Kevin Stone: Hi! I am Kevin Stone, U.

S Army veteran, Olympic Athlete and client of Paws With A Cause.

Today, I am going to discus how to be proactive about your needs as a prospective assistant dog client.

Before making your selection for an assistance dog agency, be sure to describe your specific situations and see if they have a dog that's right for you.

First, describe your current abilities and how you envision an assistance dog helping you with task you have trouble doing on your own. It's important to be clear about your expectations of what you want the dog to do for you.

Describe a typical day in your life. This will help the agency select the right dog to fit into your current lifestyle. If you live in a tiny apartment, a St. Bernard wouldn't be a good fit.

Don't forget about the other members of your family. Find out how those family members feel about having a dog in their lives.

Please, keep the agency updated on the changes in your condition as they occur. The more information you can provide them about your abilities and your lifestyle, the better equipped the agency will be able to make a great match between you and your assistance dog.

Once you have defined all your needs and communicated them to the agency, it will be easy to select an assistance dog that's right for you.