You may recognize the name of the furry focus of today’s interview, as he’s been the focus of several of our stories. Tavi is a 1-year-old Canine Companions for Independence puppy. State Farm^® sponsors the nonprofit organization that provides professionally trained assistance dogs to people with disabilities at no charge. Tavi, which means “good” in Hebrew, was kind enough to sit down with us recently to catch up on what’s been going on, what it’s been like being raised in a foster family and what he thinks about going to service dog school.

Q: You recently turned 1…or is it 7? We forget how dog-years work. Anyway, how did you celebrate?

A: My hooman parents bought me a puppy birthday cake – peanut butter flavor, so yummy!! My State Farm sponsor family had this big celebration at CityLine campus with cookies and cupcakes (they should have been pupcakes) for all the friendly faces who have been supporting me. I also showed off my sit, down, visit and other commands I have learned!

Q: Sounds like quite the party! Who taught you those commands and why?

A: My Birds taught me, and I know what you’re thinking, dogs are supposed to chase birds, but these Birds are different. My Birds are hooman and have a bunch of classes they attend to make sure I’m ready to go on to service dog training in February. They’ve got to teach me about 30 different commands, which I guess is a lot, but I don’t really understand numbers too well, so who knows? One of the biggest things I’m getting out of my training is learning more self-control, which can be ruff.

Q: Talk about your future plans. What’s next for you?

A: Well, once or twice a month, we go to this puppy class where I get to see other dogs like me and we do more structured practice. It’s kind of a big deal, because it’s supposed to get me ready for service dog school. That’s where me and the other dogs learn to help people who can’t do things for themselves. I’m excited to go, even though I’m going to miss my Birds. I’ll still get to visit them, though, which is great!

Q: Thanks for sitting down with us, Tavi. Anything else you’d like people to know?

A: Just that I’m thankful to the Birds, Canine Companions and State Farm for giving dogs like me the chance to help people who need it. It’s a really great deal, and I’m proud as a puppy to be a part of it. Oh, and also that you don’t always need to ask us dogs “Who’s a good boy??” We know it’s us!

Ask Before You Pet

Brooklyn Mobley is State Farm employee in Dallas who’s legally blind and is accompanied to work by her service dog, Liam. The two shared some handy tips on how folks should interact with service dogs and their owners.

1. Ask the handler/owner if you can pet the dog. Don’t be offended when you hear “NO” because the dog is working.
2. Speak to the handler/owner and not the dog. You would be surprised at how many people talk to the dog first!
3. If you ask the handler/owner if they need assistance and they decline, trust that they don’t need help.
4. Respect the handler/owners’ time. When they are at work, they can’t stop to answer frequent questions about their dog.
5. Service dogs are often on a strict diet. Don’t give them treats or try to feed them without permission from the handler/owner.

Unlike your puppy, Tavi came with an instruction manual.

Tavi is a Canine Companions for Independence puppy, sponsored by State Farm^®. The Birds were selected by State Farm and Canine Companions to raise Tavi, which means good in Hebrew. A yellow Labrador retriever, Tavi was born in August and has been living with Tony and Robin, and their 12-year-old rescue Bella, for two months.

"With Tavi, the training is formalized," Tony said of the bounding bundle of exploration. "We have goals and a monthly progress report to turn in."

While he is a puppy, and anybody who has raised a puppy knows they get more distracted than a moth at a candle festival, he is in training to be a working dog. As puppy raisers, the Birds are not just giving their home and hearts to Tavi, they are giving their time and resources to support Canine Companions, which has a schedule of milestones for Tavi to reach on his way to becoming a service animal.

"We have a sense of obligation to make sure we follow the prescribed plans they have," Tony said.

Robin said the commands they can use are just one of the differences between raising Tavi and Bella. Instead of telling Tavi "no," for example, they need to use "don't." And Tavi is on a regimented daily schedule because of the high likelihood his future owner will be on one.

"Tavi's daily grooming is another difference," Robin said. "There is teeth brushing, coat brushing, weekly trimming of his nails, and my personal favorite – cradling, aka snuggle time."

"We have never brushed our dog's teeth," Tony said. "So it has created many of the funnier moments. As a squirmy puppy, he often gets toothpaste in his nose and even once on his eyebrows."

"With Bella," Robin said, "we can take her to the groomer for all of these things."

Because Tavi will receive specialized service-animal training in early 2022, he needs to learn the vocabulary the trainers use. The Birds call his name to get his attention, and then follow with the command they are trying to teach.

"So far he is doing very well with: sit, here, down and he knows his name," Robin said. "We are working on wait and don't."

The rest of the puppy-raising world surely can appreciate that.

