I am a Retired Marine and my name is Corie. On July of 2014 I began not only looking, but doing research regarding a Service Dog, but everywhere I looked either wanted too much money or the waiting list was either closed or so far out you could forget about a call back. Then a fellow Marine let me know that he had German Shepherd puppies that needed to find good homes. I met Zorro for the first time on August 15, 2014 and I would be lying if I said I we didn’t connect the second our eyes locked. I can’t explain what happened, but when people say you don’t choose your animal, they choose you, it’s the truth. Zorro came up to me and treated me as if I was a Porcelain Doll; reprimanding his sibling for tugging at my hair and gently lapping at my back, almost as if he knew I was unwell. I knew then that not only had I found an animal that would make a great Service Dog, but my best friend.

On August 17, 2014 Zorro was homeward bound with me, one problem; I was still in search of a trainer. It wasn’t until September of 2014 that I was referred to Canine CompanionsUSA and let me tell you; it couldn’t have come sooner. Love may not have saved Zorro had Canine CompanionsUSA not come along. Because of the fact that I was still working, I had to leave Zorro at my apartment from anywhere between 10-11 hours alone a day. Leaving a 10 month old puppy alone in an apartment meant that he decided to eat not only my couch, my blinds, my bed, my vinyl records, my bathroom, etc… I think you get the picture. Why wasn’t I putting him in his kennel you may ask? I was; he was just managing to break out of it even when I duck taped all parts of the cage.

Thanks to the discipline and training given under the steady hand of Master Trainer Robert Tucker, Zorro has grown into what is expected of a Service Dog. As a Marine I pride myself on always striving to better myself; that includes my best friend, Zorro. Fortunately for us, Mr. Tucker and Canine CompanionsUSA not only share our mindset, but enjoy keeping our training at our pace so that we never either get stuck or bored. Overall, without them, I don’t think I would have been able to have kept Zorro let alone brought out his potential, I truly am grateful.