How to speak like a native English speaker 2 Caroline Elgin in The Plains, Virginia, got her service dog Sajen when she was almost ten years old. Elgin has cerebral palsy, which has affected her speech and motor skills, but not her intelligence. Now 19, she says Sajen makes her happy. Sajen knows more than 60 commands and helps Caroline by picking up items and giving them to her, pulling off her socks, and retrieving his leash. He can also shut a door. In nearby Middleburg, Virginia, 11-year-old Bobby Slater is teaching basic commands to Shiloh, in hopes she will become a service dog to help people like Caroline. These dogs are especially bred and trained by Canine Companions for Independence, or CCI, a non-profit group that provides service dogs to people with disabilities for free.