their new partners to arrive at this special day. From now on, these dogs and their humans will be working as four confident and interdependent teams: Danny and Christina, Dancer and Tia, Caro and Courtney, and E.A. Pruitt and Beth.
As an intern and volunteer with Paragon Service Dogs for the last two years I have then part in four graduations and, I have had the privilege of spending time with all four of these graduating dogs on their journey from puppyhood to partnership. But I am just one lucky member of the vast human family each of these dogs now has. Because (as the saying goes) it does indeed take a village to raise a successful service dog. This village is comprised of a large, diverse group of committed individuals—donors, sponsors, staff, trainers, puppy raisers, weekend companions, and inmate handlers—whose invaluable contributions come together to make this commencement day possible. These new service dog teams represent independence gained, confidence restored, safety strengthened, endless possibilities for the future.
When I tell people that I help to raise and train service dog puppies, they often ask me how—after all the joys, milestones, cuddles, companionship, and yes, accidents—I can let these adorable creatures go. When I hear these questions, I think of graduation day. I think of the love, the dedication, and the cooperation of so many people that make today possible. I think of the palpable joy and excitement in the air. Days like today are why I can do it. They remind me of how proud and grateful I am to be even a tiny part of this extraordinary village.
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Puppy Kindergarten!
Over the past few months, we’ve welcomed three new additions to our Paragon puppy raiser family: Granby, Gilligan, and Goose! These three are our newest class of pups being raised by Community Puppy Raiser Volunteers.
With their arrival, we’ve begun regular puppy kindergarten classes for both the puppies and their incredible volunteer puppy raisers. Walking into a room full of excited puppies never fails to bring smiles to everyone’s faces. Puppy kindergarten is not only joyful to watch—it lays the foundation for our dogs’ future success.
During class, puppies learn new cues appropriate for their age, including skills like get dressed and sit—all essential building blocks for their service dog journey. We’re thrilled to share that each puppy has either graduated or is about to graduate kindergarten! Once these cues are mastered, they move on to elementary school.
As we enter the new year, we’re delighted to watch our community based puppies continue through their training, absorbing new information and taking on challenges one step at a time. The final step for our community puppy's will be graduation into advanced training—college! But that is a long way off still. Three cheers for our new puppies!
The future is truly bright, and we extend a huge thank you to our puppy raisers for their dedication, love, and commitment to shaping these dogs’ futures.
Please enjoy the photos by Vanessa, Media Volunteer.
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Upcoming Advanced Training Students | |
As our puppies continue to grow, we’re preparing to move several dogs into advanced training in the coming months.
One of these upcoming stars is Fiona, who is the oldest of the newest class dogs!
Fiona has been raised by our wonderful puppy raisers, Trina and Jim, and she has grown so much since joining us at just four months old. During her time with them, Fiona has experienced countless adventures, from visiting fire stations to attending football games, helping her build confidence and real-world skills as she prepares for the next stage of her journey.
After Fiona we have seven other dogs up in Wyoming in the Paws’abilities program being trained by our inmate handlers. We’re excited to share some before and after photos of our next advance training class when they come down.
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| Applications are closing January 31st, 2026 | Currently, Paragon is accepting applications for service dogs. If you are interested in applying please review our eligibility criteria and apply on our website. Applications are closing at the end of this month, so apply today! | | |
Thanks for Reading!
As we close out the year, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has been part of our journey—our volunteers, supporters, puppy raisers, and community members. Your dedication and belief in our mission make every success possible. We look forward to the new year with gratitude for what we’ve shared and excitement for the lives we’ll continue to change together. Wishing you a joyful, restful, and hope-filled New Year!
With gratitude,
Paragon Service Dogs
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