To a dog owner, there’s nothing like the greeting at the door after a long day at work. The tail wagging, the doggy smiles, kisses and excitement, all just for being you.

For Falls Church resident Matt Trott, a 44-year-old with Friedreich's ataxia, his companion dog “Fame,” makes his wheelchair easier to handle. “Originally, I guess I wanted a service dog to have someone who is always there for you and is interested in helping you make your life better,” Trott said, responding via email. Friedreich's ataxia is a genetic disorder that affects his coordination and muscle control so the wheelchair is a necessity. Trott recently just got his second companion dog, named Fame, after his first service dog died in August, and now has a companion that gives him unconditional dedication, helping him accomplish the daily tasks Trott needs to live a normal life. This fall, when he was on his own, “I missed the awesomeness of having a service dog,” he said.

Although dogs are smart, they don’t get to be companion dogs all by themselves. There is an 18-month training course they go through, following a rigorous course laid out by professional organizations to qualify the dogs for this type of work. For McLean residents Matt and Laura Clark, raising a second puppy for Canine Companions for Independence will help someone in ways that’s hard to imagine for people without disabilities. “It’s something to give back to the community,” said Laura Clark, who is a former NFL cheerleader and Mrs. Georgetown America 2014.

The dogs are used by veterans that may have a hard time getting back into regular life, an amputee or a child with an emotional disability. The companion dog “helps the child open up,” Clark said. With a disabled veteran, “it’s a hard adjustment just to be accepted by the public,” she added, but the companion dog makes it easier. For Trott, “a service dog takes the eyes away from my wheelchair and my disability and people are instead drawn to the dog,” he said.

To prepare for their role as companion dog raisers, the Clarks went through training with Canine Companions which began with a three-hour, in-person session, followed by classes, videos and update sessions that are given while the trainee dog is at their home. The Clark’s puppy, “Yogi,” is a Golden Retriever they got when he was eight weeks old. Canine Companions uses Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, or a mix of both. “These dogs are very people friendly, very eager to learn,” she said. Canine Companions has a breeding program at their national headquarters in Santa Rosa, Calif.

The Clarks’ first dog went to a woman in New York that they had no contact with before, but now that she has the dog the Clarks raised, they hear from her from time to time. “We never know who the dog is matched with,” she said.

As the service dogs become a more common site in this area, organizations are more willing to adjust the rules to let them in the door. At Honest Soul yoga in Kingstowne, there are two yogis that have their dog alongside in yoga class, although the dog and student don’t do the downward dog together. “We want everyone to have an opportunity to practice yoga and by opening the space to service dogs we can do just that,” said Honest Soul manager Suzie Mills. Starbucks is another place where the dogs are welcome. “Starbucks always welcomes service dogs in our store, it’s part of our welcoming experience,” a Starbucks spokesperson said.

John Bentzinger is with the Northeast Region of Canine Companions for Independence, located in Medford, Long Island, N.Y. He pointed out that the dogs they train can be used for a variety of reasons, whether it’s for victims of sexual abuse or other violent crimes, or part of the Wounded Veterans Initiative that places dogs with disabled veterans. One of Canine Companions dogs was recently placed with a Marine who was a quadruple amputee after stepping on an IED in Afghanistan.

One trained dog costs the organization in excess of $50,000 to raise and train, and these dogs are provided at no cost to the recipient. They are heavily reliant on donations. Only four out of every 10 dogs make it through the training program, and each dog has to be re-certified on an annual basis. The person with disability then has to attend two weeks of training at their regional headquarters.

After 18 months, the dog goes back to Canine Companions so it can be partnered with a candidate. This is the tough part for the trainer. “It’s pretty heartbreaking to turn the dog in,” Clark said.