Dogs from the Canine Companions Northeast Training Center in Medford graduated Friday and are ready to move on to help provide independence to people with disabilities.

The eight dogs learned 45 different skills, including retrieving dropped items, opening doors and pulling a wheelchair.

The training process for these dogs is about two years before they are paired with their new partner.

Service dogs from Canine Companions are provided at no cost to adults, children and veterans in need.