Not just a man's best friend

[Crossfire Bulldogs]

Woman finds companionship, help in Labrador
John Faherty
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 5, 2006 12:00 AM

Roberta "Bobbie" Roth knows dogs. She also knew she needed help. That made her a perfect candidate to receive an assistance dog from Canine Companions for Independence.

Roth has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. People with EDS have a defect in their connective tissue, which provides support to many body parts such as the skin, muscles and ligaments.

Roth, 65, was born with the disease, but it becomes more devastating as you age.

For Roth, that meant a simple task could result in a dislocated finger, shoulder or elbow.

Now, she has Glory, a 2-year-old black Labrador who combines patience and intelligence to make Roth's life much better.

"I need a dog to pick things up for me. Open the refrigerator, open doors, pull my wheelchair," Roth said. "Glory turns my lights on and off."

Glory can even pick up a credit card or a coin off the ground.

When Roth goes shopping, it is Glory who hands over the cash and takes the change and product from the cashier.

Roth has always loved animals. She spent much of her life breeding and raising dogs.

She knows that animals like Glory are part nature and part nurture.

Canine Companions uses only golden and Labrador retrievers in addition to a cross of the two breeds.

Those dogs are known for their intelligence and their desire to help people.

CCI breeds its own dogs. At 8 weeks, a puppy goes to a puppy raiser whose job is to teach it basic obedience and how to live in a home.

When the dog reaches 15 to 18 months, it returns to CCI for extensive training, which can take six months.

Then, the recipient goes to the CCI campus in Santa Rosa, Calif., for two weeks with his or her companion.

The payoffs for the person are numerous.

"Glory has made a huge difference for me," Roth said. "Just a tremendous difference. She has reduced my pain so much."

But it goes beyond that.

"She is very intelligent. She is also a very friendly and sweet dog, and also very quiet when she needs to be," Roth added. "She is also sensitive to my needs."

And that's the thing about these dogs, they really are companions. Many will spend every moment of their life with their person.

"She is with me all the time . . . And she is a very good ice-breaker," Roth said. When you go to a store with a dog, people really take notice. Sometimes, when you are in a wheelchair, people at a store will ignore you. But not with Glory."