Dogs for the Deaf in Oregon has launched one of the first programs in the country to train Autism Assistance Dogs — and they were featured a few months ago on KDRV Channel 12 in Medford, Oregon. A news crew came to film Dogs for the Deaf President and CEO, Robin Dickson and Canine Instructor, Carrie Brooks in a local mall where they were introducing the program to the public.

The Dogs for the Deaf Autism Assistance Dog program has been created in response to a need for help in the growing number of autism cases across the world. Dogs for the Deaf is leading the way with this type of Service Dog training. And this new type of training is backed up by experience — Dogs for the Deaf is the nation’s oldest hearing dog program and has trained over 3,000 Service Dogs since it’s start over 30 years ago.

Autism is a difficult condition for children and their parents. Trained Autism Assistance Dogs provide extremely valuable to help parents with calming and controlling children, especially as they are transitioning from one activity or environment to another. The dogs can also help draw a child out of their shell, allowing them to be more interactive which can help them learn and grow.

For more information on Dogs for the Deaf, to take a tour of their facility or to make a donation please visit their website or call 541-826-9220. You can also follow @dogsforthedeaf on Twitter where you can find information about their upcoming events, news and other news.