"We have never done formal training, so all of this is new," Tony said. "We've often adopted dogs past the puppy stage. Bella was 18 months old when we adopted her."

They have learned the importance of treats to the training process, and that regular kibble can be that treat. They have also benefitted from the power of distraction.

"The training methods from Canine Companions are to focus on and reinforce the positive, so if we see him approaching a negative situation, like reaching for the top of a trash can, rather than correction, we use distraction with kibble or a toy," Tony said. "At this point, I have even seen the distractions work on Bella, who is almost 12."

Robin shared that Tavi is being crate trained, while Bella has free roam of their home, but they have seen that Tavi is learning to like his crate and has put himself in it on a few occasions.

It's not been all work and no play. He's a puppy, so there is plenty of play time. Tavi and Bella dressed as Batman and Robin for Halloween, the Birds socialize him whenever they can, and even arrange playdates with other puppy raiser families.

As a future service dog, it is important that he is comfortable in the car and in new places, so the Birds take him everywhere. He's been to the vet, their State Farm agent's office and to shop. He's also had regular visitors through a steady stream of friends to the house.

"It's been a highlight and surprise, just how quick he is. Still only three months old, he's energetic, and not proficient at any of these, but the fact that he has the basics for his name, sit, down and here, he's well ahead of what I expected," Tony said. "There is a lot of work to do to make sure what he's learned sticks and that he continues to advance, but so far, he's doing really well and it's been a lot of fun."

Unlike your puppy, Tavi came with an instruction manual.

Tavi is a Canine Companions for Independence puppy, sponsored by State Farm^®. The Birds were selected by State Farm and Canine Companions to raise Tavi, which means good in Hebrew. A yellow Labrador retriever, Tavi was born in August and has been living with Tony and Robin, and their 12-year-old rescue Bella, for two months.

"With Tavi, the training is formalized," Tony said of the bounding bundle of exploration. "We have goals and a monthly progress report to turn in."

While he is a puppy, and anybody who has raised a puppy knows they get more distracted than a moth at a candle festival, he is in training to be a working dog. As puppy raisers, the Birds are not just giving their home and hearts to Tavi, they are giving their time and resources to support Canine Companions, which has a schedule of milestones for Tavi to reach on his way to becoming a service animal.

"We have a sense of obligation to make sure we follow the prescribed plans they have," Tony said.

Robin said the commands they can use are just one of the differences between raising Tavi and Bella. Instead of telling Tavi "no," for example, they need to use "don't." And Tavi is on a regimented daily schedule because of the high likelihood his future owner will be on one.

"Tavi's daily grooming is another difference," Robin said. "There is teeth brushing, coat brushing, weekly trimming of his nails, and my personal favorite – cradling, aka snuggle time."

"We have never brushed our dog's teeth," Tony said. "So it has created many of the funnier moments. As a squirmy puppy, he often gets toothpaste in his nose and even once on his eyebrows."

"With Bella," Robin said, "we can take her to the groomer for all of these things."

Because Tavi will receive specialized service-animal training in early 2022, he needs to learn the vocabulary the trainers use. The Birds call his name to get his attention, and then follow with the command they are trying to teach.

"So far he is doing very well with: sit, here, down and he knows his name," Robin said. "We are working on wait and don't."

The rest of the puppy-raising world surely can appreciate that.

"We have never done formal training, so all of this is new," Tony said. "We've often adopted dogs past the puppy stage. Bella was 18 months old when we adopted her."

They have learned the importance of treats to the training process, and that regular kibble can be that treat. They have also benefitted from the power of distraction.

"The training methods from Canine Companions are to focus on and reinforce the positive, so if we see him approaching a negative situation, like reaching for the top of a trash can, rather than correction, we use distraction with kibble or a toy," Tony said. "At this point, I have even seen the distractions work on Bella, who is almost 12."

Robin shared that Tavi is being crate trained, while Bella has free roam of their home, but they have seen that Tavi is learning to like his crate and has put himself in it on a few occasions.

It's not been all work and no play. He's a puppy, so there is plenty of play time. Tavi and Bella dressed as Batman and Robin for Halloween, the Birds socialize him whenever they can, and even arrange playdates with other puppy raiser families.

As a future service dog, it is important that he is comfortable in the car and in new places, so the Birds take him everywhere. He's been to the vet, their State Farm agent's office and to shop. He's also had regular visitors through a steady stream of friends to the house.

"It's been a highlight and surprise, just how quick he is. Still only three months old, he's energetic, and not proficient at any of these, but the fact that he has the basics for his name, sit, down and here, he's well ahead of what I expected," Tony said. "There is a lot of work to do to make sure what he's learned sticks and that he continues to advance, but so far, he's doing really well and it's been a lot of fun."

Join the conversation on Yammer!

