Kyah II

Placement | March 2021

My trainers made the difficult decision to remove me from the training program. Fortunately, I've been adopted by a family who will put all I've learned over the last year and a half to work! I will be going to a local police department daily, providing emotional support to all staff within the department, and potentially to victims who could utilize my support!

Sponsor Announcement

Retrieving Freedom staff have been working closely with Juanita Reynard to help sponsor my training. Juanita graciously donated toward a Puppy Head Start Sponsorship, which provided her the opportunity to give me my wonderful name! I want to thank Juanita from the bottom of my heart for their generosity toward my training. I hope to make her proud!!

Kyah's Journey

Stage 1 Introduction

Hello, my name is Kyah. I am proud to have been selected to enter into the Retrieving Freedom training program. My parents are "Gracie," who is fostered by the Ingersoll Family, and "Wally" from RidgeView Labradors. During this stage of training I will be spending approximately 8 months with handlers at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center (IMCC) in Coralville, Iowa.

Throughout Stage 1, I will learn the basics obedience, public behavior, and a lot of socialization. I understand that it takes a very special dog to complete the program as there is a high standard to become a Service Dog. I am aware that I may be one of the dogs whose purpose is outside of service work so I will be updating my profile on a monthly basis for all that would like to follow my journey through the program.

November 2019 - 2 months old

I got to visit the correctional facility in Iowa and practiced my "down" command in front of this funny looking statue. I wasn't phased by it at all!

December 2019 - 3 months old

I have been training hard with my handler, learning basic obedience skills such as "sit," "down," and "place," which is demonstrated in this photo. Look how big my feet are! I love snuggling with older RFI dogs at IMCC. They've been great at paving the way for me in my training! I learn so much from observing them at work.

January 2020 - 4 months old

In this photo, you can see I am working on a proper door sequence. This means that I sit before going through a doorway, to work on controlling my impulses. My handler is very dedicated to making sure I do my commands correctly, but I make it easy because I have a high drive to work and please people!

Stage 2 Introduction

Wahoo!!! I have officially been entered into stage 2 training, and I am so excited! Over the past 8 months I have had the opportunity to see the RFI mission first hand, and can’t wait to dig deeper in the mission of changing lives through my training for veterans with disabilities and children with autism. During this Stage, I will work closely with the RFI professional training staff to solidify my understanding of intermediate tasks and the foundation of future commands to help mitigate a disability. Follow me through this stage learning how I continue to make an impact!

September 2020 - 1 year old!

This month I transitioned from the correctional facility to my new handler at Iowa State University! Katie is the student who has been assigned to me. She is a part of the Animal Science program, and I'm so excited to see what we can accomplish together!

October 2020 - 13 months old

Me and all my training buddies get together once a week. We learn from each other and give tips and encouragement when it's necessary!

November 2020 - 14 months old

At the end of the month, I transitioned back to the Retrieving Freedom facility since the semester at Iowa State University ended. I will miss my handler so much and can't thank her enough for all she's dedicated to me over the past three months!

December 2020 - 15 months old

The trainer and I have been working on my mental stimulation, task training, and introducing me to new things such as the training peanut! I have been practicing pushing buttons with my nose which could eventually transition into pushing a handicap button or light switch.

January 2021 - 16 months old

Happy New Year! I spent the holidays with a wonderful Holiday Foster named Marla. We went on walks and relaxed at home. It was the perfect way to take a break from training and recharge for the new year.

February 2021 - 17 months old

I have been working through some anxiety issues with my trainers. I have been noticeably uncomfortable in a working environment.

2 comments

Juanita Reynard | Feb 28th 2020 @ 8:51 PM

So glad you have this web page for her so that I can check her progress.
Casey DeVorss | Aug 7th 2024 @ 3:47 PM

Kyah is still serving the community of Sedalia as the Sedalia Police Department's Therapy Dog. Kyah has helped bridge the gap between the police officers and many in our community. She also spends her days at the police department serving as a temporary relief away from the stressful calls for the officers and other department members.

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