Meet "Kimmy"
A Standard Poodle in training to change a veteran's life.
Sponsored by Rally4Vets/DVEN.
This is Where It Begins
Kimmy is a black Standard Poodle with a calm gaze and a big job ahead of her. She recently began the most important chapter of her young life: training to become a service dog for a veteran.
She didn't come to us by accident. Kimmy was thoughtfully bred and raised by a trainer who has spent her career preparing service dogs for disabled veterans, which means Kimmy arrived with an exceptional foundation and real potential. Now she's with a professional trainer who will spend the coming months building the skills, confidence, and steadiness the work demands.
We're proud to sponsor her. And we'd like you to follow along as she grows into the dog a veteran is waiting for.
The Journey
Every great service dog starts somewhere. You will be able to follow Kimmy's progress right here as she moves through her training to the day she's matched with the veteran she'll serve.
Milestone 1: Kimmy has reported for duty. Kimmy's very first outing tells you everything about the road ahead; a visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, vest on, doing exactly what she was born to do: showing up for those who served. At this stage, her training focuses on the foundations: confidence, environmental stability, and the work ethic every service dog needs before the specialized training begins.
Why a Dog Can Save a Life
For a veteran carrying the weight of service, a trained service dog is far more than a companion. These dogs are trained to sense anxiety before it peaks, interrupt a nightmare, create space in a crowd, steady a hand, or simply be a reason to get up in the morning. For veterans living with PTSD, traumatic injury, or the isolation that too often follows coming home, that difference can be measured in lives.
Isolation is one of the most dangerous forces a veteran faces. A service dog breaks it — every single day. That's why Kimmy's training matters. She isn't a pet. She's being prepared for a mission.
That mission is the heart of everything we do: We Drive. They Survive.℠
Where Will She Serve?
Kimmy's path isn't fully written yet — and that's by design. As she moves through training, she'll show her strengths. She may be matched one-on-one with a single veteran, becoming that person's constant partner.
Or she may find her calling at a veterans facility, bringing steadiness and comfort to many who served.
We'll follow where her talents lead. But the destination is the same no matter the route: Kimmy is going to help veterans. Every step of her training points toward that day.
In Expert Hands
Kimmy's training is led by Lisamarie Warne, a professional dog trainer who has worked in canine behavior and training since 2013. Her approach is grounded in the modern science of animal behavior. Built on positive reinforcement, clear communication, and a deep commitment to each dog's welfare and long-term success.
Her focus is simple and demanding: to produce confident, resilient, reliable service dogs while protecting the dog's well-being every step of the way.
Kimmy couldn't be in better hands.