Raising a puppy isn’t easy. They may be cute, but they require lots of attention and are a big responsibility. Imagine putting in the love and commitment to raising a puppy only to give it up 18 months later. State Farm employees Robin and Tony Bird are doing just that…and they couldn’t be happier.

For thousands of people with disabilities, a service dog allows them to live life independently. State Farm is excited to sponsor a service dog through Canine Companions for Independence. The non-profit organization provides professionally trained assistance dogs at no charge. Service animals are highly trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability. Since 1975, Canine Companions has placed over 6,600 service dogs.

“We’re very happy about our partnership with State Farm and believe it is the perfect opportunity to engage employees around a positive, ‘good neighbor’ cause that can make a transformational difference in the lives of children, adults and veterans with disabilities,” said Bryan Harding from Canine Companions.

The sponsorship is also providing a unique volunteer opportunity for Robin and Tony. They volunteered and were selected to raise the Canine Companions puppy, sponsored by State Farm.

“We had been looking for some ways to give back, and animal charities are one place where we often gravitate,” said Robin. “With 34 combined years with State Farm, Tony and I are aware of the many ways State Farm gives back. This is such a unique way to give back to the community in a personal and highly impactful way. We couldn't be happier to be selected as puppy raisers.”

A Good Boy

State Farm employees were presented with the chance to name the puppy and while “Jake” may have seemed like a logical name, the puppy wasn’t born in a “J” litter. To help track the hundreds of puppies born into the program, each litter is assigned a letter of the alphabet. The State Farm puppy was born in the “T” litter so the name needed to be short and begin with the same letter.

Tex. Tip. Toast. All are fun and cute names, but this puppy was going to grow up to do good things. It needed a good name because it was part of the Good Neighbor family.

Meet Tavi.

In Hebrew, tavi means “good” and it couldn’t be a better name for him. Tavi is a male Labrador retriever/golden retriever cross and since he is yellow, he is already wearing khakis! Born on Aug. 17, Tavi will leave the nest and meet the Birds in mid-October 2020.

In his first 18 months, the Birds will help Tavi learn basic obedience, social skills and manners. After that, he will move on to professional training with Canine Companions staff where he will learn advanced commands like turning on and off lights and picking up dropped items.

Giving a Dog a Job

It is expensive to breed, raise and train each Canine Companions assistance dog. Volunteers and donations are necessary in order to continue providing assistance dogs at no cost to recipients.

Each year, Canine Companions for Independence hosts DogFest. The dog-friendly event celebrates the human-animal bond and raises money for a great cause. Like most events this year, DogFest has gone virtual. While there will be less fur, the fun won’t stop!

Join other pet lovers for DogFest Texas on Saturday, Oct. 3, from 11:00 a.m to noon, CDT and help give a dog a job. There are a variety of ways to participate:

• Register and fundraise to support a great cause. Registration is FREE. All funds go toward training assistance dogs for people in need. You can even form a team to help Canine Companions raise funds!
• Participate in fun activities on the DogFest Texas Facebook event page. You can even share how your dog brings you joy with this downloadable sign.
• Make a donation! Your generous support helps give the gift of freedom to people with disabilities. All donations made to Canine Companions are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

For thousands of people with disabilities, a service dog allows them to live life independently. State Farm is excited to sponsor a service dog through Canine Companions for Independence. The non-profit organization provides professionally trained assistance dogs at no charge. Service animals are highly trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability. Since 1975, Canine Companions has placed over 6,600 service dogs.

“We’re very happy about our partnership with State Farm and believe it is the perfect opportunity to engage employees around a positive, ‘good neighbor’ cause that can make a transformational difference in the lives of children, adults and veterans with disabilities,” says Bryan Harding from Canine Companions.

The sponsorship is also providing a unique volunteer opportunity for Robin and Tony. They volunteered and were selected to raise the Canine Companions puppy, sponsored by State Farm.

“We had been looking for some ways to give back, and animal charities are one place where we often gravitate,” said Robin. “With 34 combined years with State Farm, Tony and I are aware of the many ways State Farm gives back. This is such a unique way to give back to the community in a personal and highly impactful way. We couldn't be happier to be selected as puppy raisers.”

A Good Boy

State Farm employees were presented with the chance to name the puppy and while “Jake” may have seemed like a logical name, the puppy wasn’t born in a “J” litter. To help track the hundreds of puppies born into the program, each litter is assigned a letter of the alphabet. The State Farm puppy was born in the “T” litter so the name needed to be short and begin with the same letter.

Tex. Tip. Toast. All are fun and cute names, but this puppy was going to grow up to do good things. It needed a good name because it was part of the Good Neighbor family.

Meet Tavi.

