Army combat veteran honored for raising service dogs that change lives

AURORA, Colo. — Inside a room full of wagging tails at Canine Partners of the Rockies , training looks a lot like play. But every command and every treat brings these dogs one step closer to changing someone’s life.

“We are a service dog training organization that raises and trains service dogs for Coloradans living with disabilities,” said Executive Director Kyle Lephart. “We also provide facility dogs at local hospitals, schools and veterans centers to support the community.”

Each puppy at Canine Partners of the Rockies spends about two years in training before being matched with its new partner. During that time, every dog lives in a volunteer home. One of those volunteers is Bridget Domenighini , an Army combat veteran who now serves as both development director and volunteer pup