Please note:
Applications to our programme are currently closed. We hope to reopen our waiting list in 2028. In the meantime, please sign up to our mailing list to receive updates.
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Applications to our programme are currently closed. We hope to reopen our waiting list in 2028. In the meantime, please sign up to our mailing list to receive updates.
Our Assistance Dog Programme provides professionally trained dogs for children with autism and their families.
Since launching Europe’s first dedicated Assistance Dog Programme for children with autism in 2005, we have built a programme centred on training standards, dog welfare and ongoing family support.
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As a result of our proven impact and reputation we are proud to be Ireland’s largest and most successful Assistance Dog Programme for children with autism. Places on our programme are in consistently high demand.
Assistance Dogs help improve safety, confidence and independence for children with autism and their families.
Their main roles are to help prevent a child from bolting in public, stop safely at road crossings, and support smoother transitions while out and about.
Having an Assistance Dog is a long-term commitment for the whole family. As well as meeting the eligibility criteria, families need to be ready for the daily care, time and routine involved in supporting a working dog at home.
This helps make sure the dog can thrive and provide the best possible support for your child.
Take a walk through how we meet and greet children who are on the waiting list for our Assistance Dog Programme.
Join the waiting list
Join our mailing list to stay up to date and be the first to hear when applications open.
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Irish law gives Guide and Assistance Dog owners the right to access businesses and services without discrimination.
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Learn how to care for your Guide or Assistance Dog, from daily routines to health and wellbeing.
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Read our Frequently Asked Questions about our Assistance Dog Programme
See how an assistant dog impacts your life
Our 1-week residential Training Programme at our National Training Centre in Cork will provide you with coaching on day to day life living and working with an Assistance Dog. You will learn canine body language, how to care for the dog's physical and emotional welfare, how to continue their training and how to work as a team with your child.
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I can’t believe it’s been 7 and a half years since Iona came into our lives and in February 2025, she turned 9.
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Imagine you’re out for a walk with your child or grandchild, holding his hand like you always do.
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So before we got our Assistance Dog my son would not leave the house. We tried everything to get him some exercise and get him out of the house but he would just refuse.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a big decision to bring an Assistance Dog into your family. Many families find it brings a new responsibility that can be shared by different family members. Dogs thrive on structured routines. Adding structured routines can bring change to the family routine but often results in positive changes for the whole household. Since the application process is lengthy, we aim to give you as much information as possible including some basic information about living and working with an Assistance Dog, both the potential benefits as well as some of the logistical implications.
The application process – from submitting an application online to getting matched to an Assistance Dog - has several steps. The process takes time so we can learn more about you and your circumstances. At any stage it may become clear that an Assistance Dog will not be suitable for your family. Therefore, we have created these FAQs to support you.
The primary functions of our Assistance Dogs are:
These three tasks serve as a mobility and safety aid to children and parents.
Applications to join the waiting list for our Assistance Dog Programme are currently closed. We aim to reopen the list in 2028.
Our Assistance Dog Programme is regulated by Assistance Dogs International (ADI), and their standards guide our training and management of our dogs. Please visit the ADI website to learn more.
Our dogs are roughly 18 months old when they are placed as a working Assistance Dog. In accordance with ADI regulations, Assistance Dogs must retire by their 10th birthday, at the latest. Through our Aftercare Programme, we begin discussing retirement around the dog’s 8th birthday. This helps families transition away from relying on the dog for physical attachments. We will not replace the retired dog with a new dog upon its retirement or death.