AKC Humane Fund ACE Award – Service Dog: Bea – Handler: Buddy Niner

AKC Humane Fund ACE Award – Service Dog: Bea – Handler: Buddy Niner

1. You and Bea met through Warrior Canine Connection, which supports the animal-human connection through a mission-based trauma recovery model. How did you become aware of the organization?

Buddy Niner: I was scrolling Facebook when I saw that Warrior Canine Connection (WCC) had named one of their puppies—WCC’s Smitty—after Marine Corps Sergeant David James Smith, who I was deployed with in Afghanistan. It stopped me in my tracks. I reached out and said something like, “I hope this puppy goes on to do something great—he has big shoes to fill. I served with Sergeant Smith.” Not long after, WCC got back to me and invited me to visit their Healing Quarters in Boyds, Maryland, and that’s how I got involved and when everything really began to shift for me.

2. What are some of the services Bea performs and how have they improved your daily life?

Buddy Niner: Bea helps me with nightmare interruption and will wake me if I’m having a bad nightmare. She also interrupts my stress cues by licking me or bopping me with her nose. And in crowded places, just being there and having her by my side gives me a sense of calm.

3. Would you say she approaches your partnership with the Labrador Retriever’s typical gentleness, intelligence, and adaptability?

Buddy Niner: Yes, one hundred percent. She knows when to turn it on and when to be goofy, and she’s always loving no matter what. And it’s not just me; my family and everyone at the firehouse enjoys having her around.

4. Can you share a specific experience that demonstrates how Bea has improved the quality of your life?

Buddy Niner: Bea has improved the quality of my life by helping me to go to different things with my kids–like their cheer and sporting events, things like that. When I have hard days at work, she’s always there to calm me down and is by my side. Before Bea, I had not taken a vacation with my family for years, but we went on one, all together, after I got her. She gives me courage to try new things and keep going, and she gives me a real sense of purpose.

5. In your opinion, is there a growing need for Service Dogs in society, particularly to assist veterans and others who may be living with PTSD?

Buddy Niner: Yes, I think there is, especially for Veterans. There are so many Veterans out there who don’t get help because of how hard the process can be, or they refuse to get help because they don’t know what’s available out there for them.

I meet people all the time who would love to have a Service Dog but say they don’t feel like they deserve one. I used to feel that way, too. But after seeing firsthand at WCC the incredible changes these dogs make—and how thoughtfully they match each dog’s unique personality with a Veteran—it completely changed my perspective.

I encourage anyone interested in learning more to visit Warrior Canine Connection’s website.