Welcome to the
Labradoodle Service Dog Discussion
As the Labradoodle gains in popularity, there has also been a rising awareness of the incredible potential of these dogs as therapy, service and companion dogs for children and adults with disabilities. Breeders are interested in donating puppies to appropriate families, caregivers are seeking information to benefit their loved ones, and therapy specialists are looking for ideas on how to incorporate dogs into their work with individuals with disabilities. When Paradise Labradoodles in Hawaii posted information on their web site about labradoodles and children with disabilities, we began receiving requests for information on how others could get involved. Breeders asked us how to pick appropriate pups for autistic children, families wrote asking how to find a labradoodle for their child, and ABA trainers asked us for more information on how to use these wonderful dogs as part of their therapy. The ILA is hoping that this forum will provide a means of expanding these discussions, as opposed to private emails, for the ultimate benefit of the special needs community.
If you are a labradoodle owner interested in information about getting involved in therapy work, you might like to check out the websites for Therapy Dogs International and The Delta Society. If you would like more information on legal definitions of service dogs, please visit the web site of the International Association of Assistance Dog Partners. Their web site includes a particularly good document on psychological support dogs which may be of interest to parents of austistic children.
