Canine companions graduate to go home with Texas veterans

Eight service dogs and their partners are ready to head out into the real world.

Canine Companions for Independence trained the dogs before helping them adapt to their new life partners, Texas veterans with PTSD.

The Canine Companions Center in Irving opened four years ago and was the organization's first Texas facility. The center partnered with Baylor Scott & White Hospital to train service dogs for 12 to 18 months.

After the training, applicants will visit the center for two weeks to learn how to work with the dogs.

FOX 4 Photojournalist Brad Kaplan was there for the dogs’ big graduation day.