FAQ

Here are some of my most Frequently Asked Questions:

How old are you, Cole?

I’m 12 years old.

What kind of dog is Ilia?

Ilia is a male Black Lab/Golden Retriever cross. His birthday is November 28, 2002.

When Did You Get Him?

We’ve been a team since November 14, 2004.

Where did Ilia come from?

Ilia comes from Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) and his official title is “Skilled Companion”. It means he works for a child. Adults get “Service“ dogs. They have almost the exact same commands; the only difference is that Ilia has not been taught to turn a light switch on and off. In this organization, if a child is under 18 a trained facilitator has to control the leash at all times (that’s why he didn’t stay with me when I was at school.) Only my mom, dad and caregiver Eddie are certified to handle Ilia. So that’s why he’s called a “skilled companion” instead of a “service” dog.

Does Ilia ever just get to be a regular dog or is he always on duty?

You can’t believe how much sofa time this dog gets!! When he’s home, the vest is off and he’s very much a regular dog who gets buckets of love and pets and attention. He sleeps on my bed with me at night…no matter where I am! (He even slept on our bed at the fancy-pants Ritz-Carlton Hotel!) And he’s always being scratched or rubbed by some member of our family. Once the special equipment goes on, though, he knows he’s working. But that makes him very happy because he gets to go everywhere with his pack! He’s almost never home alone. And even when he is working, he still gets loads of pets and attention from his Number One Boy.

What other things do you do?

Karate, theater and horseback riding.

What type of Cerebral Palsy do you have?

Spastic Diplegia. It means I’m mostly affected from the waist down.

What is Cerebral Palsy?

It’s a brain injury. It can affect people in lots of different ways. Some people are cognitively affected, some people have speech, hearing or vision problems. Usually motor function is affected. In my case, my legs are very stiff and don’t always want to do what I tell them to.

Does Cerebral Palsy hurt?

After surgery it sure does!! But usually, no…not at all.

What would you like other kids to know?

You can’t catch cerebral palsy! It’s kind of like a broken leg; that’s not contagious, either.

What should people know about service dogs like Ilia?

PLEASE DON’T PET! If you see we are not busy and would like to pet, ask first!! And please understand if we say no; getting petted can be very distracting for Illy (he loves it!) and he can forget the job he’s supposed to be doing for me.