Pete came to us all the way from Penn Valley, California. He is a retired law enforcement officer who began noticing the tremors associated with Parkinson's Disease in 1982. Pete was using a cane and a walker to try to help steady himself, but these devices are no longer used thanks to his devoted four-legged partner, Miles. Pete is now falling less because of the counter-balance that Miles provides. She also told us that even though Penn Valley is filled with gold, she and Pete found their gold right here in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, with Independence Dogs.
All dogs involved in our program receive approximately a year and a half of basic training.
As each dog's unique personality and temperament emerges, he or she is carefully matched with a Parkinsonian. IDI trainers spend hundreds of hours training the dogs to meet the patient's individual needs. If you would like more information about the Parkinson's Walker Dog Program, please contact us.