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Tails were wagging and noses were sniffing in anticipation of a momentous event at Monkey Tail Ranch.
On Oct. 19, the Hollister service dog training facility hosted the 2025 Puppy Raiser Graduation and Volunteer Recognition to honor graduating puppies, the families who raise them and all of the others who help along the way.
“It’s like summer camp,” Jenna Gaitan said of the energy of the dogs at the event.
Gaitan was there with the rest of her family and their newest puppy, Wednesday.
Across the graduation lawn people hugged each other as their dogs played alongside them.
“It’s not at all easy to train people and animals to help people and animals,” said Pat Grant, a ranch volunteer, of the effort involved in raising and training service dogs.
Grant was recognized as Volunteer of The Year for her dedication to supporting the dogs through all phases of their early life and training.
“Something as simple as a domesticated dog can make a huge difference,” she said of the ranch’s work.
The event specifically marked the graduation of eight puppies from general training at home to specialized training at the ranch.
Monkey Tail founder Elise Lalor said graduating dogs must not be aggressive or nervous, cannot want to play a tremendous amount, and are able to correct any mistakes they make during weekly and monthly puppy training lessons.
“The end goal for us as puppy raisers is to get her back to the ranch for specialized training,” Katelyn Gaitan said of Wednesday, who has about a year until she is ready to start her service dog training.
Before the specialized training, a puppy raiser’s role is to acclimate the dog to many different environments, smells, sounds and people. The Gaitans said that part of their process is a trip to Disneyland for the dogs.
“They ride the rides with us,” said Katelyn. “Just not Space Mountain.”
The graduation also invited potential puppy raisers to ask questions of current puppy raisers and learn about the other ways that they can support the ranch’s mission.
From raising puppies to cleaning up puppy poop, there are numerous ways volunteers support the ranch.
“We even have volunteers come in to help feed the puppies from three weeks old, four weeks old,” Lalor said.
Monkey Tail Ranch focuses on training service dogs for autistic children and adults, but the dogs help a wide variety of folks.
“This dog has helped hundreds if not thousands of people,” said Paulette Cobb of Shout, the dog she handles.
The director of specialized student services and special education for the San Benito High School District, Cobb said that Shout has an invaluable role at Hollister High School, where she supports students who can be going through a variety of challenges at school or in their personal lives.
In addition to facility dogs like Shout, the ranch honored personal service dogs like Fergus, who is the service dog of military special operations veteran Steve McCullough.
“When I’m having a tough day, guess who’s right next to me,” McCullough said.
He said that among other things, Fergus helps him connect with people and helps to reduce his PTSD symptoms.
While discussing Fergus, McCullough shared that he was “shot and blown up” on duty in 2002, and since then has had 32 surgeries. He teared up when he talked of the role Fergus plays in his life.
“He makes my life livable.”
The BenitoLink Internship Program is a paid, skill-building program that prepares local youth for a professional career. This program is supported by Monterey Peninsula Foundation AT&T Golf Tour and Taylor Farms.
