At the ripe old age of 14 months, Jursa's off to college. His friends in the after-school program at Peachtree City Elementary gave him a rousing send-off last week.

Jursa is a lemon-colored Lab-Retriever mix, specially bred for a patient temperament and intelligence, so that he can become an assistance dog for someone with physical disabilities. He needed all his patience to deal with the 40-odd children eager to pet him and hug him, but the kids received nothing worse from the dog than a few slobbery kisses and exuberant tail-wagging whacks.

Jursa's been in "high school" with Nicki Lucas, local trainer for Canine Companions for Independence. She explained to the children that the things Jursa can do now, and other things he will learn at CCI's "university" in New York, "are not really tricks...people will depend on Jursa to live their lives."

Lucas told the group, "People in wheelchairs can't move the same as us, but they have the same minds and hearts. Jursa and other dogs like him will help them do things in everyday life that are hard for them, especially if they are in wheelchairs."

Jursa already knows sit, stay, speak, shake hands, and a number of other commands that have to do with "good manners," said Lucas. At the assistance-dog college, he will learn to pull a person in a wheelchair, open doors, push elevator buttons (even the desired floor), turn lights on and off, and pick up objects as small as a dime or as large as a book or telephone. Lucas demonstrated "look" and "hold" and "lap," with a couple of young volunteers, to show the kids how Jursa will retrieve objects for his "person."

Several of the youngsters wanted to tell Lucas that they had been bitten by dogs, but were not afraid of them. Lucas emphasized that "all dogs have teeth," and said that children should always ask permission to pet someone's dog, and be wary of strange dogs.

"Jursa would not bite, because he is trained," she said. She said his particular mix of breeds is so laid-back that Jursa often sleeps while she is making presentations to groups, even the younger and noisier ones. He is not a protection dog, she says, but generally the owner telling the dog to "speak" will scare away unwanted visitors with loud barking.

Lucas got Jursa at eight weeks old from one of CCI's 18 puppy-raisers in Georgia. She takes him everywhere, so that he becomes accustomed to the kinds of places and crowds he'll have to manage when he becomes a full-fledged assistance dog.

"Usually people are very understanding, and welcome us," she said. "You don't usually see dogs in restaurants and grocery stores, but these dogs have to learn to go there, behave themselves, and help their owners."

Lucas said she didn't even own a dog until she was in her thirties and married, but had always done volunteer work. Canine Companions for Independence, she said, fit "where my heart was." She also teaches private dog-obedience training, and makes a lot of appearances for CCI.

"We need more puppy-raisers and people interested in helping," she said. "There are so many people with special needs who are waiting for dogs, and CCI does not charge to place a dog with a person who needs one. Anybody interested can call our Southeast Regional Center at 407-834-2555."

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