In Hebrew, tavi means “good” and it couldn’t be a better name for him. Tavi is a male Labrador retriever/golden retriever cross and since he is yellow, he is already wearing khakis! Born on August 17, Tavi will leave the nest and meet the Birds in mid-October 2020.

In his first 18 months, the Birds will help Tavi learn basic obedience, social skills and manners. After that, he will move on to professional training with Canine Companions staff where he will learn advanced commands like turning on and off lights and picking up dropped items.

Giving a Dog a Job

It is expensive to breed, raise and train each Canine Companions assistance dog. Volunteers and donations are necessary in order to continue providing assistance dogs at no cost to recipients.

Each year, Canine Companions for Independence hosts DogFest. The dog-friendly event celebrates the human-animal bond and raises money for a great cause. Like most events this year, DogFest has gone virtual. While there will be less fur, the fun won’t stop!

Join other pet lovers for DogFest Texas on Saturday, Oct. 3, from 11:00 a.m to noon, CDT and help give a dog a job. There are a variety of ways to participate:

• Register and fundraise to support a great cause. Registration is FREE. All funds go toward training assistance dogs for people in need. You can even form a team to help Canine Companions raise funds!
• Participate in fun activities on the DogFest Texas Facebook event page. You can even share how your dog brings you joy with this downloadable sign.
• Make a donation! Your generous support helps give the gift of freedom to people with disabilities. All donations made to Canine Companions are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

There is crime-fighting hero protecting the citizens of Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. His name is Judge and his super nose helps find evidence at fire scenes.

Arson K9 Judge is a 7-year-old, yellow Labrador retriever. He has been in service since early 2011. His handler and partner, Allentown Fire Chief Lee Laubach, met Judge for the first time in the spring of 2011. That's when they first began training together through the State Farm Arson Dog Program. They have been investigating fires for the Allentown Fire Department ever since. In 2016, the duo were recognized as the Arson Dog of the Year during the annual American Humane Hero Dog Awards™.

Paws for a Cause in Wayland, MI raised him to be a disability assistance dog. At a year old, it became apparent that Judge’s enthusiastic work drive and personality wasn’t a service dog fit. However, he did have a strong prey drive – the desire to chase and find things. This made him ideal for accelerant detection. He went to Maine to train for a career change.

As an arson dog, Judge is thrives in three major areas: investigation, deterrent, and education. As an investigator, Judge has worked over 275 fire scenes. The evidence he found has led to multiple criminal arrests and civil penalties for fraud cases.

As a deterrent, the numbers speak for themselves. Arson fires have dropped 53% since began service in Allentown. Media reports of his assignment led to quick closure of a recent case. Juveniles who set a house fire returned to the scene of the crime. When they saw Judge, they confessed and turned themselves in to detectives. They knew it was just a matter of time before they were caught.

As an educator, Judge has done nearly 540 fire safety programs. Crime watch groups, specialty dog shows, elementary and high school programs are among the audiences for his demonstrations. Chief Laubach gets calls from parents letting him know their children remind them to change the smoke alarm batteries – because “Judge said so!” The Allentown Fire Department even also has a pilot program where Judge helps convey safety messages to autistic children. He has been instrumental in making the entire Lehigh Valley and neighboring communities more aware of fire and life safety.

Intentionally set fire losses cost billions of dollars in property and hundreds of lives annually. State Farm helps combat arson fraud and assists law enforcement investigations through its Arson Dog Program. Since 1993, 370 dogs and their partners have gone through the program. An “arsonist’s worst nightmare”, they work in 44 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian provinces.

State Farm has also been a sponsor of the American Humane and the Hero Dog Awards since 2012. The annual event recognizes and celebrates the contributions and bravery of canines. Eight amazing dogs took home top honors in their individual categories. Named as the overall 2016 American Hero Dog of the Year was an English Mastiff named Hooch. He overcame horrific abuse and disfigurement and became an inspiration for autistic, abused, and special needs children. All of the heroic canines and their human partners joined celebrity guests in Beverly Hills, CA, this past September. The emotional awards ceremony aired October 28 on the Hallmark Channel.

2016 American Humane Hero Dog Awards Category Winners

Emerging Hero Dog category and 2016 American Hero Dog of the Year

• Hooch (Tehachapi, CA)

Arson Dog category (sponsored by State Farm)

• Judge (Allentown, PA)

Guide/Hearing Dog category

• Hook (Sacramento, CA)

Law Enforcement Dog category

• K-9 Edo (Los Angeles, CA)

Military Dog category

• Layka (Galena, KS)

Search and Rescue Dog category

• Kobuk (York, ME)

Service Dog category

• Gander (Great Lakes, IL)

Therapy Dog category

• Mango (Las Cruces, NM)