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Getting to Know Kelli Sullivan

In 1993 Kelli was living in Kenmore, Washington.  A care provider told her about a program at the woman's prison in Purdy.  They match assistance dogs to disabled individuals.  The care provider gave Kelli the information and she took it from there.  Kelli decided to utilize the aid and support of a program because she is not able to train a dog herself.  She had a German Shepherd Dog in mind, but the people at the program thought a German Shepherd  might be too much for Kelli to handle.  For her, independence began with a delightful assistance dog named Mocha. Kelli waited 5 years to be partnered with Mocha. She trained for 2 weeks with The Prison Pet Partnership Program.  Kelli Sullivan found out about the Assistance Dog Club of Puget Sound (ADC) through one of its long time members.  She was in the park with Mocha.  She was invited to an ADC summer picnic about six years ago.  Before joining ADC she "thought she was the only one with an assistance dog."  ADC helps Kelli by learning new things she may not have known about. Mocha increased Kelli's independence by retrieving dropped items. Fred, Kelli's care assistant, said that Kelli having a service dog makes his life much easier. When Mocha was 10 years old Kelli decided it was time to begin looking for a successor dog.  She knew that one cannot work a service dog into old age or if it develops physical problems.  Someone told her that 11 or 12 is a good time to retire a service dog. Kelli reapplied to The Prison Pet Partnership Program for a successor dog. About a year later Kelli was matched with Karma.   Karma, a young Golden Retriever, was and is very energetic.  She wants to be doing something all the time.  Kelli said she had to get Karma to be more patient and wait.  Not to be demanding to do something all the time. Since Kelli was unable to have two dogs in her living arrangement Mocha was placed with one of the officers at the prison. Kelli is glad that Mocha went to someone the program knew. Kelli's assistance dog picks up things that she drop, Kelli says "I drop things every day".  Having a service dog also makes Kelli feel more confident in public.  "I don't have to rely on other people or ask people for help in public." When asked how she handles questions from the public? Kelli answered "Generally, I feel it is an invasion of my privacy when people in the general public ask me questions about my assistance dog.  However I will answer questions if they ask me intelligent questions, not the dog's name or if they can pet the dog." Kelli feels that training is ongoing practice and it is important to train regularly with her dog. Kelli wanted people to know that a service dog partnership takes commitment, especially at the beginning.  The bonding doesn't happen right away. Kelli said that now that she has had two service dogs she would never want to be without one.

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