In 1998, the Kids and Canines program was started in Hillsborough County, Florida as an anti-truancy initiative.  This innovative program pairs truant middle school teens with a golden retriever to train to be an assistance dog for individuals with physical disabilities or children with autism.  The students are paired with an 8 week old puppy and are taught to do the actual ‘hands on’ instructions for the 18-month period it takes to train the dog to perform over 60 commands.  These commands include turning on light switches, retrieving articles, removing laundry from dryers, opening doors, and helping with the shopping.

Learn more about our program