Here’s a beautiful video about a seven-year-old girl named Sadie, who has Autism, as well as a mitochondrial disorder that affects her at the cellular level, making it difficult for her to walk. When Tender Loving Canines trained a Labradoodle named Solar to be a service dog for her, Sadie found much more than a helper: she found a best friend. The rapport they display in these scenes is wonderful.

Many years ago my family raised leader dogs for the blind and donated one that was chosen to train for a young woman from New York as her service dog. It was hard to let him go; but, we were proud of him that he could live out his life in this valuable service. Another dog from the same litter was raised by our neighbors and their children and also became a Leader Dog for the blind. The dogs were trained in Rodchester, MI.